Hey everyone! I've been working at an electronics repair shop, so I'm familiar with the basics of electronics. I want to build a DIY switching power supply that has good output quality, similar to an entry-level commercial unit, for my personal projects at home. I'm considering using a half-bridge topology to convert 230V AC to about 50V DC, and then I want to implement a secondary step-down and finally a linear regulator for more fine-tuning. My biggest concern is minimizing noise and ripple in the final design. If anyone has any tested PCB designs or guides they can share, I'd greatly appreciate it! Thanks in advance!
5 Answers
There are tons of designs available online for DIY power supplies. It’s pretty common to do this! Do you have any specific parts you’re unsure about? Like, how are you planning to rectify 230VAC to 50VDC? That’s a big step!
For safety and isolation, I recommend using a transformer to step down from mains to 50V first before dealing with DC-DC conversion. Working with high voltage is risky, so isolation is key here!
To tackle noise and ripple, think about adding a pi filter and an LC stage before the linear regulator. You can find some good half-bridge SMPS PCB designs on sites like Electroschematics and Elektor that could fit your needs.
If you're just starting, you might want to consider using a pre-made power supply module for the initial AC to DC conversion. It can save you some hassle while you get the hang of things!
Before diving in, have you thought about writing down a performance specification? We need to know how much current you want and the output voltage range at least. Plus, what’s your tolerance for noise and ripple—what’s your goal for the 50V DC?
Absolutely! A well-placed LC filter can make a big difference. You might want to tweak the values to get the best performance for your specific load.