| REUK Shop | REUK Blog | Directory | About Us  |  | RSS Web Feed for Renewable Energy UK 

Adjustable Step Up Voltage Regulator



Adjustable Step Up Voltage Regulator

Find out more about a step up voltage regulator used to output a voltage higher than the input voltage

electronics | electric circuit | general
  Printer Friendly Version Print Article     

There are many occasions when it would be useful to produce a useable voltage higher than the voltage provided by a battery or other power source. For example, powering a 12V LED spotlight bulb with 4 AA batteries.

We have previously published articles on voltage doublers which increase an AC voltage (a simple circuit to implement), and DC voltage booster which can boost the voltage from 1 or 2 AA batteries up to 5 or 12 Volts (a more complicated circuit).

All of these designs require a certain amount of electronic know how and skill to put together. Fortunately there are commerical alternatives available which can be used a plug and play units ready to go immediately.

MC34063 Based Step Up Voltage Regulator


MC34063 Step Up Voltage Regulator

The circuit board pictured above is a Step-Up voltage regulator based around the MC34063 chip. It measures in at just 45 x 25mm and weighs just over 10 grams.

Taking in a recommended input voltage of +5 to +12VDC it will output at least 200mA at a user-selectable +7 to +24VDC. Ideally the input voltage should be at least 2V below the desired output voltage. Connections are made via easy to use screw in terminals.

If the load attempts to draw more than 200mA, or if the input power supply is insufficient to provide the necessary output power (for example, when the battery is flat), the voltage output will fall below the desired voltage.

NEW This step up voltage regulator is now available on sale in the REUK Shop. Click here to purchase this 200mA Step Up Voltage Regulator now.

Uses for a Step Up Voltage Regulator

There are many 9V and 12V powered devices which draw less then 200mA of current and could therefore be powered by a battery holder containing just four easy to obtain AA batteries.

Rechargeable AA batteries are very cheaply available, have very high capacities, and are the first to benefit from new technical advances. Therefore, 4 rechargeable AA batteries can easily be charged with a 6V Solar Panel and used to power a 9 Volt DC rated device (such as a wireless spy-cam) with a far longer battery lifetime than using a rechargeable (or disposable) 9 Volt battery.

Similarly, this type of step-up device can be used to power 12 Volt rated LED lighting in a garden shed or garage where it is used occasionally, thereby avoiding the expense of a large, heavy, and difficult to maintain deep cycle lead acid 12V battery.

This circuit can even be used with very small stepper motor wind turbines (and similar mini turbines) to boost generated low voltages up to the level necessary to recharge a battery with a much higher voltage.

Technical Information


34063 DC DC Converter Chip

The MC34063 is a DC DC Converter which can be used to step-up or step-down a voltage. Click here to view the MC34062 Datasheet (PDF).



Article Last Modified: 11:42, 15th Dec 2007

Comment on this Article

If you have any comments on this article, please email them to neil@reuk.co.uk.


Recommended Related Articles

People who read this article also enjoyed the following articles:

Stepper Motor Basics
Learn more about stepper motors and their use in RE electricity generation
Article Last Modified: 09:54, 4th Apr 2007
wind | education

Lead Acid Batteries
Introduction to lead acid battery technology and different types of lead acid battery
Article Last Modified: 16:25, 12th Nov 2008
storage

Solar Battery Charger With LM317T
Find out how to make a current controlled solar battery charger using an LM317T
Article Last Modified: 09:34, 30th Mar 2007
solar | education | electric circuit

Solar Battery Charging
Make a solar charger for NiCd and NiMH rechargeable AA, AAA etc batteries
Article Last Modified: 09:43, 30th Jul 2007
solar | education

Basic 4 AA Solar Battery Charger Plans
Make a simple solar charger for 4 AA rechargeable batteries
Article Last Modified: 09:43, 30th Jul 2007
solar | education

Electricity with Stepper Motors
Find out the basics of generating electricity with stepper motors
Article Last Modified: 17:07, 10th Jun 2008
wind

DC Voltage Multiplier Circuit Plans
Build a circuit to boost the voltage of a DC power source using a MAX756 IC Chip
Article Last Modified: 14:10, 19th Nov 2010
electric circuit | electronics | education

