Republic of the Philippines

BOHOL ISLAND STATE UNIVERSITY MAIN CAMPUS

COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING AND ARCHITECTURE
Tel: 038-4113289 Telfax: 038-5017516
6300 Tagbilaran City
Vision: A premiere S&T university for the formation of world class and virtuous human resource for sustainable development in Bohol and the Country.
Mission: BISU is committed to provide quality higher education in the arts and sciences, as well as in the professional and technological fields;
undertake research and development, and extension services for the sustainable development of Bohol and the country.

Laboratory Exercise No. 3

EE 03 (Industrial Electronics)

VOLTAGE REGULATOR

Group Leader:
Group Members:

Course Year & Section: Date Performed:

Course In-Charge: Date Submitted:
Rating: Comments:

I. Introduction

DC power supplies regulate the voltage using a shunt regulator such as a zener diode, avalanche
breakdown diode, or voltage regulator tube. Each of these devices begins conducting at a specified
voltage and will conduct as much current as required to hold its terminal voltage to that specified
voltage.

The power supply is designed to only supply a maximum amount of current that is within the safe
operating capability of the shunt regulating device (commonly, by using a series resistor). If the stabilizer
must provide more power, the shunt regulator output is only used to provide the standard voltage
reference for the electronic device, known as the voltage stabilizer. The voltage stabilizer is the
electronic device, able to deliver much larger currents.

II. Learning Objectives:

 To understand concept of the line regulation and load regulation.

 To analyze the output voltage regulators is constant over time.
 To understand the low current power supplies a simple voltage regulator.
 Republic of the Philippines
BOHOL ISLAND STATE UNIVERSITY MAIN CAMPUS
COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING AND ARCHITECTURE
Tel: 038-4113289 Telfax: 038-5017516
6300 Tagbilaran City
Vision: A premiere S&T university for the formation of world class and virtuous human resource for sustainable development in Bohol and the Country.
Mission: BISU is committed to provide quality higher education in the arts and sciences, as well as in the professional and technological fields;
undertake research and development, and extension services for the sustainable development of Bohol and the country.

III. Materials and Equipment

1.1 Resistors:

1.1.1 4.7k Ω
1.1.2 4.7k Ω
1.1.3 10k Ω

1.2 1N4735A (for Stability Power Supply)

1.3 0 – 15 V dc power supply

1.4 Multimeter

1.5 Breadboard

IV. Theory

Active regulators

Active regulators employ at least one active (amplifying) component such as a transistor or
operational amplifier. Shunt regulators are often (but not always) passive and simple, but always
inefficient because they (essentially) dump the excess current not needed by the load. When more
power must be supplied, more sophisticated circuits are used. In general, these active regulators can be
divided into several classes:

 Linear series regulators

 Switching regulators

Linear regulators

Linear regulators are based on devices that operate in their linear region (in contrast, a
switching regulator is based on a device forced to act as an on/off switch). In the past, one or more
vacuum tubes were commonly used as the variable resistance. Modern designs use one or more
transistors instead, perhaps within an Integrated Circuit. Linear designs have the advantage of very
"clean" output with little noise introduced into their DC output, but are most often much less efficient
and unable to step-up or invert the input voltage like switched supplies. All linear regulators require a
higher input than the output. If the input voltage approaches the desired output voltage, the regulator
 Republic of the Philippines
BOHOL ISLAND STATE UNIVERSITY MAIN CAMPUS
COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING AND ARCHITECTURE
Tel: 038-4113289 Telfax: 038-5017516
6300 Tagbilaran City
Vision: A premiere S&T university for the formation of world class and virtuous human resource for sustainable development in Bohol and the Country.
Mission: BISU is committed to provide quality higher education in the arts and sciences, as well as in the professional and technological fields;
undertake research and development, and extension services for the sustainable development of Bohol and the country.

will "drop out". The input to output voltage differential at which this occurs is known as the regulator's
drop-out voltage.

