Voltage Regulators

Voltage Regulators

Voltage regulators are designed to automatically maintain a constant voltage. A voltage regulator may use a simple feed-forward design or it may include negative feedback. These come in many shapes and sizes such as SOT23, TO-220 etc.

The TO-220 packaged devices are particularly handy for breadboards.

Step-Down Voltage Regulator

These Step-Down (buck) voltage regulators generate lower output voltages from input voltages as high. They are switching regulators (also called switched-mode power supplies (SMPS) or DC-to-DC converters), which makes them much more efficient than linear voltage regulators, especially when the difference between the input and output voltage is large. The maximum achievable output current of these regulators varies with the input voltage but also depends on other factors, including the ambient temperature, air flow, and heat sinking. The graph below shows maximum output currents that these regulators can deliver continuously at room temperature in still air and without additional heat sinking.

The regulators feature short-circuit/over-current protection, and thermal shutdown helps prevent damage from overheating.

Step-up Voltage Regulator

Step-up regulators, also known as boost regulators, are used to step up an input voltage to the desired higher output level. Proto-Pic have Step-up Voltage Regulators. These step-up (boost) voltage regulators, enable you to generate output voltages higher than your input voltage, from as low. With a typical efficiency between 80% to 90%, the available output current is a function of the input voltage and output voltage, the input current can typically be as high. This range of regulators, includes the choice of 5,9 and 12V output voltages, all at 1.4mA input current.