Dwayne Reid <dwayner <at> planet.eon.net> writes:

> I'd use that nice aluminum box as the heatsink.  No need to go to a 
> switchmode regulator if power consumption is not an issue.

Maybe that won't be necessary if the heat is spread a little by adding one or a
few series resistors before the regulator. I like to think about the whole
picture. If a human must operate the box then the box cannot be over 40 degC. So
the input to a box is limited by the size of the box eventually, before forced
cooling becomes necessary. E.g. a handheld size box cannot take more than about
3-5W input before becoming physically too hot to handle. Larger boxes scale
accordingly. A voltage regulator that runs 40-55 degC at normal load and ambient
is not 'too hot' and does not normally mandate a radiator imho.

Peter P.



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