IC Regulated Power Supply Tutorial

Designing using 78 and 79 voltage monolith regulators

When we apply a DC voltage to the input of a voltage regulator, the output will take a
continuous voltage with ripple much smaller than that at the input of the regulator, also the
output voltage of the regulator is stable and does not vary with changes in the input voltage.
Monolithic integrated circuits (IC) voltage regulators offer very good stabilization
(regulation), have a small volume, they are cheaper than the stabilizing circuits using
discrete components, and are quite easy to use.

One of the most widely used series of integrated voltage regulators providing predetermined
constant output voltage, is the series 78XX regulators for positive voltage (supply positive
voltage at the output), with output voltages of 5V, 6V, 8V, 12V, 15V and 24V, and series
79XX for negative voltage regulators (provides negative voltages at the output) with output
voltages-5V,-6V,-8V,-12V,-15V and -24V. The last two digits indicate the output voltage of
the regulator. Example: The voltage regulator 7805 provides +5 V at the output, the 7812
provides +12 V, the 7815 +15 V, the 7824 +24 V, the 7905 -5V, the 7908 -8V, etc.

Figure 1.

The series of 78XX and 79XX can provide an output current to about 1A, and have specific
protective circuits within the circuit to prevent the destruction of the integrated circuit, in
case of overheating, output over-current, or overvoltage at input. In any of these cases the
IC stops operation. The regulators 78/79 manufactured in plastic and metal enclosures.
Except the series 78XX and 79XX that provide stable voltages with a maximum output
current of 1A or so, we have also the series 78LXX which provides positive voltages in the
integrated output from 2,6 V up to 12V at 100mA and the 78MXX providing positive voltages
from 5V to 24V at 500mA. Also 79LXX series provides negative voltages from -2,6V to -12V
at 100mA, and the series 79MXX that provides negative voltages from -5V to -24V at
500mA.
Figure 2. Various regulators with voltage terminals and pin-outs.

BASIC CONNECTION OF REGULATORS

Figure 3. Negative Voltage Regulator Connection with voltage terminals.

As seen from Figure 1, the use of regulators is very simple. The three terminals are called
regulator input(INput), common(COMmon) and output(OUTput). Figure 2 shows various
regulators together with their terminals. The voltage that we want to stabilize is applied
between the input terminals and stabilized voltage obtained between the output terminals.
The common terminal is connected to earth. Figure 3 shows the assembly of the regulator
when we want a negative voltage at its output. The capacitor Cin needed when the
regulator is not located near the filter feed and reduces the sensitivity of the regulator of
impulse noise. The value should be 0,33uF or more, and is of tantalum or mylar, or other
capacitor which exhibits low internal impedance at high frequencies. The capacitor Co is
used to maintain a low output impedance at high frequencies. The output impedance of all
integrated voltage regulators increases at high frequencies.

Figure 4. Complete regulated power supply.

The value of Co should be larger than 0,1uF and ceramic or polyester. To operate the
integrated circuit as a voltage regulator, the voltage applied to the input should be at least
2,5V higher than the stabilized voltage that we want to take at the output of the regulator
(2V, for the case where the output voltage is 5V). Example: The voltage at the input of 7805
should not be less than 2+5 = 7V, whereas in 7815 should not be lower than 2,5+15 =
17,5V. Also, the voltage at the input of the regulator must not exceed a certain value, for
series 78XX and 79XX this value is approximately 35V, except for 7824 and 7924 which is
approximately 40V. Figure 4 shows a complete circuit of a power supply, which provides a
stable output voltage, the value of which depends on the IC. The values of capacitors Cin
and Co given by the manufacturer of IC, while the value of the capacity of the electrolytic
capacitor C is calculated with mathematical or empirical as we will explain. Although the
series of regulators 78/79 provide a stable output voltage, by using the circuit in Figure 5 we
can increase the voltage at the output that we receive. The output voltage Vo is given by the
relationship:

Where Vout(REG) is the stable output of the regulator ie. 5V for 7805, 15V for 7815 etc. and
the current Iq is the bias current flowing through the common terminal and its value is given
by the manufacturer. Iq = 4,5mA for series 78XX and 79XX and IQ = 3,5mA for series
78LXX and 79LXX. Example. With the regulator 7805 and R = 1Kohm the voltage drop
across the R is:
Figure 5. The resistor R increases the output voltage.

