Project: Digitally selectable voltage voltage regulator using LM317

Thread Starter

dileepchacko

Joined May 13, 2008
109
Here a simple digitally selectable voltage voltage regulator using LM317
It can provide maximum 1500mA. Diode D1 and D2 is for protection from short circuit. Vs2,Vs3,Vs4,Vs5 is jest for simulation purpose. You can connect the 4 input to an TTL logic. Even you can change the resistor value and get 16 combination of voltages.


Design Equation


Vout= 1.25*(1+R2/R1)+Iadj*R2


where Vout= Output voltage from voltage regulator
R2= Equivalent resistance of R6,R7,R8 and R9 (parallel combination)
R1= 120Ohm
Iadj=50uA
 

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Wendy

Joined Mar 24, 2008
23,415
Think binary as well as digital, if R2 = 1K, R3 = 2K, R4 = 4K, and R5 = 8K.

Or maybe R2 = 125, R3 = 250, R4 = 500, and R5 = 1K.

Or some variation thereof. The advantage is a wider range, and just as controllable.
 

Wendy

Joined Mar 24, 2008
23,415
I was thinking of this circuit while driving, 4 bits could be useful, but 8 should be better. If you have a 25V max output you should be able to get within .1V, which is usually good enough for a lot of projects. 8 bits is a standard byte in the computer world.

I'm not sure how linear the output would be though, I may graph it just to see. I wouldn't use transistors myself, something like a 4051 CMOS would be more likely if the current requirements were in spec (or close).
 

beenthere

Joined Apr 20, 2004
15,819
Steve Ciracica had a similar article about this about 25 years ago. The purpose was to select programming voltages for a universal EPROM programmer.

It's a handy technique for selecting output voltage from a homemade bench PS.
 

gogo2520

Joined Sep 16, 2008
3
Hello
I made a made one sort of like that, I found the project at http://members.shaw.ca/roma/ about three years ago. If I remember right the transistors were backwards on the PCB but that was easy to fix. I like the push button selector. I had fun making it and still use it today
Have fun
gogo
 

italo

Joined Nov 20, 2005
205
I was thinking of this circuit while driving, 4 bits could be useful, but 8 should be better. If you have a 25V max output you should be able to get within .1V, which is usually good enough for a lot of projects. 8 bits is a standard byte in the computer world.

I'm not sure how linear the output would be though, I may graph it just to see. I wouldn't use transistors myself, something like a 4051 CMOS would be more likely if the current requirements were in spec (or close).
You sure 25v 4051 is only good to 20v. Iguess it will work once.
 

tirnasjimmy

Joined Jul 28, 2011
2
The statement "R2 is the equivalent resistance of R6,R7,R8 & R9 in parallel" should read " R2 is the equivalent resistence of R2,R3,R4 & R5 in parallel."

Also R2 is used twice. once, presumably, as the resistor in the datasheet formula for the LM317 and again as one of the 4 switchable resistors.

Values of resistors R6 to R9 are irrelevant as long as they are big enough to protect the BJT base-emitter junction from current overload and small enough to allow the BJTs to saturate.
 
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