Variable Input PC Controlled DC Power Supply 004-1 – ECE 342-W23

The main goal of this project was to create a dual-channel DC Power Supply that is configurable both mechanically through buttons as well as through a PC. This system takes in a DC input ranging from 17V to 28V and is able to output voltages ranging from 2V to 14V for two independent channels. The intended use of our system is to be able output a certain amount of DC voltage regardless of the variance in the input voltage. If the system is set to output 5V, whether the input voltage is 20V or 25V, the output voltage will still be 5V. Our system was controlled through an Arduino Mega, which was chosen due to its large number of digital and analog input/output pins. The key function of the Arduino Mega was the connection to the digital potentiometer in adjusting the voltage being output based on the voltage that a user input on the PC or varying the output voltage based on the button inputs. To display the voltages that are output on the two channels, an LCD was used for immediate feedback. The measurements for the output voltages were also done with the Arduino, showing its versatility in our system. The most notable accomplishment was the implementation of the voltage regulator to work along with the digital potentiometer in order to implement the PC controlled functionality for the system. This was the main part where we were having issues with. There were instances where the feedback system in our voltage regulator was unstable, resulting in an unstable output voltage. Another struggle was the ordering of components. The components that we chose to use were low in stock, and after purchasing them, they were out of stock, requiring us to be careful to not burn out the IC packages.

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Artifacts

Name Description
Executive Project Summary The summary of the project that includes original design problem, our approach to the problem, project timeline, lessons learned, and future improvement goals.   Download
System Verification In-depth overview of each block within the system as well as test plans and video demonstrations.   Download
Project Summary Video General overview of the project   Link