Hello,

I'm designing a power supply for a desktop aquaponic gardening system. I need to provide 5VDC to my microcontroller, pump and other components.

I've researched how to rectify and smooth a 115VAC line using a transformer but the transformers that I am finding are quite a bit larger than some of the 5VDC power supplies I've found (like Apple iPhone charger).

After researching some tear-downs of the Apple iPhone charger, I discovered that the transformer being used is a "flyback transformer". These transformers can create high voltages on their secondary side with minimal turns.

What is the best way to learn how to create a power supply like this? I'm needing to convert 115VAC to 5VDC with a current capacity of about 1A.

Thank you

 

Do you need a power supply or do you want to learn how to design switch mode power supplies? I would suggest your plants will die before you can learn the whole process from scratch. Therefore, I say common and cheap power supplies are available to fit your purposes.

 

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