12 VOLT REGULATOR
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Additional Information
This is a
12.0V voltage regulator circuit built around the
LM2940 Low Dropout Regulator. It is designed to be used in situations where a voltage in excess of 12 Volts could damage a device, but the voltage source (for example a lead acid battery) supplies in excess of 12V.
The regulator will output up to
1 Amp of 12.0 Volts DC from a maximum input voltage of
26 Volts.
This regulator circuit is perfect for
LED lighting applications using
12V LED Spotlights. These bulbs have a
working voltage of 10.5-13.5 Volts, so if they are directly connected to a 12V-rated
lead acid battery, the bulbs could easily be damaged by the 13.5V+ voltage of a fully charged or under-charge battery.
If a
switch is to be used - e.g. for lighting - it should be connected into the circuit
before the regulator so that the regulator does not draw any power from the battery except for when needed.
Current Limitations
The
1 Amp absolute current limit on this circuit corresponds to powering up to
ten 1 Watt
LED spotlight bulbs. The fitted
heatsink keeps the regulator cool enough (below 40 degrees Celcius) under load with up to 5-6 of our* spotlight bulbs when powered from a 12.5-15V (typical lead acid battery) source.
*
Other bulbs may use more power and therefore current than labelled. If you have bulbs from another supplier we recommend you test their power consumption.
If you intend to use this regulator up to its
1 Amp limit or to regulate from a voltage of 15+ Volts, we recommend using a larger heatsink or fan. Contact us directly (email
neil@reuk.co.uk) before purchase with details of your exact requirements.
Using the 12 Volt Regulator
Connecting the
12V regulator into a circuit is very easy, as shown in the images below:
* Should the input voltage falls below 12 Volts, the
low dropout regulator will '
drop' a maximum of
0.5 Volts - for example, an input of 11.6V will generate an output from 11.1-11.6V depending on the current used by the load - 11.6V if the current is small, and 11.1V if the full
1 Amp maximum current is being used.
NEW 12V Regulator with Fitted Fuse
Pictured above is a
12 Volt regulator with a
1 Amp fuse mounted securely to the circuit board. It makes connecting a system a lot easier and tidier than using a standard in-line
fuse holder and fuse. Click here for more information and/or to purchase this
12 Volt Regulator with Fuse now with two spare 1A fuses for
£6.29.
Similarly we can also incorporate screw-in terminals for a
switch in order that the correct BATTERY to FUSE to SWITCH to LOAD connections can be made tidily on one board. This board is priced at
£6.79 including two spare 1A rated fuses. Click here now to find out more and/or to purchase this
12 Volt Regulator with Fuse and Switch Terminals.
NEW Pictured below is our latest
12 Volt low dropout regulator. This is designed for use where space is at a premium. The three types of standard regulators described above come in at around 85 x 60 x 30mm which is a bit large for some applications.
This new regulator is around
30 x 25 x 15mm in size, and is entirely housed in super-hard and durable
epoxy resin. This electrically insulates the regulator and associated components and so no casing is required. The regulator is certainly very weather and splashproof, and should also be
waterproof (not that it is the sort of thing you would use underwater).
This regulator is only really suitable for loads of around
0.5-0-6 Amps or lower and input voltages of
<16V since no heatsink is used, and epoxy does not dissipate heat as well as metal would. Four leads are pre-attached: V+ and 0V input, and 12.0V and 0V output. Email
neil@reuk.co.uk if you are interested in ordering this type of regulator.
Related REUK.co.uk Articles
Find out how to use an LM2940 to efficiently regulate voltage
Connect voltage regulators in parallel to increase the current which can be regulated
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