Here you will find how an ordinary lm317 circuit could be converted into a high current 20 amp variable power supply circuit using just a few 2n3055 power transistors in conjunction with a standard lm317 voltage regulator circuit stage.
Lm317t high current voltage regulator circuit.
The lm317 is a 3 terminal positive voltage regulator with a 1 25 to 37 volts output voltage range.
It can also provide float operation for high voltage application.
In input out output adj adjust.
I personally love this ic yes it s not a transistor a lot not because it server it purpose well but because it s cheap easy and never disappoints you while making a regulated dc power supply.
The output voltage is set simply using a couple of resistors.
The lm317t is rated to output subject to correct heat sinking up to 1 5 amps.
About lm317 supplies 50ma while q1 supplies 950ma.
The lm317 regulator terminals are.
Lets make a high current power supply with lm317 voltage regulator which can supply upto 5 amp lm317 is one of the oldest most used and wonderful linear voltage regulators.
The lm317t is a very useful adjustable voltage regulator which will take in an input from 3 40 volts dc and output from 1 2 37 volts dc.
To achieve this voltage variation only 2 external resistors are needed one of them is a variable resistor.
Lm317 can also be used to design various other circuits like 0 v to 30 v regulator circuit adjustable regulator circuit with improved ripple rejection precision current limiter circuit tracking pre regulator circuit 1 25 v to 20 v regulator circuit with minimum program current adjustable multiple on card regulators with single control battery charger circuit 50 ma constant current battery charger circuit slow turn on 15 v regulator circuit ac voltage regulator circuit current.
High current adjustable regulator this configuration also provides the usual regulated stabilized variable voltage output using lm317 however here the current output is immensely increased and thus becomes suitable with circuits involve huge currents at desired settable voltages.
Most of the current though rb flow through q1 base collector circuit.
Circuit diagram lm317 voltage regulator ic.
The lm317 ic helps in current limiting thermal overload protection and safe operating area protection.
The lm317 heat sink is warm while q1 heat sink get warm.
One can change the value of rb to change the turn on point of q1.
It s an adjustable three terminal voltage regulator ic with a high output current value of 1 5a.