A voltage regulator is designed to maintain a constant level of voltage within an electrical circuit, and it is an example of a negative feedback control loop. It can be used to regulate both alternating current (AC) and direct current (DC) voltages if necessary, depending on the regulator's design for use. Voltage regulators are employed in computer power supplies, automobile alternators and large-scale generators for power plants. The regulators have several components.
Resistor
A resistor serves the opposite function of a conductor. Instead of encouraging electrical current to flow, it consists of a material that makes it difficult for electricity to travel. Depending on the material used for the resistor, the energy from the electricity that is resisted is converted by the resistor into another form of energy, such as light or heat.
Diode
A diode is a semiconductor component of a voltage regulator, and it is used to determine the flow of energy in a circuit. A diode works similarly to a valve in that it allows electrical current to flow in only one direction.
Transistor
A transistor consists of semiconductor material; the material has an electrical conductivity that falls somewhere between that of a conductor and an insulator. In a voltage regulator, the transistor serves two functions: opening and closing a circuit, and strengthening or boosting an electrical signal received before outputting it to the rest of the voltage regulator.
Capacitor
A capacitor stores electrons, or the electrical charge, to act as a repository of extra energy, if needed, by a DC power supply within a voltage regulator. Capacitors can block constant (DC) signals and also are capable of passing changing (AC) signals. The larger a capacitor's capacitance, which is measured in farad units, the more potential electrical charge the capacitor can store.
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