DC-DC Converter Decoded: All about DC Converter
DC power supplies are used in most of the applications where there is a need for constant voltage. The term DC stands for Direct Current, where the current flow is unidirectional. The process of DC conversion can be done by DC Converters. The charge carriers in a DC supply travel in a single direction. Batteries, solar cells, and thermocouples are the primary sources of a DC supply. A DC voltage can produce a certain amount of constant electricity; it becomes weak when it travels further longer.
DC-DC Conversion
A DC-DC converter takes voltage from a DC source and converts it into another DC voltage level. They are used for increasing or decreasing the voltage level. This is commonly used in automobiles, portable DVD players, and portable chargers. Some devices require a certain amount of voltage to run the device. Excess amount of power can destroy the device, or insufficient power may not be able to run the device. A DC converter takes power from the battery & cuts down the voltage level, similarly a converter step-up the voltage level. For example, to run a radio, there might be a need to step-down the power of a large battery of 24V to 12V.
Step-up DC-DC Converter
A step-up dc to dc converter is an electronic circuit which raises the DC voltage level from a lower value to the higher value. Assuming an ideal converter (with 100% efficiency)-
Input Power = Output Power
Input Voltage * Input Current = Output voltage * Output current.
Thus, a step-up converter will reduce the input current level to the lower value at the output in the same proportion that it would raise the value of the input voltage.
These converters would typically find applications in RV vehicles, marine vehicles, heavy trucks, buses, Land mobile radio, CB radios, lighting systems, AM/FM sound system.
Step-down DC-DC Converter
A step-down dc to dc converter is an electronic circuit which lowers the DC voltage level from the higher value to a lower value. Assuming an ideal converter (with 100% efficiency)-
Input Power = Output Power
Input voltage * Input current = Output voltage * Output current
Thus, a step-down converter will increase the input current level to the higher value at the output in the same proportion that it would lower the value of the input voltage.
Step-down converters usually find applications in Earth-moving equipment, marine vehicles, heavy trucks, buses, CB radios, lighting systems, AM/FM sound systems.