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What Is the Purpose of a Regulator?

Regulators are essential components of circuit design. Without voltage regulators, circuits would overheat when faced with voltage levels beyond their capacity, or fail to function at all when presented with inadequate voltage. Regulators keep things even and within a very precise range so circuits can continue functioning unimpeded without interruption or damage.

Overall Purpose
- Circuits require the voltage running through them to fall within a very specific range of values. Regulators are specifically intended for this purpose. They take any incoming voltage that would otherwise be insufficient for circuit operation and convert it to a value that can be used safely.
Types
- There are three main classes of voltage regulators commonly known as NPN, LDO and Quasi-LDO. Which one you use depends on the types of current and voltage running through a particular circuit.
Warnings
- The temperature levels in a circuit can vary. High levels of heat within the circuit can effect the overall ability of a regulator to perform its job. The safe range for a regulator is typically 5 percent of the specified voltage, according to National Semiconductor.
Uses
- Among the vast number of electronic devices available, almost every power supply makes use of voltage regulators. This is because every device has different circuits with different voltage needs. These regulators are necessary to take the power from household outlets and convert it to a usable voltage for the circuit.

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