Figure 3. Negative Voltage Regulator Connection with voltage terminals. VR = 1Kohm x

4,5mA = 4,5V

And the output voltage is:

V0 = 5V +4,5V = 9.5V.

Figure 6. The output voltage can vary by changing R2.

Using the circuit of Figure 6 we can also increase the output voltage. The output voltage is
given from the relation:

Usually the current Iq is very small compared to the current that circulates in R1 (i.e.
Vout(reg/R1) and the above relationship is approximately:
R2 can be variable, so we can adjust the output voltage. The output current can be
increased by using the circuit of Figure 7. When the current flowing through the regulator
exceeds 1A (78/79) or the 100mA (78L/79L) the resistor R has such a value that the current
flowing through, causes a voltage drop about 560mV and the transistor is conductive and
allows to pass through this additional current. The circuit of Figure 7 may be modified as
shown in Figure 8 which provides protection against short circuit by using the transistor T
and the resistance R.

Figure 7.

Using two voltage regulators (Figure 9) (one positive and one negative 78XX 79XX) we
have a double power supply that provides negative and positive Voltages. To be able to use
different IC voltage regulators we should have a knowledge of the sizes to determine the
properties of a practical voltage regulator, these figures given by manufacturers and are the
following:

Input Voltage Range

Is the range of voltages That can be applied to the input. The input voltage must be 2.5 V
above the voltage output in order to operate the regulator. Also the voltage in input should
not exceed a value of about 35V for series 78/79.

Ripple Rejection
Is the quotient of the voltage wave at the input of regulator to the voltage ripple at the output
of regulator and is measured in dB, and is of 60 dB (1000 to 1). That is, when the voltage
ripple at the input of the regulator is 1V, the significant ripple in the output is 1mV.

Line Regulation
The quotient of the change in output voltage caused by a change in input voltage to the
change of the input voltage. For most regulators is less than 1%. So when the input voltage
changes from minimum to maximum value causes a change in output voltage that is fewer
than 1%.
Load Regulation
Load Regulation is the change in output voltage of a regulator for a change of output
current.

Output voltage
The voltage at the output terminal relative to the earth. Usually ranges +5% of the stated
value.

Temperature Coefficient
The change of output voltage for a change in temperature of the regulator is expressed in
mV/°C.

Short Circuit Current

The output current of the regulator when the output is short-circuit with the earth.

Output voltage noise

The rms noise voltage at the output of the regulator.

Power Consumption

The maximum total power consumption that may consume one regulator operating with
preset limits. The maximum power that can be consumed by the regulator 78/79 without
heatsink when the ambient temperature is (TA) 25°C is about 2W, and when we use
heatsink is approximately 14W. Also for the correct design of a power supply we should use
the appropriate AC transformer and heatsink, if the power supply provides sufficiently large
currents, and filter capacitor.

Figure 8.
Figure 9. Dual Power Supply

Choosing Transformer

The choice of a transformer for a power supply with regulator depends on the following
values.

1. Output Voltage and current.

2. Maximum input voltage that can be applied to the regulator.

3. Low voltage differential input/output that can be applied to the regulator, eg in the case of
7808 the output voltage is 8V and the minimum voltage at the input must be:

8+2,5 = 10,5V, the difference of voltages is:

10,5V-8V = 2,5V.

4. Power P consumed in the regulator, is given by:

P = (Vin - Vout) x Iout

where, Vin = the voltage at the input of the regulator, V0ut = the output voltage of the
regulator, and Iout = the output current of the regulator.

5. Maximum peak voltage at the secondary of transformer (VM).

6. The apparent power of transformer in volt-amps (VI). Example. In power supply circuit of
Figure 10 using the 7815 to provide a constant voltage of 15V at the output of the power
supply, and a maximum output current in 1A.
Figure 10.