Supercharge Your Breadboard!
There are lots of breadboard power supplies out there, but they tend to have the same limitations — one, maybe two voltage rails, and fairly low current limits. Well, this Mini Power Station board from TikStation has them soundly beat on both fronts. With 4 fixed voltages (3.3, 5, +/-12V) and an adjustable output from 1-24V, it can power just about anything. And it’s got the juice to back it up, supporting up to 1.5A.
But it’s not just for breadboards, either. With the screw terminal add-on board, it can act as a stand-alone power supply, so it can be used with just about anything you might need to power. All inputs have full short-circuit protection. And there are many ways to power the device, too. USB-C can be used, which is an excellent option these days, but there is also a Mini B connector as well as screw terminals for connecting batteries. You can have multiple inputs connected at once with no problem — it will simply prioritize the input with the highest voltage. In a way, this allows it to act like a UPS. If the USB drops out, the battery input can take over and keep things running!
The documentation page on Hackaday.io has all you need to know about the unit, including detailed power output charts for varying inputs. The schematic is available, and I was happy to see it uses one of my favourite chips, the TPS5430 — it’s a super efficient, nearly bulletproof step-down converter and this is a perfect application for it. So if you’re looking for a small power supply with some spark, the Mini Power Station looks like a great option!
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