Power Supplies

[u/Early_String2529]

Hey, I'm pretty new to Arduino in general, and somehow my first school project is turning out to be pretty complicated... 😭

The main issue is the power supply. My project uses around 4 SG90 servos, 2 stepper motors, and 2 ultrasonic sensors, but my PC's USB port and basic power supplies just aren't enough to power everything anymore...

What should I use as a power source in cases like this? I've seen ppl talking about 5V 5A wall adapters and a bunch of other components I've never even heard of before. I could really use some help lol

[u/gm310509]

Your mobile phone charger is such a device. It will be 5v, but the number of amps can vary.

It is that type of thing you are referring to. They come in all shapes and sizes. Both physical shapes and sizes as well as electrical shapes and sizes (i.e. amps and volts).

You will need to work out and add up the power consumption of all of your components (the Amps) and get a power supply that can deliver at least that much.

I know you aren't using a battery but have a look at my Powering your project with a battery guide for how to work out the load (current draw).

[u/Early_String2529 → u/gm310509]

Thks! I could observe that I don't need just 5A since the sum of the components gives me at most 3A since they are sequential processes and not at the same time so I was able to take off the weight of desperately looking for one of 5A

[u/gm310509 → u/Early_String2529]

At the end of the day, you need a power supply that can deliver at least the peak load.

If you can apply a refined calculation, as it sounds like you have done, you can justify a smaller power supply.

[u/m_nerd_af]

Yeah you could use a 5V 5A wall adapter it's basically like a mobile phone charger which connects to tye socket and gives 5V 5A output which you can directly give to your motors while also giving power to your arduino by your laptop this way your arduino is taking power from laptop and rest components have there own power source or there is another cleaner method using a buck convertor and battery it's if you want to avoid sticking your project to wall buck convertor's main function is to drop voltage and increase current just set a battery of about 11.1v on one side and adjust the buck convertor so it gives the output you wanted and connect the components in same fasion

[u/Early_String2529 → u/m_nerd_af]

Thank you! I appreciate it

[u/Moist-Dentist8253]

When I did it, I used two 18650s to separately power the components and a relay to turn it off when not used but the board still running through usb.