Any USB/Ethernet controller suggestions?

[jtar40]

Quick question, I'm not too sure about something about the uc300/400eth. I see that it talks about it needing an external 5vdc power supply. Now I was reading up online about it in the product manual (in section 7) states that you cannot use more than 5 volts dc because it can damage the device. That makes sense, but I'm sleightly confused about it not giving a max value for amps. Does this Matter? Do I not need to worry about amps? I'm not totally educated on this but I always thought that current is what harms the device.


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[john swift]

from the UC300 manual
"We recommend to use a power supply with at least 500mAmps"

so you can use any regulated 5V power supply that can supply a half amp or more is OK

the current taken is not going to be any higher if you used a 5V 100A power supply

John

do not use a 5V phone charger they are not all regulated to give you exactly 5V DC !!!

[A_Camera]

do not use a 5V phone charger they are not all regulated to give you exactly 5V DC !!!

I think that's not the case any more. All phone chargers use regulated power today, but maybe not all gives 5V. Anyway, original Nokia, Samsung, Sony... all safe to use, but I'd be careful with the cheap eBay chargers.

[A_Camera]

That makes sense, but I'm sleightly confused about it not giving a max value for amps.

The maximum amp value never really matters, if you use a power supply with more amps output than needed it will still only output what you are using, and in this case hardly anything at all. In current the minimum amps is what's important, in voltage it is the exact voltage level, or the maximum, what matters. Maximum voltage matters because if you are using a power supply which gives more than 5V then it may fry your UC300/400.

So, if you have a power supply which provides 5V (maximum) and 500mA (minimum) then you are OK, but if you have one which gives you 5V and 25A then you are still OK, nothing bad happens.