This article consists of a simple DC to DC converter circuit diagram and working of it.

What is DC to DC converter

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. It is a type of electric power converter.

Where DC to DC Converter is Used

DC to DC converters are used in portable electronic devices such as cellular phones and laptop computers, which are supplied with power from batteries primarily. Such electronic devices often contain several sub-circuits, each with its own voltage level requirement different from that supplied by the battery or an external supply (sometimes higher or lower than the supply voltage). Additionally, the battery voltage declines as its stored energy is drained. Switched DC to DC converters offer a method to increase voltage from a partially lowered battery voltage thereby saving space instead of using multiple batteries to accomplish the same thing. ( Read More ).

DC to DC Converter Circuit 1

This simple circuit lets you run a 1W LED from the battery of your car. IC MC34063 is used here as a buck converter. It is a monolithic switching regulator sub-system intended for use as a DC-DC converter. The device consists of an internal temperature compensated reference, a comparator, a controlled duty-cycle oscillator with an active current-limit circuit, a driver and a high-current output switch. These functions are contained in an 8-pin dual in-line package. Another major advantage of the switching regulator is that it allows increased application flexibility of the output voltage

DC to DC Converter Circuit 2

Conversion of AC to AC is quite simple as in compare to DC to DC converter because it only implies a transformer which converts AC from one voltage level to another voltage level. But conversion of DC to DC is quite tedious work without transformer and more power losses. Here is simple, low-cost, high precision circuit which converts 6-V DC to 12-V DC without using transformer and easy to construct with few component. Circuit description of DC to DC conversion The circuit of DC to DC conversion is built with a very popular IC LM555 used as multivibrator mood which generates required frequency range from 2 to 10 kHz to drive power transistor T2. Here potentiometer VR1 is used to adjust output frequency given to transistor T2 via resistor R3. A zener diode in this circuit is used as a voltage regulator which regulates voltage to 12 volts. Here Inductor L1 of 100 turns, 24 SWG enameled copper wire wounded on a 40mm dia. toroidal ferrite core and capacitor C5 is employed for energy storage. Transistor T1 is used to control output control with the help of resistor R4 R5.

PARTS LIST

Resistors (all ¼-watt, ± 5% Carbon) R1, R2, R5 = 10 KΩ;

R3, R4 = 220 Ω 1/2-watt;

VR1 = 47 KΩ

Capacitors C1 = 0.0047 µF;

C2 = 0.01 µF; C3 = 0.1 µF;

C4 = 470 µF/25V;

C5 = 2200 µF/35V

Semiconductors D1 = 1N4007;

D2 = Zener 12V, 500mA ½-watt;

T1 = BC549;

T2 = BD139;

IC1 = NE555 timer IC

Miscellaneous L1 = 100 Turns, 24 SWG insulated copper wire on 40mm Dia. toroidal core.