Solar Powered Irrigation
Water your garden or allotment with a solar powered irrigation system
Article Last Modified: 15:58, 12th Jun 2008
solar | water

PVC Wind Turbine Blades
Learn how to make your own PVC wind turbine blades
Article Last Modified: 15:16, 19th Aug 2008
wind

Worlds Largest Wind Turbine Generator
Read about the world's biggest wind turbines - 5MW
Article Last Modified: 14:24, 6th Jan 2007
wind

© 2006-2013 REUK - All Rights Reserved
Page Last Updated on 22nd May 2013 at 02:17:33pm

Recent
Blog Posts


1.Compressed Air for Storage of Renewable Energy

2.Offer of the Day – 80W Monocrystalline Solar Panel £71.98

3.Project of the Day – Wind Turbine Dynamic Blade Pitch Controller

4.Morocco Starts Vast Solar Energy Project

5.Follow Up to RC Helicopter Lighting Controller

6.Low Voltage Disconnect – User Programmable Set Points in Binary

7.UK Home Energy Smart Meter Project Delayed

8.EU to Impose High Import Duties on Chinese Made Solar Panels

9.Project of the Day – Swimming Pool Solar Water Heating Controller with Max Temperature

10.Multiple Buttons/Switches on one ADC Input


Latest
Articles


New Simple Hen House Door Controller
Details of our new 2013 simple design for an automatic hen house door controller
electric circuit
11:45, 20th Apr 2013

Automatic Hen House Door Closer Opener
Find out how to put together a DIY automatic hen house door opener and closer
electric circuit
11:40, 20th Apr 2013

Butanol vs Ethanol Fuel of the Future
A brief introduction to Butanol/Biobutanol as an alternative to Ethanol
biomass
11:55, 19th Apr 2013

Cheap Pyroelectric Infrared PIR Detector
Details of a very affordable and flexible PIR motion detector
electronics
20:33, 16th Jan 2013

Heat Pump Tumble Dryer
Reduce power consumption with the latest heat pump tumble dryer technology
energy efficiency
20:16, 3rd Jan 2013

LED Spotlights
Find out about Energy Efficient LED spotlights
lighting
15:17, 3rd Jan 2013

Dimmable Energy Saving Lightbulbs
Find out more about low energy light bulbs which can be used with standard dimmer switches
lighting
14:36, 3rd Jan 2013

Review of Megaman Energy Saving Lightbulbs
Find out more about the Megaman range of CFL energy saving lightbulbs
lighting
14:08, 3rd Jan 2013



REUK Shop

Popular Items


REUK SUPER LDR DUSK DAWN RELAY CONTROLLER
Multi-function light detector triggered light/dark dawn/dusk relay controller
£19.95 each.
Complete Circuits



KARASOULI SCC 20 CHARGE CONTROLLER
20A rated wind turbine charge controller and dump load controller with blocking diode and heatsink
£43.95 each.
Renewable Energy System Parts



2013 SOLAR PUMP CONTROLLER WITH RELAY
New solar water heating pump controller with fitted 10A relay
£25.99 each.
Complete Circuits



REUK SUPER POULTRY LIGHTING CONTROLLER
Control up to 8 Watts of LED spotlights to stimulate egg production in birds
£29.99 each.
Complete Circuits



REUK SUPER TIMER 2
User programmable 12VDC powered 16A rated repeating relay timer. 1 second to 99 hours ON and OFF times
£23.99 each.
Complete Circuits



300 WATT POWER INVERTER
Convert 12V DC battery power into 230 AC to power portable televisions, computers, video recorders etc. 300 Watt power rating - peak power 600 Watts
£29.99 each.
Renewable Energy System Parts



CONVERTED PROGRAMMABLE DIGITAL TIMER RELAY
Mains powered programmable timer converted to low voltage with relay board
£21.99 each.
Renewable Energy System Parts



12 VOLT REGULATOR
Supply a fixed 12.0 Volt DC to your devices (up to 0.7 Amp output)
£4.79 each.
Complete Circuits



MR16 CERAMIC BULB HOLDER
Bulb holder for 12 Volt LED spotlight bulbs
£1.39 each.
Energy Efficient Lighting