Hi all
I wish to make a circuit, where I control an LED strip from a msp430 microcontroller (a MSP430G2231 that came with the MSP430 Launchpad). It needs 1.8-3.6V. The LED strip needs 12V. And yes, this IS for gaudy christmas lights :-)
I think I have figured out to control the LED strip through a MOSFET.
So the question is all about the power supply.
I figure that the easiest option would be to run the LED strip of a separate 3V coin cell battery as the msp430 doesn't use much power.
But if I wanted to avoid batteries, what would easiest and cheapest way to convert the 12V from a salvaged small wall wart to ~3V?
This is what I have been looking into:
- 7805 (5V) ICs seem to be readily available, but I have not seen a 7803. Could you drop the final 2v, maybe by using a diode of some sort?
- Other option is equally available LM317 and hardwired adjustment resistors.
These are linear options, right? I guess that during to the low current draw of the msp430, heat is not a huge worry?
Am I way off?
