Re: Wall Wart for a Gecko

I apologize for the dumb question, yes I realize 6 is more than 5 I
learned that in the second grade even though I am a hick. I learned
Algebra in High School. I am a mechanical engineer by trade. I just
have a total mental block when it comes to electrical stuff. I
realize that the light socket bites when you stick something in it
and that the electric fence will swell your lips up like a balloon
when you spit on it. That is my extent of electrical knowledge. I did
manage to build my power supply and it does work. I even managed to
build one of the optical Tachometer kits from Dan Mauch, but don't
ask me to tell you why it works and what each component on the board
does. The reason I asked is that I have one of the cheapo power
supplies at home the is 1000mA and is adjust able from 1.3 Volts to
12 Volts. The closest thing to 5 volts is 4.5 Volts. So I took a
meter to it and checked the voltage at 4.5 Volt setting it still said
something like 12 Volts. I guess what I really need to ask is should
I try to use one of these wall warts or just break down and buy one
of those break out boards that have the 5 volt on board. Like the one
that Doug Fortune or The Campbell guy sells.
Thanks for your help and Berating
Kelly Sprayberry

--- In CAD_CAM_EDM_DRO@y..., JanRwl@A... wrote:
> In a message dated 21-Aug-02 14:58:04 Central Daylight Time,
> kellys@m... writes:
>
>
> > If you were to use a wall wart to get the +5 VDC supply from what
> > size would you use? like a 6 volt 300 mA type or what
>
>
> Kelly: Whew! What part of "5 VDC" do you not understand? "6 volt
300 mA
> type"??? Let's start from the beginning: "5 VDC" means FIVE Volts
Direct
> Current. In High School, I learned that 6 is MORE than 5.
Besides, not
> ALL "wall warts" are regulated output, and many of those "6 volt"
kinds put
> out "peak rectified" to low loads. The current-IN to these Gecko
inputs draw
> only 8 to 16 mA each. So, you might-well get 8 or 9 VDC from a
cheapo
> NON-regulated wall-wart, drawing only 16 mA, and that MIGHT
(probably?) smoke
> the opto-isolator inputs to the Gecko. I say "might", because they
are
> beautifully engineered and might be "derated" sufficiently to be
(nearly-)
> idiot-proof.
>
> Be very careful with such! Though fine stuff, the Gecko drives I
have seem a
> bit pricey for non-government contract components, and I'd hate to
read of
> someone blowing one because he used a cheapo (no, that's NOT a
country!)
> wallwart to supply the input-current!
>
> Lotsa luck! Jan Rowland, old troll
>
>
> [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]