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This is a portable USB Charger. It uses a high efficiency switching regulator that runs at 85 - 94% efficiency depending on input voltage and load. It takes an input voltage from 8 to 16 volts and can run from anything from a 9 volt battery to a car battery. It has 2 USB ports and easily charges 2 power hungry devices at once.

Full short-circuit and overcurrent protection is given by this circuit suitable for workbench applications in technical schools and laboratories where there is a need to work directly with the mains. Additional features are a clearly visible red lamp indicating that the voltage is present, good isolation of the output circuit when the unit is off, only a few millivolts were measured with no load, current threshold adjustable over a limited range and the possibility of remote cutout: the 6V from the secondary can be taken anywhere, normally where you are working, even far away from the protection circuit.

This is an electronic fuse that protects the load against short circuit. Relays must be choosen with a voltage value equals to the input voltage. Don't omit using the 100uF capacitor with appropriate voltage value with respect to the input voltage. If you can't provide, you can use C106 instead of BRX46. You can adjust the current with using 10K potentiometer. If you will use the fuse with very high currents, lower the 0R6 5W resistor value (ex. 0R47, 0R33, 0R22 or 0R1). Watt value of the resistor should be increased also.

This circuit uses an LM317 regulator, chosen because of its built-in over-current and over-temperature protection. Its output is boosted up to 5A by the MJ2955 transistor. The output voltage is varied by adjusting VR1 potentiometer. Adjustable current limiting from 60mA to 5A is provided by op amp TL071 IC that is used as a comparator which monitors the voltage across the 0.1 Ohm current sensing resistors.

The high current regulator below uses an additional winding or a separate transformer to supply power for the LM317 regulator so that the pass transistors can operate closer to saturation and improve efficiency. For good efficiency the voltage at the collectors of the two parallel 2N3055 pass transistors should be close to the output voltage.

Since my page was first posted, I have received a number of emails asking about a high current power supply. I looked around, but couldn't find one that was suitable. So, I designed this. It is a linear supply, which might have a few of you rolling your eyes, but it takes very few parts, is simple to build and can supply huge currents.

Current of LM317 voltage is increased by using an additional power transistors.

The high current regulator below uses an additional winding or a separate transformer to supply power for the LM317 regulator so that the pass transistors can operate closer to saturation and improve efficiency. For good efficiency the voltage at the collectors of the two parallel 2N3055 pass transistors should be close to the output voltage. The LM317 requires a couple extra volts on the input side, plus the emitter/base drop of the 3055s, plus whatever is lost across the (0.1 ohm) equalizing resistors (1volt at 10 amps), so a separate transformer and rectifier/filter circuit is used that is a few volts higher than the output voltage.

Lead Acid batteries have changed little since the 1880's although improvements in materials and manufacturing methods continue to bring improvements in energy density, life and reliability. All lead acid batteries consist of flat lead plates immersed in a pool of electrolyte. Regular water addition is required for most types of lead acid batteries although low-maintenance types come with excess electrolyte calculated to compensate for water loss during a normal lifetime. Lead acid batteries used in the RV and Marine Industries usually consist of two 6-volt batteries in series, or a single 12-volt battery. These batteries are constructed of several single cells connected in series each cell produces approximately 2.1 volts. A six-volt battery has three single cells, which when fully charged produce an output voltage of 6.3 volts. A twelve-volt battery has six single cells in series producing a fully charged output voltage of 12.6 volts.

This is a high quality power supply with a continuously variable stabilised output adjustable at any value between 0 and 30VDC. The circuit also incorporates an electronic output current limiter that effectively controls the output current from a few milliamperes (2 mA) to the maximum output of three amperes that the circuit can deliver. This feature makes this power supply indispensable in the experimenters laboratory as it is possible to limit the current to the typical maximum that a circuit under test may require, and power it up then, without any fear that it may be damaged if something goes wrong. There is also a visual indication that the current limiter is in operation so that you can see at a glance that your circuit is exceeding or not its preset limits.