Switching regulators

Switching regulators rapidly switch a series device on and off. The duty cycle of the switch sets
how much charge is transferred to the load. This is controlled by a similar feedback mechanism as in a
linear regulator. Because the series element is either fully conducting, or switched off, it dissipates
almost no power; this is what gives the switching design its efficiency. Switching regulators are also able
to generate output voltages which are higher than the input, or of opposite polarity — something not
possible with a linear design.

Zener Diode

A Zener diode is a special kind of diode which allows current to flow in the forward direction
same as an ideal diode, but will also permit it to flow in the reverse direction when the voltage is above
a certain value known as the breakdown voltage, "Zener knee voltage" or "Zener voltage." When the
reverse bias breakdown voltage is exceeded, a conventional diode is subject to high current due to
avalanche breakdown. Unless this current is limited by circuitry, the diode will be permanently damaged
due to overheating. In case of large forward bias (current in the direction of the arrow), the diode
exhibits a voltage drop due to its junction built-in voltage and internal resistance. The amount of the
voltage drop depends on the semiconductor material and the doping concentrations.

With the conventional device, a reverse-biased Zener diode will exhibit a controlled breakdown and
allow the current to keep the voltage across the Zener diode close to the Zener breakdown voltage. For
example, a diode with a Zener breakdown voltage of 3.2 V will exhibit a voltage drop of very nearly 3.2 V
across a wide range of reverse currents. The Zener diode is therefore ideal for applications such as the
generation of a reference voltage (e.g. for an amplifier stage), or as a voltage stabilizer for lowcurrent
applications.

Ohm’s Law:

V=IR

where V (voltage, in V or volts),I (Current, in A or Amperes)

and R (Resistance in Ohms or Ω)

Diode forward resistance

Rf =
 Republic of the Philippines
BOHOL ISLAND STATE UNIVERSITY MAIN CAMPUS
COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING AND ARCHITECTURE
Tel: 038-4113289 Telfax: 038-5017516
6300 Tagbilaran City
Vision: A premiere S&T university for the formation of world class and virtuous human resource for sustainable development in Bohol and the Country.
Mission: BISU is committed to provide quality higher education in the arts and sciences, as well as in the professional and technological fields;
undertake research and development, and extension services for the sustainable development of Bohol and the country.

V. Procedure

1.1. Measuring Voltage across a Forward Biased diode:

1.1.1 Take your multimeter and select a low-resistance meter range.

1.1.2 Connect the positive lead of the multimeter to the diode’s anode. Let the negative lead
connected to the diode’s cathode terminal, as shown in Figure 2.2.

1.1.3 Note the resistance reading. Write your result in Table 2.1.

Figure 2.2 Voltage measurement by using multimeter

1.2 Measuring Voltage across a Reverse Biased diode.

1.2.1 Now try connecting the meter’s leads in the reverse order. (Reverse the meter’s leads so
that its positive terminal is connected to the cathode terminal of the diode)

1.2.2 Record your result in Table 2.1.

(NOTE: Some multimeters have the polarity of their leads reversed from the normal sense; that is, the
positive lead is actually wired to the internal battery’s negative terminal. In this case, the forward and
reverse resistance readings will be the opposite of those indicated in these two steps.)

1.3 Construct the circuit shown in Figure 1.1.

 Republic of the Philippines
BOHOL ISLAND STATE UNIVERSITY MAIN CAMPUS
COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING AND ARCHITECTURE
Tel: 038-4113289 Telfax: 038-5017516
6300 Tagbilaran City
Vision: A premiere S&T university for the formation of world class and virtuous human resource for sustainable development in Bohol and the Country.
Mission: BISU is committed to provide quality higher education in the arts and sciences, as well as in the professional and technological fields;
undertake research and development, and extension services for the sustainable development of Bohol and the country.

Figure 1.1 POWER SUPPLY REGULATOR

1.3.1 Connect the voltage regulator output circuit to a 4.7k Ω resistor which acts as the load resistance,
RLoad. For testing purposes, set the power supply at 0V. Connect the Common terminal to the bottom
of the diode and capacitor, C1.

