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Simple Pre-Regulator PDF

This document describes a simple pre-regulator circuit that can be used to step down a power amplifier's high supply voltage to a safer level for regulator ICs. The circuit uses two zener diodes to regulate the output to under 24V. Resistor values for R1 and R3 are calculated based on the input voltage and desired 20mA of zener current. Construction is non-critical, using standard resistors, zeners, and power transistors mounted on veroboard. Testing involves connecting a suitable power supply and using series resistors initially in case of wiring errors.

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Mubeen Ahmed Khan
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304 views3 pages

Simple Pre-Regulator PDF

This document describes a simple pre-regulator circuit that can be used to step down a power amplifier's high supply voltage to a safer level for regulator ICs. The circuit uses two zener diodes to regulate the output to under 24V. Resistor values for R1 and R3 are calculated based on the input voltage and desired 20mA of zener current. Construction is non-critical, using standard resistors, zeners, and power transistors mounted on veroboard. Testing involves connecting a suitable power supply and using series resistors initially in case of wiring errors.

Uploaded by

Mubeen Ahmed Khan
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Simple Pre-Regulator

Introduction
TherewillbemanytimeswhereitisdesirabletousetheP05supplymodulefromahigher
voltagesource.Forexample,ifyouwanttoaddbalancedinputstoapoweramplifier,thenyou
needa+/15Vsupply,buttheamp'ssupplyvoltagewillbemuchtoohighfortheregulatorICs.
Thisprojectisaboutassimpleastheycome,andisverycheaptobuild.Itisdesignedforexactly
thispurposetoreducetheamplifiersupplyvoltagetoasafevalueforregulatorICs.
Description
ThecircuitisshowninFig.1anditisverysimpleindeed.Youwillneedtomakeafewsimple
calculationstodeterminetheresistorvalue,butthisisexplainedbelow.

Figure1PreRegulatorSchematic

Thecircuitshownusesthe24Vzenerdiodes(D1andD2)toregulatetheoutputvoltagetoalittle
under24V.Thisisaperfectlysafeinputvoltageforstandard3terminalregulators,andusing
thiscircuitwillprovideevenbetterregulationandsupplynoiserejectionthennormal.Using
MJE3055and2955transistorswillallowforsupplyvoltagesupto70Vquitesafely,butthey
willneedtobemountedonaheatsink(withinsulatingwashers).
ThepurposeofR5istoisolatethemainpoweramplifiergroundfromthesupply,topreventhum
loops.The10resistorshownwillbefineforthevastmajorityofapplications,butmayneedto
bechanged.Thisisuptoyoutoexperimentwithifnecessary.IsuggestthatR5shouldbe1W.
R2andR4maybe1/4Wor1/2Wresistors,and1Wzenersarerecommended.
TheonlycalculationistodeterminethevalueforR1andR3.First,measurethepoweramp
supplyvoltage(V1).Theresistorvalueiscalculatedtoprovideamaximumzenercurrentof
20mA,andthiswillensuresufficientbasecurrentforthepasstransistorsforupto100mAorso
outputcurrentat15V.
V2=V124(WhereV1isamplifiersupplyvoltage,anda24Vzenerisused)
R1=R3=V2/20(R1andR3valuesareink)
P=V2/R1(PispowerdissipationofR1andR3inmW)
Let'sassumeasupplyvoltageof56Vforanexamplecalculation...
V2=5624=32V
R1=R3=32/20=1.6k(use1.5k)
P=32/1.5=680mW=0.68W(use1W)
ThedissipationinQ1andQ2mayalsobecalculated,butyouneedtoknowthecurrentdrawnby
theexternalcircuits.Forexample,iftheexternalcircuitrydraws50mA,thetransistorpower
dissipationis...
Pt=V2*Iext=32*50=1600mW=1.6W(itwillneedasmallheatsink)
That'sititcouldhardlybesimpler.
Construction
Constructionisnoncritical,andtheresistors,zenerandpowertransistorscanbemountedona
tinypieceofVeroboardorsimilar.Therearenostabilityissues,andyouonlyneedtomakesure
thatthetransistorshaveanadequateheatsink.Mountingtothechassiswillnormallybequite
sufficientevenasteelchassiswillkeepthetemperaturewellwithinlimits.Rememberthatthe
transistorcasesmustbeelectricallyisolatedfromthechassis,andSilPadswillbefineduetothe
lowdissipation.
AsuggestionforassemblyisshowninFigure2(notethatthe10resistorfromthemainsupply
hasnotbeenshown).Thisconstructionmethodwillbequiteacceptableformostapplications.
Theearth(GND)terminalpointshouldideallybeisolatedfromtheheatsinktopreventearth
loops.

Figure2ConstructionSuggestion

Testing
Connecttoasuitablepowersupplyrememberthatthesupplyearth(ground)mustbe
connected!Whenpoweringupforthefirsttime,use100ohmto560ohm"safety"resisorsin
serieswitheachsupplytolimitthecurrentifyouhavemadeamistakeinthewiring.
Thereisverylittlethatcangowrong(otherthanwiringmistakes),soanyfaultyoumayfindis
easilyrectified.

Iqbal uddin Khan


92-321-9207460
[email protected]
http://asia.groups.yahoo.com/group/Engineers_Electronics_Pakistan/

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