SEPICster step up/down converters

What can I do with the SEPICster?

The main advantage of the SEPICster serie modules is that they can perform both step up and step down conversion seamlessly. This means that you can power a 3.3V project from a single lithium cell which has a usual operational range of 4.2V (fully charged) to 2.9V or lower (2.5V still being safe for many cells).

Another example would be a “universally” powerable *thing* which runs at 5V or 9V internally: take the right SEPICster version and power it from anything ranging from a lithium coin cell or 2 AA(A) cells to a 19V laptop charger or your car’s cigaret lighter socket!

Generally you can use so-called step up/down converter to power *things* that require an operation voltage that is higher or lower than what you have access to in your project.

Just need a boost or a buck converter? Check out our great BUCKster and BOOSTer modules!

One more thing:

Our power supply modules are simply awesome because we design them carefully, with you in mind. We provide excellent datasheets so you don’t have to guess if it fits your application and generally don’t give “best case” specification figures. Instead we show rather conservative values of what is safely handled. Which means that if you were to push the boundaries, there should be a fair amount of headroom.

Engineered and manufactured in Engen, Germany!

Features

• Small: 16.4×10.8×4.9mm
• Fixed output voltages: 3.3/5/12V
• Typical current capability:
  • ≥ 280mA for the 3.3V and 5V variants
  • ≥ 150mA for the 12V variant
• High efficiency (typ. ≥ 65%, up to 82%)
• Wide supply voltage range: 2V to 19V
• Excellent line and load regulation
• Enable pin
• Low quiescent current (typ. 60μA ≤ Iq ≤ 200μA )

Note on LC spikes

Please note that voltage spikes can occur when disconnecting a module from longer power supply wires (such as typically used in laboratory environments). These voltage spikes can easily exceed the maximum acceptable input voltage modules even at modest supply voltages around 12-15V.

To mitigate this issue we recommend you:

• use short wiring when possible
• reduce the supply voltage or switch off the power supply before physically disconnecting the module
• add an additional input capacitance of at least 33uF close to the module