1.3.2 Connect the +20V terminal of the power supply to the transistor collector and R1.

1.3.3 Vary the values of power supply voltage, VIN, starting at 0 volts increasing the supply by 1V steps
until it reaches 9V. Measure the output capacitor voltage, Vcap. Record your result in Table 2.2.

(As increase the power supply voltage, keep an eye on the ammeter on your power supply. If it moves
noticeably, immediately turn the voltage backdown and check your circuit.)

1.3.4 The line regulation error for the ideal voltage regulator is 0%. With a single 4.7k Ω resistor as a load
for the voltage regulator output, and a power supply voltage of 9V, measure the output voltage. Change
in the power supply voltage to 8V and then measure the output voltage.

What is Aline for your voltage regulator?

Aline = Δ VOUT / Δ VIN

1.3.5 Next, for ―load regulation‖, a good load regulation means that the output voltage does not
change much with changing load resistance. To characterize the load regulation of your regulator circuit,
set the power supply voltage at 9V, and see how the output voltage varies.

1.3.6 Measure the regulator output voltage (Vout_new) with a 4.7k Ω resistance (which means a load
current of about 1mA) and with a load resistance of two 4.7kΩ resistors in parallel (which means a load
current of approximately 2mA). By using the equation below, calculate the value of Rsupply for
regulator?

Rsupply = Δ VOUT / Δ IOUT

= Δ VOUT / 1m
 Republic of the Philippines
BOHOL ISLAND STATE UNIVERSITY MAIN CAMPUS
COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING AND ARCHITECTURE
Tel: 038-4113289 Telfax: 038-5017516
6300 Tagbilaran City
Vision: A premiere S&T university for the formation of world class and virtuous human resource for sustainable development in Bohol and the Country.
Mission: BISU is committed to provide quality higher education in the arts and sciences, as well as in the professional and technological fields;
undertake research and development, and extension services for the sustainable development of Bohol and the country.

3.
4. RESULTS:

Table 2.1 Diode testing with multimeter

Meter Leads
Step + - Result
4.1 Anode Cathode
4.2 Cathode Anode

(2 M)

Table 2.2 Voltage Value

Power Supplies Diode Voltage across

Voltage Voltage Capacitor (Vcap) &
4.7 kΩ
(VIN) (Vz) Resistor(RLoad)

1V
2V
3V
4V
5V
6V
7V
8V
9V
10 V
 Republic of the Philippines
BOHOL ISLAND STATE UNIVERSITY MAIN CAMPUS
COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING AND ARCHITECTURE
Tel: 038-4113289 Telfax: 038-5017516
6300 Tagbilaran City
Vision: A premiere S&T university for the formation of world class and virtuous human resource for sustainable development in Bohol and the Country.
Mission: BISU is committed to provide quality higher education in the arts and sciences, as well as in the professional and technological fields;
undertake research and development, and extension services for the sustainable development of Bohol and the country.

(10 M)

Value of Aline = __________________ (0.5 M)

Regulator output voltage (Vout_new) = ___________________ (0.5 M)

Value of Rsupply = _________________ (0.5 M)

If power supply voltage at 9V, how the output voltage varies.

VI. Guiding Questions

1. Name the two basic categories of voltage regulation.

2. Analyze the operation of linear series regulation.
3. The input certain regulator increases by 4.5V. As a result, the output voltage increases by
0.0045V. The nominal output is 30. Determine the line regulation in % and in %/V.

VII. CONCLUSION:

Based on your experiment, make an overall conclusion for voltage regulator.

 Republic of the Philippines
BOHOL ISLAND STATE UNIVERSITY MAIN CAMPUS
COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING AND ARCHITECTURE
Tel: 038-4113289 Telfax: 038-5017516
6300 Tagbilaran City
Vision: A premiere S&T university for the formation of world class and virtuous human resource for sustainable development in Bohol and the Country.
Mission: BISU is committed to provide quality higher education in the arts and sciences, as well as in the professional and technological fields;
undertake research and development, and extension services for the sustainable development of Bohol and the country.