Power Supply Unit

In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements

for Basic Electronics-1

Submitted by:

Group 2-B

2018

Members:

Reineir S. Duran

Edwin Ireneo M. Guiritan II

John Avil T. Hedol

Carl Amraphel B. Lat

John Angel S. Lumba

Submitted to:

Engr. Ma. Elena Noriega

Basic Electronics-1 Professor

 POLYTECHNIC UNIVERSITY OF THE PHILIPPINES
COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING
ELECTRONICS AND COMMUNICATIONS DEPARTMENT

INTRODUCTION

A power supply is a piece of hardware that is used to convert the power provided from

the outlet into usable power for the many parts inside the case. It converts the alternating current

(AC) into a continuous form of power that the computer components need in order to run

normally which is called the direct current (Fisher, 2018). It can be used to power electronic

devices such as computers, stereos, and other small electrical appliances (Cloe, 2017).

OBJECTIVES

To be able to create a functional power supply, the following objectives have been made:

1. To integrate all the lessons we have learned in Basic Electronics-1 from circuit

connection up to the assembling of components into the printed circuit boards

(PCB).

2. To design an appropriate printed circuit board (PCB) design that is compressed as

possible.

3. To design and make our own functional power supply.

4. To create a small yet compact power supply unit (PSU) to make it portable to

bring with us wherever we may go.

5. To add other features like digital voltmeter and AC socket to our PSU to make it

more efficient to use.

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BLOCK DIAGRAM

Here are the components and materials used by the group in making the power supply:

2 3

9
4
6 8
5
7

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11 12
18 13
19
22
10
17
16
21
14

20
15

PROCEDURES

1. Make the schematic diagram for the PSU circuit.

1. Drill Bits 12. Ferric Chloride Solution

2. Desoldering Pump 13. 12 V, 750 mA Transformer

3. Phillips Screwdriver 14. 2200 microF Electrolytic Capacitors

4. Tape Measure 15. Diodes

5. Scissors 16. 2N3055 Power Transistor

6. Long-nose Pliers 17. 10k-ohm Potentiometer

7. Side Cutter Pliers 18. Voltage Regulator

8. Cutter 19. 1000 microF Electrolytic Capacitors

9. Soldering Paste 20. 470 microF Electrolytic Capacitors

10. Stranded Wires 21. 220-ohm Resistors

11. AC Power Socket 22. Power Supply Case

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2. Create the PCB design.

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3. To transfer the traces above in our PCB, we used a pre-sensitized positive (+) acting

PCB.

4. The instructions for using this type of PCB are already included in the package, as seen

below:

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5. After doing steps 1 and 2 from the instructions above, we placed the PCB together with

the printed transparent PCB layout inside an inexpensive photo frame. Then, we exposed

it under a 12-W fluorescent lamp for about 30 minutes.

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6. Next, we prepared the developer’s solution. Make sure that the solution is concentrated

enough to make the PCB traces appear quickly, but also make sure that it is not too

concentrated. If ever the solution is too concentrated, we can just dilute it with water.

Agitate the PCB and once the traces appeared, proceed to the next step immediately; do

not soak the PCB in the solution for too long. The solution may remove the traces and we

will repeat the same process again from the very beginning. Also take note to use

disposable gloves when removing the PCB in the solution.

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7. Quickly rinse the PCB in running water.

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8. Prepare the ferric chloride solution. In our case, we just put the pure ferric chloride

solution that we’ve bought and didn’t add any water because the solution is not that

concentrated. Then, put the PCB in the solution, agitate it for about 30 seconds, and after

that leave it for about 1 minute, come back at it and repeat the same process of agitating it

for 30 seconds and leaving it for 1 minute once again.

9. Stop until the upper layer of the

PCB is already gone, and that the only remaining on the top are the green PCB traces.

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Again, use disposable gloves when removing the PCB in the solution and then quickly

rinse it with running water.

10. Use a paint thinner to remove the green traces on the PCB and to let the copper traces

appear. In our case, we initially didn’t remove the green traces and just let the copper

traces appear beside the holes in which we’re

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going to drill later. But then we decided to remove the green traces so that we can

properly put the oscilloscope probes on the correct test points in the copper traces. The

green traces are insulators so putting the oscilloscope probes on these traces wouldn’t

lead us anywhere.

11. Drill the indicated holes from the PCB Layout. We used 1.2 mm and 0.8 mm drill bits.

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12. Connect the leads of the components in their respective holes, and once finished, start

soldering.

13. Once done

soldering, cut

the excess leads

from the

components.

