What is your favourite switching regulator for low current 5V output? My parameters are as follows: - Input voltage - nom 12V, looking at range of 10V - 20V output voltage 5V fixed output current 10-200mA. Surface mount, SO-8 or smaller preferred. The equipment is expected to be powered from a bus most of the time, but at higher currents a wall wart would be expected as the supply. In most cases the current draw will be a PIC and a handful of interface chips, with a couple of LEDs. One alternative use would require pulses of current, but this would also have a wall wart as the supply, or a large capacitor may be enough in some instances. My browsing of manufacturers web sites has turned up the following. Linear Technology - LTC1174 National Semiconductor - LM5008 Both manufacturers do seem to have other devices that could be alternatives. Specifically looking for switching regulator rather than linear, with a minimal external parts count. Both of these chips seem to do this, but wondering what other discoveries list members have faced with similar low current draw. At this stage it is all investigative stuff, and I may yet fall back on a 78L05 or similar linear device, but would prefer to use a switcher as the source supply from the bus is limited in current. It may even be that the most efficient in cost/performance is a version of Russell's transistor circuit, but I am a wee ways away from experimenting yet, and still getting the "blue sky thinking" part together. -- http://www.piclist.com PIC/SX FAQ & list archive View/change your membership options at http://mailman.mit.edu/mailman/listinfo/piclist