What's a Voltage Regulator, Anyway? This Explains What They Do

What's a Voltage Regulator

‍Voltage regulators are one of the most common components found inside electronic devices and for good reason. They’re an essential part of almost anything with a battery or power supply. If you’ve ever owned an electronic device, you probably have come into contact with a voltage regulator at some point. They may not be visible, but they perform a very important task - keeping things running smoothly. This article will explain what voltage regulators do and how they are used in electronics.

What is a Voltage Regulator?

A voltage regulator is a component that stabilizes the output voltage of a battery or power supply. Why do we need a voltage regulator?

Let’s say you have a battery that provides 5 volts. If you connect that 5 volts to a component that requires more than 5 volts, you could damage the component, or even the battery itself.

This is where a voltage regulator steps in. It takes the higher voltage from the battery and reduces it to the required voltage for the component.

How do Voltage Regulators Work?

A voltage regulator works by receiving power from a battery and then changing the power to a lower voltage (usually less than the required 5 volts).

Some regulators are also able to change the current (the amount of electricity flowing) to a lower voltage. When a regulator is working properly, you may have no idea it’s there.

The regulator’s job is to silently stabilize the voltage levels from 5 volts to whatever is needed.

When you see a power supply with a 5-volt line and a 12-volt line, the 12-volt line is actually a voltage that’s stepped down from the 5-volt power supply.

Types of Voltage Regulators

Regulators can be split up into three categories:

Linear,
Step-Up,
Buck.

Buck regulators are the most common and are what most people think of when they hear the word “voltage regulator”. Any battery can supply only a certain voltage but can be stepped up to higher voltages by a regulator.

Linear regulators, on the other hand, can only generate voltages between 0 and the battery’s input.

The final type is Step-Up regulators. They generate a regulated voltage that is higher than the input voltage. For example, a 12-volt battery can be used to power a device that requires a 24-volt circuit. A Step-Up regulator will step the 12 volts up to the 24 volts needed by the device.

Benefits of using voltage regulators

High reliability - Most voltage regulators have a very high-reliability rating and are designed to work correctly for many decades.

Low power consumption - Regulators require very low power draw, so there is less strain on the battery and less heating of the batteries.

No risk of explosion - Most types of voltage regulators is not dangerous if they are used properly.

Isolation - Voltage regulators can be used to separate different circuits on a board, isolating them from each other. This is especially useful in situations where you don’t want one circuit affecting another.

Disadvantages of using voltage regulators

Extra components - The components used in voltage regulators can add a bit of bulk to a circuit design. This can make some designs more difficult to build or assemble.

Heat - Voltage regulators can produce heat if the power has a lot of resistance in it. This can be a problem if the temperature in the circuit increases. A good design will keep the regulator and the circuit together as far away from the heat source as possible. A good design also tries to keep the heat transfer from the circuit to the regulator to a minimum.

Noise - Voltage regulators can produce some noise that may affect the performance of the circuit. If the noise is too high, it can even cause a short circuit between the output and input.

Which type of regulator should you use?

Each regulator has its benefits and disadvantages. If you are not sure which type of regulator to use, first check the user manual for the device you want to power.

If the device has a specific regulator type needed, this will be noted there. If it doesn’t, you can use whichever one is right for the device you are powering. If you are designing a new circuit, you can use either a linear or a buck regulator. If the circuit is powering something that requires a certain voltage, though, you should consider using a voltage regulator.

The type of voltage regulator used is less important than the fact that it’s used.

Choosing an electronic circuit design for voltage regulators

When choosing a circuit design for your project, you need to consider the power requirements first. You can use a power supply with a fixed voltage, or you can use a power supply with a variable voltage.

Next, look at the amount of current the circuit will draw. If it will be drawing less than 10 amps, you can probably use a linear regulator. If it will be drawing more than 10 amps, you can probably use a buck regulator.

Summary

A voltage regulator is a component that takes the higher voltage from a battery and reduces it to the required voltage.

They are used to keep electronics running smoothly by receiving a low voltage from a battery and then generating a higher voltage.

Linear regulators are the most common and are what most people think of when they hear the word “voltage regulator”.

Depending on the circuit, you can use a linear or buck regulator. If you are designing a new circuit, you can use either a linear or a buck regulator.

Also, learn about- Resistance and specific resistance.