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Reply to "Narrow Version of DIY 317 Voltage Regulator Board, with Build Files"

But wait!  There's more!  

Given the compact size of this board, it reminds me of a $1 module you can get on eBay that is essentially just a bridge rectifier and capacitor.  OK, there's an LED but ignore that for a second.  The idea is Rod's board can be used to perform the useful task of AC-to-DC conversion with large capacitance on the DC side.  And of course it has the DCS choke which I can't imagine any eBay module would ever have!

bridge and cap for 75 cents

So if compiling a book called "101 things you can do with Rod's board":

1) there are thumbnail sized mini DC-to-DC modules though some are limited in their allowed input voltage range.  If, say, driving a smoke unit in a diner car or caboose, you need at least 5 Watts of power at maybe 5V or 6V  DC.  Because the LM317 is a linear regulator, it might be overwhelmed by the heat dissipated going from 18V AC track voltage down to 5V DC.  So you can set the LM317 to, say, 20V DC and then pair it with a mini DC-to-DC module to efficiently reduce the voltage to 5V DC.

2) or if a car is used in both conventional and command environments, the AC-to-DC converter could be paired with a buck-boost DC-to-DC module for constant voltage lighting.  Most of the buck-boost modules do not have enough input capacitance to support flicker free lighting so that's where the capacitor on Rod's board comes to the rescue!

3) though probably not for rolling stock, but one could choose not to install the LM317 in Rod's board and simply use the board for the AC-to-DC bridge and capacitor and pair it with a DC-to-DC LM2596 voltage regulator with built-in voltmeter.  It has come up several times that there are no low-cost AC-to-DC stepdown voltage regulator modules on eBay WITH integral voltmeter.

And so on!

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  • bridge and cap for 75 cents

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