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I am working on a project, and I need to convert 240V AC power to 5V DC to power a microprocessor. I can't use a wall wart, and I am looking for a PCB that will do the same as one - for near the same price. Everything I have found that even remotely resembles what I am looking for (pretty much just the innards of a wall wart without having to actually take apart a wall wart) is really overpriced.

Any help?

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  • \$\begingroup\$ "Is there...?" Yes, there is, as you've already wrote in the last sentence of the first paragraph. Shopping question, and a too broad one too. Voting to close. \$\endgroup\$
    – Nick Alexeev
    Commented Jun 5, 2013 at 22:45
  • \$\begingroup\$ Why can't you use a wall-wart? \$\endgroup\$
    – Connor Wolf
    Commented Jun 6, 2013 at 3:28
  • \$\begingroup\$ Note that if this is to be a product, approval of the device will be much more of a pain. \$\endgroup\$
    – pjc50
    Commented Jun 6, 2013 at 7:34

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Shopping questions are generally discouraged but I'll answer by saying your search term is "AC DC converter". Digikey offered a bunch of subgroups in the answer, and I selected "Power Supplies, Board Mount".

http://www.digikey.com/product-detail/en/VOF-6-5/102-2212-ND/2441885 is $14, down to $11 in quant.

http://www.digikey.com/product-detail/en/BP5063-5/BP5063-5-ND/658569 is $8.

To add a bit more value than just the shopping aspect: Be prepared to spend a good deal more on AC inlets, fuse drawers, and such. Be sure to spec out enough output power on the power supply you choose. Also, the addition of an internal power supply can really change the flavor of a prototype. You'll need a bigger box, and make sure you think about this in 3 dimensions, not just two, our your box may not be tall enough. Murphy's Law says the power supply will get in the way of every connector.

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  • \$\begingroup\$ I have used the VOF series power supplies (12V 2A version) similar to the ones in the first link for over a year and am very happy with them. They seem to have better specs than a cheap wall wart. I've even accidentally shorted one out, thought I killed it, but it just went into shutdown and came back up after I power cycled it. If you are that cost sensitive, it may be worth looking into DIY'ing your own power supply. \$\endgroup\$
    – lyndon
    Commented Jun 6, 2013 at 0:29
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    \$\begingroup\$ Thanks! Out of curiosity, why is it that even the cheapest converters on that page are still twice the cost of some cheap wall warts that do the same thing? \$\endgroup\$
    – geekman
    Commented Jun 6, 2013 at 1:18
  • \$\begingroup\$ My guess would be scale and the cost of a distributer doing business \$\endgroup\$
    – Scott Seidman
    Commented Jun 6, 2013 at 1:50
  • \$\begingroup\$ @geekman - Also, the products on that page are probably a lot better built then the ultra-cheap Chinese crap you get these days. Google "Chinese Power Adapter Teardown" for some pretty amazing corner-cutting. \$\endgroup\$
    – Connor Wolf
    Commented Jun 6, 2013 at 3:29
  • \$\begingroup\$ @geekman Wall warts are a commodity, and they are cheap due to economies of scale. Try replacing "wall wart" in your question with any other commodity: milk, lumber, sand, hammers... and see if it makes any sense. \$\endgroup\$
    – Phil Frost
    Commented Jun 6, 2013 at 11:51

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