Astral Driver - Buck, Boost, & Buck-Boost

[paul1598419]

Good question. I know a whole lot of people who are waiting for this to happen. I guess we will just have to wait until astralist gets back to us. I was hoping the July ETA was real.

 

[Astralist]

I'm still waiting for the news about the last driver (and my own EEG device which assembled along with these laser driver)

Most likely there is still custom process that delayed these two board
I'll keep you updated guys!

 

[paul1598419]

Thanks, astralist. Just biding my time until they become available. :yh:

 

[Astralist]

New update from assembly house:

Astral PicoDrive:

Now only need to wait for my QEEG board, but if it takes too long i'll have the driver shipped separately.
I'll keep you guys updated :beer:

 

[paul1598419]

Looking very good. Hope they will be available soon. :thanks:

 

[Astralist]

All drivers has arrived
I just did a quick checking using multimeter and test load:

• SuperDrive HV: All good, but first attempt at soldering the wire, the current sensor IC dead (maybe because of heat? but at first i thought i was getting a fake IC lol)
• SuperDrive LV: Tricky to set the current when simulating with dummy load because of the output voltage needs to be higher than input voltage (0.55V to 0.75V higher than input voltage). The load must be exact LD's Vf at certain forward current. Overall It's all good, i'm simulating the load with 1ohm or 2ohm resistor (and set of diodes of course).
• PicoDrive: Just like SuperDrive LV but less trickier, and so far so good. At 7.0~7.2V of LD's Vf, they're able to deliver ~220mA-~400mA (0%-100% pot)

BUT... I havent checked the transient event, as my digital oscilloscope was broken (I am currently looking for a new one).
I am quite sure for the SuperDrive HV and LV because they're equipped with integrated transient supressor (soft start) but the PicoDrive doesn't have that fancy thing.
Checking the ripple with analog oscilloscope or DMM is quite easy though.

Three things needs to be mentioned:

1. The direction of the pot are reversed except for PicoDrive :crackup:
2. The minimum and maximum current are not like a calculation ideal (like the graph on first post), it's because of resistance of 0% and 100% pot position are not ideal.
3. Soldering skills needed in soldering wire are quite inhuman :crackup:

In conclusion, I am quite happy with the completion and test results of these driver.

 

[lasersbee]

Looks like they will work.

Yeah... that's the difference between a paper copy
and a hard copy... One just doesn't follow the other
100%... Welcome to my world. :beer:

Jerry

 

[paul1598419]

I'm glad to hear the drivers have arrived. As usual, with new circuits, the bugs may not all be out yet, but I'll wait until you are certain they are ready for use in the community. :thanks:

 

[Rivem]

Good to see these are coming along after my time off. It'll be nice to see a new driver source.

 

[trinh hong phuoc]

This is not a sale thread!
This is a discussion thread.

Hello all!

BACKGROUND STORY
So long story short, at first i kinda hesitant to design and manufacture a driver because i think people already satisfied with currently available driver,
But since i saw that there are so many monster diode emerged from the depth of a hell, and not to mention the declining stock of driver in market,
Then i decided to design a 12A buck driver with the dimension is only 15*10mm.
And due to addiction in designing things, i continue another one with boost topology capable of delivering 9A current with only 12.5*10mm.
After that, i think that i need to provide one to be used with low power diode,
So i design another one, a small one for small laser diode.

In the middle of design times i scaled down both the 12A and 9A to 6A, because i think it's not quite useful for now.
So the final are 6A for both buck and boost driver.

DRIVERS AND SPECIFICATION

ASTRAL SUPERDRIVE HV (STATUS: ACTIVE - IN PRODUCTION)

Estimated price for one unit when fully assembled: $29

• Topology: Buck (When operating, Vin must be above Vout/diode Vf)
• Vin: 4.5 - 18V
• Vout: 0.7 - 8V
• Iout: 1.1 - 5.5A
• Size: 15*10mm
• Features:
  • Current regulated
  • Adjustable current
  • Soft start (1sec)
  • Delayed start (1.5sec+)
  • Thermal shutdown
  • PCB with 2oz (70um) copper, twice the copper thickness of usual PCB to maximize current and heat transfer.
  • Components mounted only on top side of PCB, allowing maximum contact from driver to heatsink, hence maximizing heat transfer from PCB to heatsink.
  • Thin PCB with lots of vias, maximizing heat transfer from top side to bottom side.
  • Component mounted and soldered using automated assembly machine, minimizing human error.
  • Continuous ground/negative

