DIY DC/DC Boost Calculator

A calculator for rolling your own basic DC/DC boost with a microcontroller

by lady ada

published June 13, 2013, last edited March 08, 2024

posted in Components

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Beginner

Project guide

The Calculator

For this simple calculator, enter in the freqency, voltage ranges and current ranges and the duty cycle, inductor and current requirements will be displayed!

Frequency	Hz	This is the boost converter frequency. For microcontrollers its often the CPU clock / 256
Min Vin	V	The lowest expected input voltage
Max Vin	V	The highest expected input voltage
Min Vout	V	The lowest desired output voltage
Max Vout	V	The highest desired output voltage
Iout	Amps	Output current draw
Vripple	V	Maximum allowable voltage ripple

Min. Duty Cycle	Dmin = 1 - (Vimax/Vomin)	%
Max. duty cycle	Dmax = 1 - (Vimin/Vomax)	%
Min. Inductor size	L > D * Vin * (1-D) / (freq * 2 * Iout )	uH
Peak inductor current	Ipk = (Vinmax * D)/(f * L)	A
Minimum capacitor	*Cap > Iout / (Vripple freq)**	uF
Minimum Schottky diode	Vbreakdown >= Voutmax & Idiode >=Ipk	V A