Konubinix' opinionated web of thoughts

Electronic

Fleeting

Switching converters or switched-mode DC-to-DC converters store the input energy temporarily and then release that energy to the output at a different voltage, which may be higher or lower. The storage may be in either magnetic field storage components (inductors, transformers) or electric field storage components (capacitors). This conversion method can increase or decrease voltage. Switching conversion is often more power-efficient (typical efficiency is 75% to 98%) than linear voltage regulation, which dissipates unwanted power as heat

— https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DC-to-DC_converter ([2025-05-17 Sat])

however, these fast transitions combine with layout parasitic effects to make circuit design challenging.

— https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DC-to-DC_converter ([2025-05-17 Sat])

higher efficiency of a switched-mode converter reduces the heatsinking needed, and increases battery endurance of portable equipment.

— https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DC-to-DC_converter ([2025-05-17 Sat])

Although they require few components, switching converters are electronically complex. Like all high-frequency circuits, their components must be carefully specified and physically arranged to achieve stable operation and to keep switching noise (EMI / RFI) at acceptable levels.[7] Their cost is higher than linear regulators in voltage-dropping applications, but their cost has been decreasing with advances in chip design

— https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DC-to-DC_converter ([2025-05-17 Sat])

Linear regulators which are used to output a stable DC independent of input voltage and output load from a higher but less stable input by dissipating excess volt-amperes as heat, could be described literally as DC-to-DC converters, but this is not usual usage

— https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DC-to-DC_converter ([2025-05-17 Sat])

The same could be said of a simple voltage dropper resistor, whether or not stabilised by a following voltage regulator or Zener diode

— https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DC-to-DC_converter ([2025-05-17 Sat])

art of electronics

Paul Horowitz, Winfield Hill-The Art of Electronics-Cambridge University Press (2015).pdf

connector

micro losi/walkera molex

xh-2p

xh-2p connectior

Japan Solderless Terminal

JST connectors are electrical connectors manufactured to the design standards originally developed by J.S.T. Mfg. Co. (Japan Solderless Terminal)

— https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/JST_connector

JST manufactures numerous series (families) and pitches (pin-to-pin distance) of connectors

— https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/JST_connector

commonly used by electronics hobbyists and consumer products for rechargeable battery packs, battery balancers, battery eliminator circuits, 3D printers, and radio controlled servos

— https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/JST_connector

JST" is sometimes incorrectly used as a vernacular term meaning any small white electrical connector mounted on PCBs.

— https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/JST_connector

JST Is Not A Connector

simple two pin wire-to-wire connector is probably the RCY series.

— https://hackaday.com/2017/12/27/jst-is-not-a-connector/

pitch: the distance between pins.

— https://hackaday.com/2017/12/27/jst-is-not-a-connector/

We start with the JST XH series. Its pitch of 2.5 mm is effectively identical to the 0.1″ pitch commonly found on prototyping breadboards. After the XH series, the pin pitch gets narrower, the wires get thinner, and the connectors are more fragile through PH (2.0 mm), ZH (1.5 mm), GH (1.25 mm), and SH (1.0 mm). The SH series are so small that JST specified optional protrusions to give us something to hold

— https://hackaday.com/2017/12/27/jst-is-not-a-connector/

keep in mind the possibility that it might not be a JST connector at all.

— https://hackaday.com/2017/12/27/jst-is-not-a-connector/

The Molex PicoBlade is a 1.25 mm pitch connector frequently confused with JST GH in the same pitch.

— https://hackaday.com/2017/12/27/jst-is-not-a-connector/

gain experience with connectors, we’ll make better guesses based on context

— https://hackaday.com/2017/12/27/jst-is-not-a-connector/

backyard-friendly hobby aircraft ecosystem (airplane, helicopter, and multi-rotor) uses many connectors designed by JST with Molex as a smaller player. The situation is reversed in PC components where Molex designed most of the connectors in that ecosystem.

