Voltage regulator

Why

• power into xo without frying

Requirements

Input

Under construction. Need to find...

• maximum voltage spikes from a variety of power inputs - how much would the max spike be
• ditto above for maximum steady voltage from the same variety of power inputs
• ditto above for amperage

Output

• (single) XO power input - ideal is 18V at 0.944A. (Laptop can accept 17W maximum, 11-25V and 2Amax.)
• "overflow" wattage should get switched out to another place - by default some sort of dissipator (whonkin' power resistors with a big heatsink?) that's easily bypassed in favor of something useful like a battery.

Parts

Current recommended

The current recommended voltage regulator is a L200.

• Digikey: 497-1382-5-ND ($1.92 USD each when purchased individually)
• datasheet (pdf)
• application notes (pdf)

Benefits

• can handle up to 60V, which is around the surge you'd expect when you start up a human-powered source (for instance, the spike from a bike-power generator when you start to pedal)

Open questions

• what is its behavior at spikes over 60V? constant input?