Simple Low Drop 5V Regulator

A 4-cell pack is a convenient, popular battery size. Alkaline manganese batteries are sold in retail stores in packs of four, which usually provide sufficient energy to keep battery replacement frequency at a reasonable level. Generating 5 V from four batteries is, however, a bit tricky. A fresh set of four batteries has a terminal voltage of 6.4 V, but at the end of their life, this voltage is down to 3.2 V. Therefore, the voltage needs to be stepped up or down, depending on the state of the batteries. A flyback topology with a costly, custom designed transformer could be used, but the circuit in the diagram gets around the problem by using a flying capacitor together with a second inductor.

Circuit diagram:

The circuit also isolates the input from the output, allowing the output to go to 0 V during shutdown. The circuit can be divided conceptually into boost and buck sections. Inductor L1 and switch IC1 comprise the boost or step-up section, and inductor L2, diode D1 and capacitor C3 form the buck or step-down section. Capacitor C2 is charged to the input voltage, Vin, and acts as a level shift between the two sections. The switch toggles between ground and Vin+Vout , while the junction of L2, C2 and D1 toggles between –Vin and Vout +Vd1. Efficiency is directly related to the quality of the capacitors and inductors used.

Better quality capacitors are more expensive. Better quality inductors need not cost more, but normally take up more space. The Sanyo capacitors used in the prototype (C1–C3) specify a maximum ESR (effective series resistance) of 0.045 ½ and a maximum ripple current rating of 2.1 A. The inductors used specify a maximum DCR (direct current resistance) of 0.058 ½. Worst-case r.m.s. current through capacitor C2 occurs at minimum input voltage, that is, 400 mA at full load with an input voltage of 3 V. 

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Easy Discrete Low Drop Regulator

This circuit was designed to ensure that an amplifier circuit containing a TDA1516Q would not exceed its maximum supply voltage when the load is small. This amplifier is used in a PC to increase the audio power somewhat. The PC power supply, however, created so much interference that an additional power supply was required.

Discrete Low-Drop Regulator Circuit Diagram

The power supply has its own power trans-former with a secondary voltage of 12 V AC. After rectification and filtering this results in a DC voltage of about 16 V. The regulator consists of a P-channel MOSFET SJ117, the gate of which is driven via a voltage divider connected to T2. The base of T2 is held at a constant voltage by LED D2, so that the volt-age across emitter resistor R2 is also constant and therefore carries a constant cur-rent. 

When the output voltage is higher than about 13.5 V, zener diode D1 will start to con-duct and supply part of the current through R2 — as a result the MOSFET will be turned on a little less. In this way there is a balance point, where the output voltage will be a little over 13.5 V (1.5 V across R2 plus the 12 V zener voltage). The regulator is capable of deliver-ing up to about 2 A — in any case it is a good idea to fit the MOSFET with a heatsink.

It is possible to add an optional potentiometer in series with the 12-V zener diode, which will allow a small amount of adjustment of the output voltage.The relay at the AC powerline input ensures that the power supply is only turned on when the PC is turned on. This relay is driven from a 4-way power supply connector from the PC. link

Author : Jac Hettema – Copyright: Elektor

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