ECE135P-3 – T

Basic Electronics Laboratory

Constant Voltage and Current Power Supply Circuit

Design Using BJT and Zener Diode

Lee Andrei Olaes, B.S.

Sir Wendel A. Basbas

I. Project Overview
 In this project, the design is composed of basic components such as Zener diode, LED, NPN
BJT, DC Voltage Supply an SPST switch and resistors.

This circuit is designed with based on the following requirements:

 12V – 14V input
 3V – 6V output

In the figure above, the voltage supply is not connected making the circuit inactive and the
output voltage is minimal to 0V.
 As the circuit is turned on, the supply voltage is then divided by the Zener diode (D1) and the
resistor R1. This scenario is similar to most of the voltage divider BJT. Given that the Zener diode here
is configured in such a way that it behaves like a regulator, the voltage drop is surely constant. With
this in mind, we could assume that the voltage across R1 is equal to the supply voltage minus the Zener
regulated voltage.
The Zener Voltage is constant thus for any value of the supply voltage would not cause the
Voltage output to deviate so much. Also, for 12V to 16V of supply voltage, the current across the load
will not vary by a big margin. With a small percentage of inaccuracy, we could say that VL is equal to
Vz minus 0.7V VBE.
 Most of the voltage from the supply goes to R1, but since there is a smaller resistance at the
emitter and collector rails, most of the current travels through the load and is not consumed by the
supply resistor. Adjusting R2 will aid in limiting the current flow across the load.
The perk of having this configuration instead of using a typical Zener regulator setup is that, the
burden does not fall so much on the Zener diode. The Zener diode might be designed to have great
amount of reverse voltage breakdown compared to normal diodes as well as reverse saturation current,
but lessening the burden helps to maintain the optimal performance of a semiconductor device.

II. Sample Input and Output

Vin Vout Aout
12V 4.0674V 15.04mA
13V 4.0715V 15.058mA
14V 4.0749V 15.074mA
15V 4.0778V 15.086mA
16V 4.0803V 15.098mA

Given the great changes in Voltages, the output voltage and current are almost constant and does
not change so much. This means that for 12V to 16V of input it successfully maintains an output
voltage of approximately 4.1V. The current as well is sufficient to light an LED and not saturate it to
the point of damaging it. Note that the results are limited to the required specifications therefore
voltages outside the given range is not part of the scope.

III. Conclusion
The design as tested is capable of supplying an almost constant amount of voltage and current for
the load. Also, the current supplied is sufficient enough to power an LED without exceeding the limit.
These results are due to the regulator characteristics of a Zener diode at reverse bias. With the Zener
diode, regulating the voltage, the voltage across the load is constant as well. With this we could say
that for any values of the supply voltage that could power the Zener diode, the load voltage is always
constant.