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Default How to test an IC voltage regulator with a DVM


wrote in message
oups.com...
On May 12, 9:23 pm, LVMilkman wrote:
Is there a way to test an IC voltage regulator with a digital volt
meter? I have a three pin adjustable voltage regulator and I need

to
know if it is bad.

Thanks!

Milkman


If there are no shorts between pins (totally trashed), the usual
method is to connect it up with the proper resistors and measure the
actual output under varying loads. Is there any other way?

GG

Not that I know of, and that is certainly the way that I do it. They are
pretty reliable though, if we're talking something like an LM317T. I repair
about 6 or 7 hundred per year of a particular board that uses one. I would
guess that I get perhaps 10 regulator problems in that number, and amongst
those, probably only 3 or 4 are the device itself. The rest are o/c
resistors in the output voltage set chain, or short circuit caps at the set
or output pins.

Arfa