Step down on Ferduino for overheating [SOLVED]

[Thomas di Maggio]

Hi guys!

I struggled a lot but finally I found a Ferduino Mega here in Italy sold by a guy that is not using it anymore. So I'm trying to fit it to my needs.
The first issue is that I have a lot of overheating on the chip near the power plug. I think it is the regulator that pulls down the voltage from the 12 v i have in input to the 5 v needed by the Arduino. I read some topics here about this issue and i like the proposal about using a step down adapter.
I bought this one:

https://www.amazon.it/gp/product/B017GR ... UTF8&psc=1

but I'm not so expert. As far as I understood I can continue tu power the ferduino board with the 12 v. It will works well for everything attached to the board, but I should use the step down at 5 v to power the onboard Arduino Mega. So the question is simple for you expert guys: which should be the wiring between the Ferduino mega and the step down adapter? can you help me with a scheme or something similar? electronics for dummies....



thank you so much.

[Fernando Garcia]

Hi!

My recommendation is to use a fan to cool down the regulator to be possible feed the relay board and dosing pumps with on board connectors.

But if do you want can adjust the step down to 5V and connect it directly to 5V pin then feed the relay board and dosing pump with external power supply.

Warning: I'm not responsible by any mistake!

Best regards.

[Thomas di Maggio]

Hi Fernando and thank you for your quick reply.

To add a fan is exactly what I would like to do! and it was already onboard from the previous owner! but the overheating is really too much, I don't know why...same power adapter, same everything...the only difference is that in my trials the fan is not attached to the plate on the Freudian board with the thermal paste (i bought it and it will arrive tomorrow) but just put on it. I also try to put all the system on a home fan but the result didn't changed: almost 30 second of system starting, then 2-3 second with the "home screen" and then forced stop for overheating.
My concern is about standard working phase: i don't want that when the tank will be working suddenly the system will stop for overheating. that's why I thought to the step down adapter. My wish was that it could be easy to plug it to the existing Ferduino board, maybe just removing the existing regulator, if it works just for reducing the power for the Arduino module. but i understand that it is not so simple.
i'll try with the fan better installed. I hope it will be enough stable and robust.

Any other suggestion will be welcome

thanks

[Thomas di Maggio]

Hi all,

just for sharing, I solved the issue installing a little cooler fan below the Ferduino, on the plate under the regulator, and another little fan over the board, following your suggestion.

thanks