LM317M, LM317MA
APPLICATIONS INFORMATION
Basic Circuit Operation
External Capacitors
The LM317M is a three–terminal floating regulator. In
operation, the LM317M develops and maintains a nominal
A 0.1 µF disc or 1.0 µF tantalum input bypass capacitor
(C ) is recommended to reduce the sensitivity to input line
in
1.25 V reference (V ) between its output and adjustment
impedance.
ref
terminals. This reference voltage is converted to a
The adjustment terminal may be bypassed to ground to
programming current (I
constant current flows through R to ground. The regulated
2
output voltage is given by:
) by R (see Figure 17), and this
improve ripple rejection. This capacitor (C ) prevents ripple
PROG
1
Adj
from being amplified as the output voltage is increased. A
10 µF capacitor should improve ripple rejection about 15 dB
at 120 Hz in a 10 V application.
R
2
Although the LM317M is stable with no output
capacitance, like any feedback circuit, certain values of
external capacitance can cause excessive ringing. An output
V
V
1
I
R
out
ref
Adj 2
R
1
capacitance (C ) in the form of a 1.0 µF tantalum or 25 µF
aluminum electrolytic capacitor on the output swamps this
effect and insures stability.
Since the current from the terminal (I ) represents an
Adj
O
error term in the equation, the LM317M was designed to
control I
to less than 100 µA and keep it constant. To do
Adj
this, all quiescent operating current is returned to the output
terminal. This imposes the requirement for a minimum load
current. If the load current is less than this minimum, the
output voltage will rise.
Since the LM317M is a floating regulator, it is only the
voltage differential across the circuit which is important to
performance, and operation at high voltages with respect to
ground is possible.
Protection Diodes
When external capacitors are used with any IC regulator it
is sometimes necessary to add protection diodes to prevent
the capacitors from discharging through low current points
into the regulator.
Figure 18 shows the LM317M with the recommended
protection diodes for output voltages in excess of 25 V or high
capacitance values (C > 25 µF, C
> 5.0 µF). Diode D
O
Adj
1
Figure 17. Basic Circuit Configuration
prevents C from discharging thru the IC during an input
O
short circuit. Diode D protects against capacitor C
2
Adj
discharging through the IC during an output short circuit. The
combination of diodes D and D prevents C from
V
V
out
in
LM317M
+
1
2
Adj
discharging through the IC during an input short circuit.
R
1
V
ref
Figure 18. Voltage Regulator with
Protection Diodes
Adjust
I
PROG
V
out
D
1
I
Adj
R
2
1N4002
V
= 1.25 V Typical
ref
V
V
in
out
V
LM317M
out
+
Load Regulation
C
R
C
O
in
1
The LM317M is capable of providing extremely good load
regulation, but a few precautions are needed to obtain
maximum performance. For best performance, the
programming resistor (R ) should be connected as close to
the regulator as possible to minimize line drops which
effectively appear in series with the reference, thereby
D
2
Adjust
1N4002
C
Adj
1
R
2
degrading regulation. The ground end of R can be returned
2
near the load ground to provide remote ground sensing and
improve load regulation.
7
MOTOROLA ANALOG IC DEVICE DATA