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1.2V - 12V with regulated current limiter through resistors

The linear laboratory power supply, shown in the schematic, provides 0-30 volts, at 1 amp current, using a discrete transistor regulator with op-amp feedback to control the output voltage. The supply was constructed in 1975 and has a constant current mode that can be used to recharge batteries. With reference to the schematic, lamp, LP2, is a power-on indicator. The other lamp (lower) lights when the unit reaches its preset current limit. R5, C2, and Q10 (TO-3 case) operate as a capacitor multiplier. The 36 volt zener across C2 limits the maximum supply voltage to the op-amps supply pins. D5, C4, C5, R15, and R16 provide a small amount of negative supply for the op-amps so that the op-amps can operate down to zero volts at the output pins (pins 6). A more modern design might eliminate these 4 components and use a CMOS rail-to-rail op-amp. Current limit is set by R3, D1, R4, R6, Q12, R10, and R13 providing a bias to U2 that partially turns off transistors Q9 and Q11 when the current limit is reached. R4 is a front panel potentiometer that sets the current limit, R22 is a front panel potentiometer that sets the output voltage (0-30 volts), and R11 is an internal trim-pot for calibration. The meter is a 1 milliamp meter with an internal resistance of 40 ohms. Switch S1 determines whether the meter reads 0-30 volts, or 0-1 amp.

Here's a laboratory power supply with output voltage continuously adjustable from 0 V to 24 V DC, remote voltage sense capability (Sense internal/external), output current limit is continuously adjustable from 0.04 A to 4 A and output current can be limited continuously or output shut down (Limit/cut).

Remote sensing means there are two additional wires which sense the delivered voltage at the load and compensate for any voltage drop along the cables which carry the delivered current. This improves voltage regulation at the load considerably but requires two additional wires for the sensing. A switch allows internal sensing at the output terminals for simpler operation when remote sensing is not required.

I like to have a switch which lets me choose between limiting the output current continuously (useful for charging batteries), or shutting down the output if the current limit is reached (useful for protecting equipment being repaired).

Another thing I like to have in the power supplies I build is a push button switch which multiplies the current scale by a factor of 10. That way one can momentarily press the button and get a much more precise reading of current. By making the switch a push button one cannot forget to turn the function off and risk the instrument being damaged when a large current is put through it. In this case and for now I am not installing this function because I am using the instrument's shunt resistor to sense the current for the electronic control system and I would have to change several things. I might do this in the future.

Here's how to build your own adjustable power supply based on LM317. The IC LM317 is so versatile that an almost unlimited number of different, small, high grade power supply circuits can be built using it. The configurations can be introduced for different applications for upgrading an existing unit with features that would virtually make it indestructible. A few useful application circuits using IC LM317, collected from National Semiconductor's PDF datasheet are meticulously explained in this section with the help of the relevant circuit diagrams. All the circuits discussed below require an unregulated input voltage (max. 35 Volts) from any standard transformer/bridge/capacitor network.

A constant current source source can supply a fixed current to a load regardless of input voltage or load change. LM317 / LM350 / LM338 constant current source is one of the simplest design. The LM317 is quite useful as a constant current source, works on a wide input voltage range, from 3V up to 40V. So, here’s the LM317 based constant current source, it’s design and a little about it’s working principle.

This is an add-on over voltage protection circuit for LM317 voltage regulator. It is a voltage regulator that allows a 6V portable supply to be derived from the 12V car battery. You can add a 6.2V zener diode and a LED to warn you when the input supply is overvoltage. If you could find a relay that would operate from 6.2V right up to 12v that you could connect in such a way that if over voltage occurred, then the relay would automatically switch off the output preventing damage to any connected equipment. Such a relay would be quite difficult to find, so I designed this, it is a simple two transistor circuit which will switch off the output should the voltage raise above 6.2v this can be changed by selecting a different value of zener diode.

This is a DC power supply circuit using the LM317T voltage regulator IC, which is the IC of this type is very popular among electronics hobby. Parameter to regulate the output DC voltage carried by the LM317 circuit with a maximum current of 1A. LM317 output voltage of this circuit is 6V DC, source from the stress out of the 12V CT AC transformer, and then converted to DC half-wave voltage by diodes D1-D2, and filtered by C1 capacitor. The transformer is used should be about 1-2A. Output voltage of 6V DC power supply circuit is determined by the value of R1 and R2. Diodes D3-D4 on the LM317 voltage current circuit to protect poor return for LM317 circuit IC. As for the other capacitors C3-C4 is used to refine the output voltage, and complete power supply circuits.

Here's variable power supply voltage regulator circuit based around LM317 that provides fully regulated output voltage between 1.25 and 37v with current up to 1A. In many cases we can manage with a suitable fixed voltage regulator such as 5v or 12v, but occasionally we need a non-standard voltage. In these circumstances the LM317 range of regulators proves to be very useful.

The LM350 is a tried and true 3A adjustable voltage regulator. It accepts an input voltage up to 35V and can deliver an output voltage between 1.25 and 33V. It is rugged beyond belief. Where fairly beefy step-down converters go up in smoke, the LM350 just takes a nap. And a nap is infinitely better than a plume of smoke. LM350 can also be used to limit current though that requires a separate LM350/LM317 in series with our voltage regulator.

The load is driven by the MOSFET IRFZ44 and 4093 AND gates are used in the circuit. The output of the 4093 IC drives the MOSFET. Only one button allows you to change the on-off state of the electronic circuits in which you use this switch. The circuit schematics is above. Click image to see the larger schematics diagram.