instructables

How to Use DC to DC Buck Converter LM2596

by Robottronic

This tutorial will show how to use LM2596 Buck Converter to power up devices requiring di erent voltages. We will show
which are the best types of batteries to use with the converter and how to get more than just one output from the
converter (indirectly).

We will explain why we have chosen this converter and for what kind of projects can we use it.

Just a small note before we get started: When working with robotics and electronics please don't overlook the
importance of power distribution.

This is our rst tutorial in our series on Power Distribution, we believe that Power Distribution is often overlooked and
that this is a big reason why many people lose interest in robotics in the beginning, for instance they burn up their
components and are unwilling to buy new components from the fear to just burn them up again, we hope that this
series on Power Distribution will help you understand how to better work with electricity.

Supplies:

1. LM2596 DC to DC Converter
2. 9V Alkaline Battery
3. Arduino Uno
4. Jumper Wires
5. 2S Li-Po or Li-Ion Battery
6. 2A or 3A Fuse
7. Servo Motor SG90
8. Small Breadboard

How to Use DC to DC Buck Converter LM2596: Page 1

Step 1: Pinout Overview

Here You can see how the LM2596 DC to DC Converter IN- Here we connect the black wire from the battery (or
Module looks like. You can notice that the LM2596 is an the power source), this is ground, GND or V--
IC, and the module is a circuit build around the IC to
make it work as an adjustable converter. OUT+ Here we connect the positive voltage of the
power distribution circuit or a component powered
Pinout for LM2596 module is very simple:
OUT- Here we connect the ground of the power
IN+ Here we connect the red wire from the battery (or distribution circuit or a component powered
the power source), this is VCC or VIN (4.5V - 40V)

Step 2: Adjusting Output

This is a buck converter meaning that it will take higher voltage and convert it into lower voltage. To adjust the voltage
we have to do couple of steps.

1. Connect the converter with the battery or other power source. Know how much voltage you have
inputted in the converter.
2. Set the multimeter to read the voltage and connect the output of the converter to it. Now you can
already see the voltage on the output.
3. Adjust the trimmer (here 20k Ohm) with a tiny screwdriver until the voltage is set to the desired output.
Feel free to turn the trimmer in both directions to get the feeling how to work with it. Sometimes when
you use the converter for the rst time you will have to rotate the trimmer screw 5-10 full circles to get it
working. Play with it until you get the feeling.
4. Now that the voltage is appropriately adjusted, instead of the multimeter connect the device/module you
want to power.

In the next couple of steps we would like to show you couple of examples on how to produce certain voltages and when
to use these voltages. This steps shown here are from now on implied on all of the examples.

How to Use DC to DC Buck Converter LM2596: Page 2

Step 3: Current Rating

Current rating of the IC LM2596 is 3 Amps (steady cooler (heat exchanger) on top of it and this will
current), but if you actually pull through it 2 or more passively distribute the heat from the IC to the
Amps for a long period of time it will heat up and burn surrounding air.
out. As with most of the devices here we also have to
provide su cient cooling for it to work long and reliably. The image above shows two versions of the LM2596
module.
Here we would like to draw an analogy with the PC's and
CPU's, as most of you already know, your PC's heat up First version is without the cooler and we will use it if
and crash, to improve their performance we need to the steady current is below 1.5 Amps.
improve their cooling, we can replace the cooling with a
better passive or air cooler or introduce even better with Second version is with the cooler and we will use it if
liquid cooling, it's the same thing with every electronic the steady current is above 1.5 Amps.
component like IC's. So to improve it we will glue a small

Step 4: High Current Protection

How to Use DC to DC Buck Converter LM2596: Page 3

Another thing to mention when working with power which melts on low temperatures, the thickness of the
modules like converters is that they will burn out if the wire is carefully adjusted during the manufacturing so
current goes too high. I believe that you have already that thae wire will break (or unsolder) if the current goes
understood that from the step above, but how to above 2 Amps. This will stop the current ow and the
protect the IC from the high current? high current won't be able to come to the convertor. Of
course this means that we will have to replace the Fuse
Here we would like to introduce another component the (because it's melted now) and correct the circuit which
Fuse. In this speci c case our converter needs tried to draw too much current.
protection from 2 or 3 Amps. So we will take, let's say a
2 Amp fuse and wire it according to the images above. If you want to know more about the fuses please refer to
This will provide the necessary protection for our IC. our tutorial on them when we release it.

