project: isoUSBHub

2024-07-30 - ongoing
no picture yet

this is an isolated USB hub, it is useful for testing electronic assemblies where multiple USB devices may be at different ground potentials

blog

date: 2024-06-25 00:44:11
XP power ITR0324S05 is a reasonable looking power module
will need to look into how it performs as it is an unregulated supply. this may be fine, the datasheet says 10% regulation from 0-100% load...

date: 2024-06-24 23:20:06
had a look around a supplier for suitable USB hub IC, there is the microchip USB2514B/M2 which has four high speed ports. its configuration is based on an embedded i2c controller which interfaces directly to a 256x8 EEPROM (24AA02/24LC02B style)

looks like the ADuM3165/3166 is a reasonable isolator to choose too

power is the main question now. this will need 5 isolated zones. the four outputs need to provide 5V@500mA+ simultaneously while the hub is full belt. this is at minimum ((5v*0.5A)*4)+((5v*69mA)*4)=11.38W
thats about 474mA at 24Vin when 100% efficient! more likely will be 11.38W/0.8 = 14.225W (80% efficiency) which is 592.71mA at 24V(a significant amount of power)
power usage aside, the topology will be interesting. it would be possible to use a total of four flybacks outputting 5v (four downstream facing zones. upstream port will be self powered and also power hub controller) but using a single transformer with four postregulated outputs may be a more robustr solution. that said, it wouldnt be impossible to use some 24Vin5V.5Aout modules as they will be a more reliable/easy to work with solution