Alternative for the TI custom regs

[zack]

Recently the TI regs used for zenloc's custom regulator have not been available on TI's website as free samples. Instead, you'd end up having to pay around $30 to buy them on digikey or mouser.

So I've been looking for a cheaper alternate.
Check out these adjustable regs on dealextreme http://dx.com/p/mini-3a-4-5-28v-input-0 ... een-238815

I can't be 100% certain these will work, so maybe someone could confirm it, but it looks to me like you could just get three of these, adjust the POT so they output the correct voltage, and it would work just fine to power the gamecube.

I'm not missing something am I? They have an adequate voltage range. 3A should be enough. They're small. They're cheap. They don't require extra components. Why don't we use them instead?

 

[hailrazer]

They work, but they are not nearly as efficient and they get really hot. I've had them fail quite often also

And don't exaggerate. The Ti's are $10 on digikey and shipping via USPS fist class is around $3.

 

[Elemental]

They work, but they are not nearly as efficient and they get really hot. I've had them fail quite often also

And don't exaggerate. The Ti's are $10 on digikey and shipping via USPS fist class is around $3.

The price for a PTR08100WVD is 15.84$ on digikey, and the price for a PTH08080WAS or PTH08080WAZ is 9.68$ on digikey, and considering you need two PTH08080's the price comes to 35.20$ and that's without shipping.

 

[hailrazer]

You only need two regs for a GCP.

 

[zack]

You only need two regs for a GCP.

Only need two? Please explain

 

[rebreok]

Zenloc's custom regulator can be done with either three regs or two:

The total draw of running the cube of these 3 regulators is 1.7A (a bit lower in game). If you don't want to bother with 2 separate regulators for the CPU and GPU. You can use the PTR08060 or PTR08100 on 1.7v to power both chips. The difference in total draw is 0.2A. As running it of those 2 regulators will give you a total of 1.9A on 7.4v

 

[Blargaman91]

There's one for 3.3v and one for 1.9v, if you want to go the bare minimum.

EDIT: Did not see the above post, somehow... please ignore.

 

[hailrazer]

If you're not using the disc drive, then you don't need 5v , just 3.3v, 1.9v and 7.4v.

 

[zack]

If you're not using the disc drive, then you don't need 5v , just 3.3v, 1.9v and 7.4v.

So the gamecube works without even connecting the 5v line at all? What about for tchay's soundfix though? I had to do this where you wire 5v to a point on the board.

 

[orangeziggy84]

You can wire up between 5v to 12v, because it powers the amp. 5v is the minimum for it to work.

 

[trevor403]

Also if i'm not mistaken, 5v is used for rumble too, all the controller ports have a 5v line, so if you make a controller port on your GCp then you may need a 5v line. Does anyone know if rumble can take higher voltage?