Hi, I'm working on a simple circuit and am having an unexpected problem. When connecting just the 7812 it is heating hot enough to burn skin as soon as I apply power. There is no short on the output. I'm applying power from a DC wall transformer that is rated for 12V DC out but it gives me 15Vdc when I check it with my meter.

Do I need to have a load on this IC? I'm really not sure what's up. I've tried two different ICs now. Any reason anyone could think of as to why I'm having this problem?

Thanks I appreciate it.

 

Haha... wow. Nevermind. I'm a dummy. I must not be fully awake because I thought I felt a rib on the wire of my transformer and assumed it was negative but it was the positve. So I was applying the voltage in reverse.

What a great first post..... hah .. life and learn.

 

And buy a new part? It happens.