----- Original Message ----- From: "Lindy Mayfield" Subject: RE: [EE] Will phone charger work as a 5v DC power supply? > Do you mean it might not be exactly 5 volts, or that it might fluctuate? Can I check it with my multimeter? If you put your meter on it, most likely it will be way above 5 volts. At least, that is typical of wall warts. As you add load, the voltage will drop, and in all liklihood, it will be somewhere in the neighborhood of 5 volts at 1.7A. > Would it be ok if I used a 5v voltage regulator? The answer to any question always seems to be, "it depends". A 5 volt regulator typically needs a couple of volts overhead, so depending on how much voltage the wall wart puts out, and how fast it drops, that might not be such a bad plan. If the thing puts out, say, 9 volts unloaded, and drops to 7 at, say, 900 mils, then a 7805 and a couple of caps, and you're in business for a few hundred mils ... probably plenty for most small projects. --McD -- http://www.piclist.com PIC/SX FAQ & list archive View/change your membership options at http://mailman.mit.edu/mailman/listinfo/piclist