How much current can NanoCore12’s on-board regulator provide?
The 5-Volt regulator built into NanoCore12 can supply 100 mA of current if powered by a 6 Volt source. The limit is affected by operating temperature, so if the unit is running significantly above room temperature, the maximum current it can supply will be reduced. The amount it can supply will also be reduced if you use a higher input voltage. This is because the regulator drops the voltage to 5 Volts by dissipating the excess voltage as heat. NanoCore12 draws approximately 15 mA in RUN mode, leaving as much as 85 mA for use with other circuitry via the VCC pin and the I/O pins. In reality, however, the available current will be somewhat less. However, the regulator has internal over-current protection, so it will just shut off if it gets too hot, and come back on when it cools down. This can have unusual effects in an application, though, so it is best to keep this limitation in mind.
