>> Is it safe to attach my computer's power supply to my breadboard to
>> power my pic? What are some more safety precautions should I take in
>> order to prevent my PIC from burning out? Should I add another 5 v
>> regulator to the power supply output?
>>
>> -- 
>> ..::[ solarwind ]::..

Solarwind,

I am not sure if you properly understand this, but you can't 'add another 5v 
regulator' to an existing 5v output. All regulators (except step-up 
switchers) require an unregulated voltage greater than the desired regulated 
voltage. You *could* add a  5v regulator to a 12v output (like on a disk 
drive power connector).

As scary as it sounds, using a USB port to get 5V is *probably* one of the 
safest ways to get 5V (or thereabouts) out of your PC. You should almost 
certainly be able to draw up to 100ma without any trouble whatsoever, and 
can most likely draw up to 500ma (at least on a desktop system). On the 
other hand, most USB ports are protected against short-circuits, ususally 
with a device called a "polyfuse" (tm) which is *not* an ordinary fuse, but 
rather a device whose resistance *temporarily* jumps up if it gets hot 
because too much current is flowing through it. When the short circuit is 
corrected and the polyfuse cools down it goes back to conducting with a nice 
low resistance.

As a quick aside: I want to wish you the best as you move from the calm 
peaceful world of software into the rather more chaotic environs of firmware 
and electronics. I hope the PICLIST continues to be a useful resource to you 
as you work down this rock-strewn path. Just remember: there are no stupid 
questions .... *if* the question is asked in the right way and in the right 
place. In today's world a quick google or wikipedia search is often a good 
idea.

----
Bob Ammerman
RAm Systems 

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