HELP NEEDED! of stepping up a very low voltage on a circuit

Thread Starter

D3NCH1829

Joined Jun 30, 2022
8
In need of help on my project...


I need to speak with someone via facetime that has good knowledge of stepping up a very low voltage on a circuit board.


If someone could please contact me back it would be great
 

Papabravo

Joined Feb 24, 2006
21,158
I can help but forget about facetiming. I'm not comfortable with that level of familiarity and giving out my phone number.
 

Thread Starter

D3NCH1829

Joined Jun 30, 2022
8
I can help but forget about facetiming. I'm not comfortable with that level of familiarity and giving out my phone number.
Ok no worries,

Hey,

Thanks for helping,

I have .4 volts as constant input voltage and would like to increase to 5 to 12v if possible.

Regards,

James

I am in DC, I have most electronic components with breadboard etc.. transformers, transistors, ic..
 

Papabravo

Joined Feb 24, 2006
21,158
Ok no worries,
You are looking for a boost ratio of 5/0.4 = 12.5, or 12/0.4=30. Both of these boost ratios are well outside the normal range for simple boost converters which top out at about 6-8. At those and higher boost ratios they become very difficult to control with any degree of precision. This points us in the direction of using a transformer in either a forward or flyback configuration. If neither of those configurations are practical there are more complicated topologies, but IMHO they are not suitable projects for a novice designer in switch-mode power supplies.

What power supply voltages at what power levels will you have available on this board?
 

Papabravo

Joined Feb 24, 2006
21,158
You want an energy harvesting IC such as this.
I suppose with an absolute maximum of 4.5 Volts on Vout, that will get him close to 5V, but nowhere near 12V. It looks like a transformer is an integral part of the requirements for this circuit.

The TS has not mentioned a specific power requirement for the output voltage. The output of a harvester is likely to be underwhelming.
 

Thread Starter

D3NCH1829

Joined Jun 30, 2022
8
Unfortunately I am a rookie when it comes to circuit boards I have just started to learn and teach myself about this, watching YouTube videos etc, I have been disabled for 3 years now and am wanting to learn new things. I have most components to hand I just need help my head is aching from being so frustrated about this lol.

Again thank you for your reply
 

Thread Starter

D3NCH1829

Joined Jun 30, 2022
8
Yes as much as possible 12v will be great enough for what I want to achieve as I have an inverter to 240v

Regards

James
 

Papabravo

Joined Feb 24, 2006
21,158
Yes as much as possible 12v will be great enough for what I want to achieve as I have an inverter to 240v

Regards

James
What you want, if I understand correctly is to go from a source of 0.4 Volts at some unspecified power level to 12 Volts at SOME MUCH LOWER POWER level and then to your inverter to 240 VAC at some power level which will be vanishingly small. The reason your head hurts is because you are trying to do the impossible. Get you head out of the dark place it is in, and LEARN the basics of power conversion. In particular:

Power out will always be less than power in. Sometimes it will be a great deal less.

Unless you can wrap your head around this immutable rule you are doomed to an existence of abject futility.
 

ScottWang

Joined Aug 23, 2012
7,397
Do you want to have a voltage converter or voltage level shifter?

Probably the voltage level shifter is easier than the voltage converter here, but it needs other power sources to supply the circuit, if you need a voltage level shifter then the 0.4V input voltage is just like the control power, when the 0.4V input and then the 5V, 12V, 240V output.
 

BobTPH

Joined Jun 5, 2013
8,806
You have also not characterized the input. You said 0.4V, but gave no current capability. Why is that important?

To boost 0.4V to 240V at 1A, which is 240 Watts, you would need 600A.
 

Papabravo

Joined Feb 24, 2006
21,158
You have also not characterized the input. You said 0.4V, but gave no current capability. Why is that important?

To boost 0.4V to 240V at 1A, which is 240 Watts, you would need 600A.
ASSUMING, you have a process with 100% efficiency. Fat chance of that.
 

Halfpint786

Joined Feb 19, 2018
109
long time ago, I asked a question about a capacitor in a high voltage circuit. I was told nobody would help me electrocute myself. Since then, I learned how to do that on my own ~ and I think this guy needs to do the same...
 
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