Inside the Fuse there is a thin wire made of a material

Step 5: Powering 6V Motor and 5V Controller From a Single Source

Here is an example that includes everything mentioned above. We will summarize everything with the wiring steps:

1. Connect the 2S Li-Po (7.4V) battery with the 2A fuse. This will protect our main circuit from high current.
2. Adjust the voltage to 6V with the multimeter connected on the output.
3. Connect the ground and the VCC from the battery with the converter's input terminals.
4. Connect the positive output with the VIN on the Arduino and with the red wire on the micro servo SG90.
5. Connect the negative output with the GND on the Arduino and the brown wire on the micro servo SG90.

Here we have adjusted the voltage to 6V and powered up the Arduino Uno and the SG90. The reason why would we do
that instead of using the 5V output of the Arduino Uno to charge the SG90 is the steady output given by the converter,
as well as the limited output current coming from the Arduino, and also we always want to separate the motor power
from the power of the circuit. Here the last thing is not actually achieved because it is unnecessary for this motor, but the
converter provides us with the possibility to do that.

To understand more on why is it better to power the components this way and to separate the motors from the
controllers please refer to our tutorial on batteries when it's released.

How to Use DC to DC Buck Converter LM2596: Page 4

Step 6: Powering 5V and 3.3V Devices From a Single Source

This example shows how to use the LM2596 to power two devices with two di erent types of voltages. The wiring can be
clearly seen from the images. What we have done here is explained in the steps below.

1. Connect the 9V Alkaline Battery (can be bought in any local store) to the input of the converter.
2. Adjust the voltage to 5V and connect the output to the breadboard.
3. Connect the Arduino's 5V to the positive terminal on the breadboard, and connect the grounds of the
Arduino and the Breadboard.
4. The second device powered here is a wireless transmitter/receiver nrf24, it requires 3.3V, normally you
could power it directly from the Arduino but the current coming from the Arduino is usually too weak to
transmit stable radio signal, so we will use our converter to power it.
5. To do that we need to use a Voltage Divider to reduce the voltage from 5V to 3.3V. This is done by
connecting the +5V of the converter to the 2k Ohm resistor, and 1k Ohm resistor to the ground. The
terminal voltage where they touch is now reduced to 3.3V which we use to charge the nrf24.

If you want to know more about the resistors and the voltage dividers please refer to our tutorial about that when it's
released.

Step 7: Conclusion

How to Use DC to DC Buck Converter LM2596: Page 5

We would like to summarize on what we have shown here.

Use LM2596 to convert voltage from high (4.5 - 40) to low

Always use a Multimeter to check the voltage level on the output before connecting other
devices/modules
Use LM2596 without a heat sink (cooler) for 1.5 Amps or lower, and with a heat sink for up to 3 Amps
Use a 2 Amp or 3 Amp Fuse to protect LM2596 if you are powering motors drawing unpredictable
currents
Using converters you are providing stable voltage to your circuits with su cient current which you can
use to reliably control motors, in this way you will not have reduced behavior with the batteries voltage
drop over time

Step 8: Extra Stuff

You can download the models we have used in this rel="nofollow">Instructables Robottronic
tutorial from our GrabCAD account:
You can also check Youtube channel that is still in the
GrabCAD Robottronic Models process of kicking o :

You can see our other tutorials on Instructables: Youtube Robottronic

How to Use DC to DC Buck Converter LM2596: Page 6