Electrical – Two DC DC converter with different output – In series or parallel

buckdc/dc converterefficiencystabilityswitching-regulator

Source: LiPo Battery (13V – 16.8V)
Consumer #1: 5V (RaspPi) ~1A
Consumer #2: 12V (variouse) 0-3A (plus ~1A if series)
DC/DC step down: two LM2596

Which would be the better solution:

LM2596 #1 on LiPo (16.8V to 12V out)
LM2596 #2 on LiPo (16.8V to 5V out)

LM2596 #1 on LiPo (16.8V to 12V out)
LM2596 #2 on LM2596 #1 (12V to 5V out)

What are the pros and cons in term of efficiency, and voltage stability?

Datasheet of the dc/dc converter,

Max output current is 3A .
The battery can provide a discharge rate of 35c at 10Ah
Efficiency diagram is on page 6.

Note:
The 12V output might be used to supply 12V/3A to a battery charger (Yeah, charging a liPo with a liPo,.. thinks that happen in RC-hobby).
So the drawn current on the 12V out could raise by 3A instantly.
So yeah, right now I see the issue with the serial concept, I'd limit my charging current to 2A instead of 3A.
But are there other pros and cons?

Best Answer

Both methods are certainly used. Serially connected DC/DC supplies are usually used with "high" input voltage such as mains. You first get 12V (or something) from the rectified 230VAC input and then you convert that to 1.2V or something.

Certainly the flyback can have multiple outputs but unless they're multiples of each other wound in a particular way you're going to hurt on cross-regulation.

So in this case just put them on parallel. Depending what you have on 5V you could actually use a linear regulator on that, just be aware that you have 1.4x power dissipation on regulator.

Also 3A output is nothing to sneeze at, it's entering territory where ripple currents and losses start to matter. You could use the TI webench or just copy one of the many similar examples on-line.

Bottom line, connecting DC/DC supplies in series kills your efficiency as instead of 85% you now have 85% of 85% (72%) and so on.

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