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14. The following is optional, but in our case, we connected all the circuit including the

stranded wires just to test if our output really works.

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15. And it worked! Here we’re measuring a voltage output of 11.86 V.

16. Once done testing, we can now assemble everything together with the power supply case.

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17. We used cable ties to fix the wires and then we added a digital voltmeter.

RESULTS AND DISCUSSIONS

The first step in developing a power supply is creating an accurate schematic diagram.

The diagram is shown below:

Figure 1: Schematic Diagram

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The schematic diagram was created using the Multisim software. It consists of several

elements. As shown in figure 1, the first part shows the AC voltage source entering which is

redirected to a transformer. The transformer is a static device that transfers electrical energy from

the primary winding to the secondary winding. Because the goal of the project is to decrease the

voltage, a step-down transformer was used. It is then connected to a rectifier wherein its job is to

change the AC power into pulsating DC. The rectifier used is a full-bridge type which is

composed of four diodes. Next part of the diagram are the capacitors. These capacitors are the

filters that keep the ripple component, or the unwanted AC component of the signal after

rectification, from appearing in the output. It is designed to convert pulsating DC into a suitably

smooth DC level. The type of filter used is a capacitance filter (C-filter). After the C-filter, we

have the regulator. The regulator is used to provide a very steady or well-regulated DC output.

Below the regulator, there is a potentiometer. This material is used to adjust the voltage output

from minimum to maximum. Lastly, an amplifier was added. These are the three transistors that

increase the current output. With this schematic diagram, the group has successfully developed a

power supply.

Figure 2: Voltage output of Power Supply

1V 18V
V

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Figure 2 shows the final voltage output of the power supply. From an input voltage of

220V, the resulting voltage after all the procedures are 1V minimum output voltage and 18V

maximum output voltage. Knowing the step-down transformer has an output of only 15V, it

seems that it is only a rough estimation and contains excess voltage for the circuit.

Figure 3: Waveform of the circuit

The waveform of the circuit is, at first, increasing from 0V becomes constant on

12Vmax. From AC source, which is in a form of a sine wave, to DC, which is a straight line on

the oscilloscope. The goal in making a DC power supply unit is to make the sine wave into a

straight line that can be constant and varying in voltage output based on the secondary coil of the

transformer. Our secondary coil has 0-15V output. Figure 3 only came from the software which

is inaccurate. However, in the actual scenario, it has a maximum of 18V.

CONCLUSION

Many of us don’t consider power supply as one of the most important components we

have to make in order for our system to work. We just simply know how to use it, like how it

gives power in every circuit and components we have by simply providing electricity and that’s

it. We don’t even wonder how does the process inside of it really works, as long as it gives

power for our components, then it is alright for us. And this type of attitude is definitely a big

mistake for all of us. From this activity, our group concluded that making a good power supply is

necessary and we should learn how to take it seriously because a power supply stands as the

heart of our system that delivers electricity into the different parts of our system. It should

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provide electricity which is not faulty or unstable because it can ruin even the greatest high-end

rig instantly. And that is why good quality components and printed circuit board (PCB) design

should always be observed in power supply making.

PROBLEMS ENCOUNTERED

The group faced a lot of problems throughout the course of making the power supply.

Starting with the PCB design where we finished the final layout for about 3 days, just because

we draw it manually in AutoCad. To the etching process, where we repeated the process again

for 3 times until we finally got our final PCB. We even bought another pre-sensitized PCB in the

store because we ran out of PCB in our second try. From the drilling and cutting out of shapes in

the power supply case, it was hard for us to drill and cut because it was made out of metal. The

cuts were for the digital voltmeter and for the AC power socket. Another problem that arised is

when we realized that our drill bits were actually a bit dull and rusty. To the putting of the

components, especially on the power transistors circuit, where we forgot to mirror our actual

PCB layout, and so we have to estimate the positions from the circuit where we have to drill.

Here are the additional problems experienced by the group:

 5 V – 15 V (Min-Max of Voltage Output)

 Incorrect waveforms shown in the oscilloscope

REMEDIES

The solution for some of the problems that we had just came into a surprise for us. In the

5 V – 15 V, once we connected the digital voltmeter, the min-max of the voltage output became

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approximately 0.15 V – 14.0 V. The other problems were solved through research in the internet

and by the active collaboration of each members of the group.

REFERENCES

Cloe. (2017). What is DC Power Supply Used for?. Retreived from

https://sciencing.com/what-dc-power-supply-used-5001832.html

Fisher. (2018). Computer Power Supply. Retreived from

https://www.lifewire.com/power-supply-unit-2618158

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