electro-music.com   Dedicated to experimental electro-acoustic
and electronic music
 
    Front Page  |  Radio
 |  Media  |  Forum  |  Wiki  |  Links
Forum with support of Syndicator RSS
 FAQFAQ   CalendarCalendar   SearchSearch   MemberlistMemberlist   UsergroupsUsergroups   LinksLinks
 RegisterRegister   ProfileProfile   Log in to check your private messagesLog in to check your private messages   Log inLog in  Chat RoomChat Room 
 Forum index » DIY Hardware and Software » Developers' Corner
AC-AC power for modular question
Post new topic   Reply to topic Moderators: DrJustice
Page 1 of 1 [3 Posts]
View unread posts
View new posts in the last week
Mark the topic unread :: View previous topic :: View next topic
Author Message
mopie992



Joined: Dec 17, 2016
Posts: 6
Location: Ohio

PostPosted: Mon Jan 07, 2019 12:03 pm    Post subject: AC-AC power for modular question Reply with quote  Mark this post and the followings unread

Hi hi hi
Making the jump to modular and I am starting simple... I think.

I have purchased a couple Frequency Central's DIY power PCB, bought the components for +/- 15v and got the recommended wallwart... -- AC-AC Wall Adapter 12 V@1A 2.1mm (https://www./webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?langId=-1&storeId=10001&catalogId=10001&productId=10081)

So
question is... I've only ever made desktop noise makers with 9v battery (dc) and since this power unit is AC... do I need to do anything different with my modules? or is 15v 15v no matter if its AC or DC ?

I believe FrequencyCentral is on here. but not sure how to @ them in this system.

Thanks in advance.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
JovianPyx



Joined: Nov 20, 2007
Posts: 1988
Location: West Red Spot, Jupiter
Audio files: 224

PostPosted: Mon Jan 07, 2019 1:10 pm    Post subject: Re: AC-AC power for modular question Reply with quote  Mark this post and the followings unread

mopie992 wrote:
Hi hi hi
Making the jump to modular and I am starting simple... I think.

I have purchased a couple Frequency Central's DIY power PCB, bought the components for +/- 15v and got the recommended wallwart... -- AC-AC Wall Adapter 12 V@1A 2.1mm (https://www./webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?langId=-1&storeId=10001&catalogId=10001&productId=10081)

So
question is... I've only ever made desktop noise makers with 9v battery (dc) and since this power unit is AC... do I need to do anything different with my modules? or is 15v 15v no matter if its AC or DC ?

I believe FrequencyCentral is on here. but not sure how to @ them in this system.

Thanks in advance.


AC and DC are radically different things.

DC (direct current) is a steady, same voltage all the time power source. DC has no wave form.

AC (alternating current) is constantly changing. AC from the mains has a sine wave shape, so it is going up and down and also from positive to negative to positive etc.

Trying to power something needing DC with an AC source is asking to smoke it.

As long as you use DC at the correct voltage with a module, you'll be OK.

Another issue that you didn't mention is current. Current is measured in amperes (sometimes in milliamperes) and is important as well. If a module is said to need 15 volts at 150 mA (milli-amperes) that means that the supply needs to be DC, 15 volts (unless otherwise specified positive is assumed) and must supply at least 150 mA. This means it's OK for it to supply more current than 150 mA. It is good practice to use a supply that can push more current than needed.

_________________
FPGA, dsPIC and Fatman Synth Stuff

Time flies like a banana.
Fruit flies when you're having fun.
BTW, Do these genes make my ass look fat?
corruptio optimi pessima
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Visit poster's website
wackelpeter



Joined: May 05, 2013
Posts: 461
Location: germany
Audio files: 10

PostPosted: Tue Jan 08, 2019 10:44 am    Post subject: Reply with quote  Mark this post and the followings unread

Do you have a link for those Frequency Central PSU PCB's?

As it seems, while you said you have the components for 15V +/-, These boards are 15V +/- and you have a 12VAC wallwart, which wouldn't be enough to get 15VDC out of it... You would Need at least a 15VAC wallwart or better and more common a 18VAC wallwart.

First of all it's good that you took the path using a wallwart PSU when you have no practice with mains current circuits etc.. That's what i would advice anyone who isn't well versed in that field.

I don't know exactly what voltages you would Need from your PSU, if you actually would want a 12V DC +/- PSU then this could work and you just had to Exchange the Regulators if These are 7815 and 7915 types for the 7812 and 7912 respectively. But if you want 15V DC +/- then you would Need another wallwart with more than 12VAC Output.

1A sounds okay if you didn't want to power a great rack. but i wouldn't take much more load as 600mA out of it, because then they loose stability quiet often and you have ripple on your power rails, which you could improve a bit with some bigger electrolytes but also there is a limit when this wouldn't help anymore. And well with 600mA you would also have to consider to put the Right size of heat sinks into your PSU... I Always build them myself leaving enough space to get in at least an additional pair of electrolytes and a bigger sized heatsink… and if you use just one big heatsink, you have to electrically Isolate the 79xx Regulator, because there it's not the Ground that is connected to the metal housing or Strip of the TO220 case it's either the in- or Output (i Always Forget which one) and this would create a short.


At least one advice, you might Keep in mind, i would suggest you to Keep logic modules like sequencers, Clocks and dividers, etc. at a separate PSU because they tend to affect the power rails more and you will recognize this on your Audio paths (VCO and VCF,etc.)

_________________
https://soundcloud.com/bastian-j
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
Display posts from previous:   
Post new topic   Reply to topic Moderators: DrJustice
Page 1 of 1 [3 Posts]
View unread posts
View new posts in the last week
Mark the topic unread :: View previous topic :: View next topic
 Forum index » DIY Hardware and Software » Developers' Corner
Jump to:  

You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot vote in polls in this forum
You cannot attach files in this forum
You can download files in this forum


Forum with support of Syndicator RSS
Powered by phpBB © 2001, 2005 phpBB Group
Copyright © 2003 through 2009 by electro-music.com - Conditions Of Use