— https://hackaday.com/2017/12/27/jst-is-not-a-connector/

Câble connecteur Jack mâle/femelle JST 5/2/1.25/1.25 2 P, 10/2.0 paires, petit format, 2.54mm, PH2.0 XH2.54, 2 broches | AliExpress

sm-2p

sm-2p connector

force greater voltage/tension while consuming more current -> boost converter

provide much greater power efficiency as DC-to-DC converters than linear regulators, which are simpler circuits that dissipate power as heat, but do not step up output current.[1

— https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buck_converter ([2025-05-17 Sat])

change tension

TL;DR:

level shifter
conveying signal, fast transition and few noise, but very small current allowed,1
DC-to-DC converter
conveying power, can provide bigger current, but may be noisy or slow to transition,2
  • switching regulator: - boost converter/buck converter (or step up/step down conveter): - - very small loss of energy, - but do that with a oscillating circuit that tends to be noisy - some of them can be adjusted to the voltage we want - only either increase or reduce the voltage, not the other way around - keeps the product UI almost constant. You either increase the voltage reducing the current that can go through or decrease the voltage by increasing the current,
    • boost-buck converter: like above, but can do both directions.
  • linear regulator: see3
    • only reduces the voltage.
    • keeps the current intact,
    • acts like a resistor that adjust to provide the appropriate voltage, removing the excess in heat
    • therefore may become hot and needs proper ventilation if the difference of voltage is big enough
    • tend to be quite noiseless

level shifter

DC-to-DC converter

switching regulator

boost converter
DC-DC 1V 1.2V 1.5V 1.8V 2.5V 3V to DC 3.3V Step-UP Boost Power Supply Converter | eBay
buck converter
buck-boost converter

linear regulator

how to understand the name

régulateurs fixes doivent leur nom au fait qu’ils sont conçus pour délivrer une tension continue d’une valeur donnée, qui ne peut pas être modifiée sans artifice. Il en existe de multiples sortes (linéaire série, linéaire shunt, à découpage) mais les plus courants sont sans aucun doute les régulateurs linéaires de la série LM78xx (ou uA78xx) et LM79xx (ou uA79xx). Il sont très faciles à mettre en oeuvre, et il suffit de peu de connaissances pour savoir lequel utiliser. Pour en savoir plus, décomposons le nom de ces régulateurs typiques : LM = préfixe utilisé par le fabricant. Il peut aussi s’agir de uA, ou MC (LM7812, MC7812, uA7812 - parfois pas de préfixe mais une lettre en plein milieu, comme 78M12 ou 78L12) 78 = signifie qu’il s’agit d’un régulateur positif 79 = signifie qu’il s’agit d’un régulateur négatif xx = tension de sortie fixe (valeur entière sur deux chiffres, par exemple 05 pour 5 V) Valeurs courantes disponibles : 5 V, 6 V, 9 V, 10 V, 12 V, 15 V, 18 V, 24 V (certaines de ces valeurs étaient moins courantes par le passé qu’elles ne le sont maintenant).

— https://www.sonelec-musique.com/electronique_theorie_reg_tension.html ([2025-05-30 Fri])

Notes linking here

  1. Level shifters can translate a digital signal from one voltage level to the other. They can switch very fast (how fast will be stated in the data sheet). Often, they will need sources for both voltage levels. They mostly cannot provide excessive current (tens of mA is already a lot). Voltage dividers will often work to shift to a lower voltage, but they have a (much higher) trade-off between current consumption and maximal signal speed.

    — https://forum.arduino.cc/t/when-to-use-level-shifter/620394 ([2025-05-15 Thu])

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  2. A DC-to-DC converter is an electronic circuit or electromechanical device that converts a source of direct current (DC) from one voltage level to another

    — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DC-to-DC_converter ([2025-05-15 Thu])

     ↩︎

  3. A linear voltage regulator provides a constant voltage from a higher voltage source by “burning off” the power in the excess voltage. Switching it is comparably slow, because mostly, capacitors are involved. Consequently, you can only transmit slow digital signals. They can provide an amount of current that is usable to power things, how much stated in the datasheet. Current in = Current out. They can only reduce the voltage

    — https://forum.arduino.cc/t/when-to-use-level-shifter/620394 ([2025-05-15 Thu])

     ↩︎