There's still another way before jumping to another regulator. The solution is to use a transistor to boost the current. In this case, you can use a TO-92 as regulator and almost any TO-220 in Full-Pack (or isotab someting like that). About the efficiency? fair to bad depending the transistor you'll use. Some have a huge drop between Collector and Emitter when the current rise across.
OR you can even build your own regulator with a simple transistor, zener diode and a resistor. Problem is almost the same as previous
Build one with a PIC or an OP-AMP to monitor the output and apply according correction is a better solution. That's what i did on some occasion.
BUT the ultimate, look at LT1085 but the TAB is often the output so... it solve a problem but not the other. www.linear.com
About a DIP solution? Yish, i can't recommend any if it exist anyways. I feel they'll mostely burn your PCB before.
In many case, you can place a heatsink on your Regulator and secure it on your PCB. This work really well in many case. This avoid the insulator stuff.
As you want to make it 'water-proof' Less holes, and screw have to be consider... except if you really want to add some scellant.
Last edited by mister_e; - 22nd April 2006 at 00:30.
Steve
It's not a bug, it's a random feature.
There's no problem, only learning opportunities.
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