Timeline for Power effeciency of Zener diode regulator
Current License: CC BY-SA 3.0
9 events
| when toggle format | what | by | license | comment | |
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| Oct 10, 2015 at 13:25 | vote | accept | JGalt | ||
| Oct 9, 2015 at 11:44 | comment | added | JGalt | Thanks! Could you please have a look at the edited section of question? | |
| Oct 8, 2015 at 19:39 | comment | added | got trolled too much this week | N.B. Here's a what I'd consider a more "typical" (for me) setup (in the rare occasion I've used it): imgur.com/wajTWn2 The Zener blows a more limited/reasonable amount of power away until the voltage difference (between the supply and Zener) gets out of hand; typical/acceptable operating point for that is 7-8V. Also, the series resistor there blows away less than the Zener (but still not negligible). | |
| Oct 8, 2015 at 19:16 | history | edited | Neil_UK | CC BY-SA 3.0 |
added 162 characters in body
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| Oct 8, 2015 at 18:25 | comment | added | got trolled too much this week | Yes, you're both right. I was smoking crack apparently. | |
| Oct 8, 2015 at 18:18 | comment | added | Neil_UK | A resistor + zener is a simple shunt regulator. Are you saying you could make a simpler one with just one of those components (from the same 12v voltage source of course)? | |
| Oct 8, 2015 at 18:15 | comment | added | Peter Bennett | @RespawnedFluff: the 32 ohm resistor is an essential part of the Zener regulator circuit. If it was not there, you would have the 4 volt zener directly across the 12 volt battery, which would result in a large cloud of magic smoke. That reistor could be a much higher value, to reduce the .25 amp flowing throug the Zener to a more reasonable value. That would increase the efficiency considerably. | |
| Oct 8, 2015 at 17:59 | comment | added | got trolled too much this week | By the way, this is not a simple shunt regulator. There's a series element (the 32-ohm resistor) that blows away 2W. The Zener diode only blows away 1W. | |
| Oct 8, 2015 at 17:52 | history | answered | Neil_UK | CC BY-SA 3.0 |