Timeline for What are the drawbacks of using a voltage regulator as a constant current source?
Current License: CC BY-SA 4.0
19 events
| when toggle format | what | by | license | comment | |
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| Apr 24, 2023 at 13:28 | history | removed from network questions | Voltage Spike♦ | ||
| Apr 24, 2023 at 13:26 | history | edited | JRE | CC BY-SA 4.0 |
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| Apr 24, 2023 at 12:45 | comment | added | Aaron Butkovich | @glen_geek I left it open to speculation because some very high quality regulators are available that perform better in that range. The LM317 certainly doesn't do well at even moderately low current. But the cost factor really kicks in when you're looking for this kind of performance. Imo low current is best served by simple discrete circuits where component cost would be prohibitive at higher current. | |
| Apr 23, 2023 at 15:45 | answer | added | Grabul | timeline score: 0 | |
| Apr 23, 2023 at 8:08 | vote | accept | Aaron Butkovich | ||
| Apr 22, 2023 at 22:24 | history | became hot network question | |||
| Apr 22, 2023 at 21:30 | answer | added | AnalogKid | timeline score: 8 | |
| Apr 22, 2023 at 17:53 | comment | added | glen_geek | Some voltage regulators (wired as a current source) require a minimum output current, below which regulation fails...so these might fail as current sources if your requirement includes low current approaching zero. It might help to suggest a particular part in your question. | |
| Apr 22, 2023 at 15:03 | review | Close votes | |||
| Apr 27, 2023 at 3:08 | |||||
| Apr 22, 2023 at 14:56 | answer | added | Simon Fitch | timeline score: 7 | |
| Apr 22, 2023 at 14:52 | answer | added | Math Keeps Me Busy | timeline score: 7 | |
| Apr 22, 2023 at 14:43 | comment | added | Aaron Butkovich | @Andyaka My thoughts exactly. Even something like a jfet is still tracking a voltage. | |
| Apr 22, 2023 at 14:43 | comment | added | Aaron Butkovich | @AnalogKid Not a homework question. I am a hobbyist who likes elegant and ideal solutions. | |
| Apr 22, 2023 at 14:36 | comment | added | Aaron Butkovich | @JonathanS. Can you think of a cheaper discrete solution that is equally ideal? Of course the time to implement would be much greater | |
| Apr 22, 2023 at 14:32 | comment | added | Andy aka | You show me a decent current regulator that doesn't also regulate a voltage. I'm probably going to be embarrassed by the number of options now that I've said it. | |
| Apr 22, 2023 at 14:22 | comment | added | AnalogKid | Besides the pedantic response that most of the time, a constant current source IS a voltage regulator, this sounds like a homework problem. What do you think about the electrical characteristics? | |
| Apr 22, 2023 at 14:03 | comment | added | Jonathan S. | Voltage regulators are usually cheaper and more available than current regulators (i.e. the 78L05 vs. the LM334Z; the latter costs 10x as much), so if you can use a voltage regulator instead, it's a huge cost advantage. | |
| S Apr 22, 2023 at 13:57 | review | First questions | |||
| Apr 22, 2023 at 14:44 | |||||
| S Apr 22, 2023 at 13:57 | history | asked | Aaron Butkovich | CC BY-SA 4.0 |