We used the Bus Pirate and 6 common components to multiply 5volts to over 120volts with a boost converter, a type of switched-mode power supply. Similar circuits are commonly used to power 180volt nixie tubes from low voltage power supplies. This circuit is a simple way to build your first SMPS, but be careful because it could potentially output hundreds of volts!
This post was inspired by Robots and Dinosaurs Bus Pirate-driven high voltage Geiger tube power source, and the need for a 13volt supply for the Bus Pirate PIC programmer. We’ve got a detailed writeup after the break.
You can buy a Bus Pirate for $30, including worldwide shipping.
