ESP8266 Community Forum

- Thu Feb 19, 2015 5:48 pm #10179

Thanks again. This is a whole new world for me. No breadboard-friendly options then?

You can get breakout PCBs for SOT23 & SOT223 for a few dollars.

Oh and the other problem I saw: the cost of postage is like £12 for a £3 device. Is there a way around that - or a seller that doesn't do that?

There are several listings on aliexpress for 3-10 chips with free shipping.

If you're not very pressed on time or project volume, you get 20 of these for 10.8$, free shipment (54 cents each!);
http://www.aliexpress.com/item/20-pcs-Ultra-Small-Size-DC-DC-Step-Down-Power-Supply-Module-3A-Adjustable-Step-Down/32262311443.html
It only converts down, but that what I mostly need.

i wonder one thing. what is idle current of module?(quiscent current)

Most of these modules seem to use the MP2307.
According to the datasheet the quiescent current is 1.3-1.5mA, which is not really great. Also the minimum input voltage is 4.75V, which makes it unsuitable for single cell Li-Po/Li-Ion or anything less than 5x AA batteries.

- Thu Feb 19, 2015 6:02 pm #10182

If you're not very pressed on time or project volume, you get 20 of these for 10.8$, free shipment (54 cents each!);
http://www.aliexpress.com/item/20-pcs-Ultra-Small-Size-DC-DC-Step-Down-Power-Supply-Module-3A-Adjustable-Step-Down/32262311443.html
It only converts down, but that what I mostly need.

Oh my gosh, how can I not buy those?

- Fri Feb 20, 2015 6:29 am #10216 OK, so I've spent, over the last few days, about FOUR HOURS looking through websites, trying to turn a great-sounding product spec to a purchased item here in the UK. They always don't pan out, because of out-of-stock items, items not stocked, wrong package type, not available in UK, large minimum orders or excessive postage to UK, and so on.

I still don't know hot to obtain something that will do the job, be in a usable package, qualify for reasonable postage etc.

At this point I'm happy to accept that I'm a moron in exchange for a no-brainer link to the chip I can use, delivered to me in the UK at a reasonable cost.

- Fri Feb 20, 2015 7:18 am #10219

At this point I'm happy to accept that I'm a moron in exchange for a no-brainer link to the chip I can use, delivered to me in the UK at a reasonable cost.

eBay can be worth a try, for instance: http://www.ebay.com/itm/TEXAS-INSTRUMENTS-TPS61200DRCT-CONVERTER-BOOST-SYNCH-1-5A-/271779733959?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&hash=item3f4755a1c7
A lot of chips are sold on eBay from China with free shipping, but alas - not this one. Such shipments from China tend to arrive in my mailbox in Norway in around two weeks.