Reddit:Electronics

Hey everyone!

I've been diving into some high-voltage (HV) power electronics experiments recently. I wanted to share a project I've been tinkering with: a custom step-up converter.

We all know that step-up (Boost) circuits are excellent for boosting low-voltage inputs (like 12V), but I had a different idea: what if I use the Boost topology on an already high DC voltage?

My goal is to take a 100V DC input (or ∼167V DC if I rectify and filter a 120V AC line) and significantly boost it.

I'm currently deep in the simulation phase and plan to build a physical prototype soon. I'm looking for feedback from anyone experienced with HV DC/DC conversion on my approach.

here is the diagram for circuitJS:

txt $ 1 0.000005 3.046768661252054 50 5 43 5e-11 w 752 0 752 32 0 w 752 -32 752 -128 0 f 928 -16 752 -16 32 1.5 0.02 w 752 32 752 48 0 w 704 32 752 32 0 w 704 64 704 32 0 w 752 192 816 192 0 w 752 80 752 144 0 r 752 144 752 192 0 100 t 704 64 752 64 0 1 0 0 100 default g 560 192 528 192 0 0 w 752 192 688 192 0 r 816 -64 816 192 0 22 w 560 80 560 96 0 w 560 48 560 32 0 t 704 64 560 64 0 1 0 0 100 default w 560 192 688 192 0 r 688 144 688 192 0 100 r 560 144 560 192 0 100 w 560 96 560 112 0 w 624 96 560 96 0 w 624 128 624 96 0 t 624 128 560 128 0 1 0 0 100 default t 624 128 688 128 0 1 0 0 100 default r 560 -64 560 32 0 10000000 w 704 -64 704 -144 0 R 560 -64 512 -64 0 0 40 100 0 0 0.5 f 688 32 688 -64 40 1.5 0.02 l 560 -64 672 -64 0 0.1 0 0 d 672 -64 672 -128 2 default c 672 -128 560 -128 4 0.000009999999999999999 0.001 0.001 0.1 g 560 -128 528 -128 0 0 w 672 -128 752 -128 0 w 816 -128 816 -64 0 w 688 32 688 112 0 w 688 32 560 32 0 g 704 -144 704 -176 0 0 w 816 -128 752 -128 0 w 1088 0 1104 0 0 w 1040 0 1088 0 0 w 1088 -160 1088 0 0 r 1280 -160 1088 -160 0 3300 w 1280 -32 1280 -160 0 w 1280 -32 1232 -32 0 w 1232 -128 1232 -64 0 w 1168 -128 1232 -128 0 165 1104 -96 1120 -96 6 0 R 1040 -128 1008 -128 0 0 40 5 0 0 0.5 w 1040 -128 1168 -128 0 r 1040 0 1040 -128 0 1000000 g 1040 96 1040 112 0 0 c 1040 32 1040 96 4 3e-7 0.001 0.001 0 w 1040 32 1104 32 0 w 1040 0 1040 32 0 w 1280 -32 1280 192 0 w 1280 192 928 192 0 w 928 192 928 -16 0 w 1040 96 1200 96 0 w 1200 96 1200 64 0

Went to a local electronics store to buy some knobs and things, I mentioned dot matrix printers to an employee and he pulled one out of his butt (the back of the store) and gave it to me for free!

Felt like I had to make the serial connector myself to go with the retro feel, so I did!

My Mom always kept these safe, I learned the habit of collecting them from my Dad.

The custom pcb for my LoRa radio just arrived, sorry for the burnt mouse pad, i apparently like to solder over it😢

Found in an Apple IIe power supply. Never seen this before, but it seems to work! I didn't know you could solder to aluminum like that.

It's basically two DF Players, one plays a metronome track (prog rock, so not constant time nor signature) and the second a backing track for the songs that have it. Each output is stereo, and has a signal led with an LM393 comparator, with the set point done by the ESP32 DAC.

Next I'll implement the MIDI part to be able to change settings in my keyboard with time stamps. Probably will make a html configuration page to select various parameters.

I been using it for a couple of rehearsals and tomorrow will meet the stage.

Opened an Olarm today and found the LTE antenna lying loose in the case. This board uses a Quectel EG915N LTE module with a little SMD PCB antenna soldered directly to the board. The RF pad ripped clean off the PCB.

Ended up doing my first ever micro-soldering repair:

scraped the RF trace

destroyed it

scraped a new section

rebuilt the missing pad using one tiny copper strand

lost that strand repeatedly

reflowed the antenna back on with hot air

prayed

It actually works. I don’t know whether to feel proud or traumatised.

Hi I'm making an Ethernet adapter that I'll mount in a flush wall box. Two ports will be PoE (access points), powered from the switch. The other two will be data only without power, also from the switch. The internet speed is 1 Gbps. For routing copper connections I'll follow standards (length, width) for 1Gb speed. Now I'm wondering whether to use a standard RJ45 connector or a connector that contains a transformer with filters for PoE usage. As an addition I was thinking of using two LEDs on the RJ45 connector — one for activity and the other for link speed. I would use a PHY chip. (I know the switch already has those two LEDs).

Opened up this active speaker with a failed SMPS, and found this absolute shit show. Precious repair tech was too lazy to remove the board from the frame and just botched a cap to the remnants of the previous, presumably exploded cap. FML, I'm checking this board extra carefully now.

Got my first PCB delivered from JLCPCB

So I got this thing chirping but I think the little battery powered amp/speaker I’m using is faulty. Super fun though if you have a busted Commodore 64.

the one on the left is the switched-mode power supply its much smaller and lighter, this one can output twice as much current as the linear power supply on the right