Power supply selection guide

Experimental Boards 1.2, 1.3 and 1.10, Power Supply Modules 1.1 and 1.2 and USB-FPGA Modules 1.15x have valid input voltage range of 4.5V to 16V (absolute maximum: 18V).

All products are equipped with with a standard DC connector with 5.5mm outer diameter and 2.1mm center pin diameter. The center pin is the positive pole, the outer contact is negative pole.

The following rules have to be considered for the selection of the power supply:

• The peak voltage of the power supply must be less than 16 V (absolute maximum: 18 V) and the minimum voltage must be at least 4.5V. Any power supply within that range can be used. The current requirement depends from the product and the application.
• If non-stabilized power supplies are used, it must be ensured that the peak idle voltage is within the valid range.
• Stabilized power supplies are save if they are within the valid range. Switching supplies are always stabilized, stabilized transformer based supplies are usually labeled with “stabilized” or “regulated”

Possible sources of supply are:

• From various shops in internet, e.g. from Ebay
• Universal power supplies with switchable output voltage from the supermarket or electronic stores. These supplies usually have voltage regulators. (Take care for the correct polarization: center pin: +, outer contact: -).
• Power supplies from unused consumer electronics, e.g. routers, switches