Relays continue to be useful and popular, but in low-power, battery operated applications they tend to be power wasters. The following relay economy circuits reduce coil power significantly by simply ...

LED output is a function of the current through it. So to drive the device, it would seem simple enough to set the LED current with a series power resistor. But there’s a problem with this idea. First ...

This resource provides clear explanations of how switching regulators work and how voltage boosting is achieved efficiently ...

Milpitas, Calif. — Linear Technology's new LTC4213 electronic circuit breaker senses load currents with the R DS(ON) of an external MOSFET, which eliminates the need for a sense resistor. The company ...

There are many cases where a power supply needs an internal current-limiter function, usually built using a current sensor, a control circuit, and a pass transistor. The current sensor itself can be a ...

When you determine conductor sizes for low-voltage feeder or branch circuits, do you account for voltage drop? Some people believe this is unnecessary, and some believe that doing so is a Code ...

Infineon Technologies is to develop a two-terminal semiconductor device that acts as a circuit breaker for hundreds of volts and amps: doubling the performance of its mains-voltage super-junction ...

The power transistor must be chosen to provide fast response while also withstanding high power dissipation. Several electrical and thermal characteristics must be considered: 1. An array of N current ...