ASTRAL SUPERDRIVE LV (STATUS: ACTIVE - IN PRODUCTION)

Estimated price for one unit when fully assembled: $29

• Topology: Boost (When operating, Vin must be below Vout/diode Vf)
• Vin: 2.3 - 4.2V
• Vout: 2.9 - 5.5V
• Iout: 1.7 - 4.5A+
• Size: 12.5*10mm
• Features:
  • Current regulated
  • Adjustable current
  • Soft start (internal 3ms)
  • Delayed start (2.5sec+)
  • Thermal shutdown
  • PCB with 2oz (70um) copper, twice the copper thickness of usual PCB to maximize current and heat transfer.
  • Components mounted only on top side of PCB, allowing maximum contact from driver to heatsink, hence maximizing heat transfer from PCB to heatsink.
  • Thin PCB with lots of vias, maximizing heat transfer from top side to bottom side.
  • Component mounted and soldered using automated assembly machine, minimizing human error.
  • Continuous ground/negative

ASTRAL PICODRIVE (STATUS: ACTIVE - IN PRODUCTION)

Estimated price for one unit when fully assembled: $26

• Topology: Boost (When operating, Vin must be below Vout/diode Vf)
• Vin: 2.5 - 4.2V
• Vout: 3 - 20V
• Iout: 250 - 800mA+
• Size: 11*10mm
• Features:
  • Current regulated
  • Adjustable current
  • Delayed start (2sec+)
  • Thermal shutdown
  • Components mounted only on top side of PCB, allowing maximum contact from driver to heatsink, hence maximizing heat transfer from PCB to heatsink.
  • Thin PCB with lots of vias, maximizing heat transfer from top side to bottom side.
  • Component mounted and soldered using automated assembly machine, minimizing human error.
  • Continuous ground/negative

ASTRAL EZ DRIVE (STATUS: INACTIVE - WAITING FOR PRODUCTION)

Estimated price for one unit when fully assembled: $17

• Topology: Linear (When operating, Vin must be above Vout/diode Vf)
• Vin: 3 - 12V
• Vout: (Vin - 1.5)V
• Iout: 0 - 2200mA
• Size: 11*9mm
• Features:
  • Current regulated
  • Adjustable current
  • Components mounted only on top side of PCB, allowing maximum contact from driver to heatsink, hence maximizing heat transfer from PCB to heatsink.
  • Very thin PCB with lots of vias, maximizing heat transfer from top side to bottom side.
  • Component mounted and soldered using automated assembly machine, minimizing human error.
  • Continuous positive

All of the driver above can be modded to be able to accept TTL/PWM, Except the EZDrive

The driver is completed
I only fabricate in small number for now
I hope these can balance the supply and demand of driver these day
Thanks for looking! :beer:

where does i can order ?:wave::wave::wave::wave::wave:

 

[hakzaw1]

did you REALLY have to quote all THAT??

not funny

 

[lasersbee]

where does i can order ?:wave::wave::wave::wave::wave:

did you REALLY have to quote all THAT??

not funny

Holy phuoc......

Jerry

 

[paul1598419]

I caught that in his name the first time i saw it, Jerry. I was wondering how long it would take for someone to latch onto that. :crackup:

 

[Astralist]

Phuoc me!
Thanks for all the wait!!

I just come back from the hectic and stressful schedule :banghead:

@paul1598419:
I'll send the drivers ASAP :beer:

and here is the HV testing:
@4A output

@5A output

I haven't got more free time for testing the other driver.
But i'll do that soon! :beer:

EDIT:
All test done using a simple load (a 1Ω resistor and a series of diode)
Current measured across 1Ω resistor as a voltage

 

[paul1598419]

Thank you, astralist. If you need anything from me, please PM me.

 

[lasersbee]

Phuoc me!
Thanks for all the wait!!

I just come back from the hectic and stressful schedule :banghead:

@paul1598419:
I'll send the drivers ASAP :beer:

and here is the HV testing:
@4A output

@5A output

I haven't got more free time for testing the other driver.
But i'll do that soon! :beer:

EDIT:
All test done using a simple load (a 1Ω resistor and a series of diode)
Current measured across 1Ω resistor as a voltage

It seems there is quite a kick on startup..
Is there something that can be done to
reduce it a bit more or have you tested
it yet on an actual diode and plotted the
diode current ?

Jerry