Key Characteristics of Power ICs: Why Are They So Important in Electronic Devices?

Power supply plays a key role in our lives every day. Our mobile phones need power, laptops need power, and air conditioners need power. This not only highlights the universality of power, but also highlights its importance in modern life. This article This article aims to introduce the characteristics of power ICs in depth and discuss ways to solve the problem that the power supply cannot carry the load. I hope it can enhance your understanding of power supply technology.

Power IC features

There are many types of power ICs, but they share some important characteristics that make them an integral part of modern electronic equipment:

- Low operating voltage:Power supply IC usually works within the operating voltage range of 3.0 to 3.6V, but there are also some special-purpose models whose operating voltage can be lower, such as 2.0V\2.5V\2.7 V, etc. In addition, there are models with operating voltages of 5V\12V or even 28V to meet the needs of different devices.

-Small size:Power ICs have become smaller and smaller in recent years, adapting to the needs of portable devices. They adopt SO package\SOT-23 package\μMAX package and the smallest SC-70 and SMD package, thus occupying less space.

- Comprehensive protection functions: Modern power ICs are equipped with comprehensive protection functions, including output overcurrent protection, overheating protection, short circuit protection and battery polarity reverse protection. These protection measures ensure the safety of the power supply. durability and stability while reducing the risk of damage.

- Low power consumption and power-off function: Many power ICs have low quiescent current, usually between tens of μA to hundreds of μA. Some ultra-low power linear regulators can even The quiescent current is reduced to 1.1μA. In addition, they also provide the function of turning off the power, which is achieved by controlling the level. In the off state, the IC's own power consumption is only about 1μA, thus significantly saving power.

- High accuracy of output voltage: The output voltage of power supply IC usually has high accuracy, generally between ±2% and ±4%. The accuracy of some new models can even reach ±0.5% to ±1%. .In addition, the temperature coefficient of the output voltage is small, usually ±0.3 to ±0.5mV/℃, while some models can reach ±0.1mV/℃. These characteristics help ensure that the power supply provides stable power to the load.

Solve the problem that the power supply cannot carry the load

The problem that the power supply cannot carry the load may occur in a variety of situations, including the following reasons:

- Insufficient output power: If the output power of the power supply is insufficient, it will not be able to provide enough power to the external circuit, causing the power supply to be overloaded or the external circuit to not work properly.

- Power protection trigger: Modern power supplies often have built-in protection circuits to prevent the power supply from being overloaded or damaged. If the load of the external circuit exceeds the load capacity of the power supply, the power supply's protection circuit may automatically shut down the power output. , to avoid overloading or damage to the power supply.

- Power supply setting error: If the output voltage of the power supply is not set correctly, it may not be able to meet the needs of the external circuit, so the power supply output voltage and current need to be set correctly according to the needs of the load.

- Power line problem: Poor power line connection\filter damage or failure may cause the power supply to be unable to provide the required power to the load, so it is necessary to ensure that the power line connection is good.

- External circuit failure: The inability of the power supply to provide the required power may be caused by a fault or damage to the external circuit. For example, a short circuit in the external circuit can cause the power supply to be overloaded and prevent the power supply from functioning properly. .

To solve the problem that the power supply cannot carry the load, the following measures can be taken:

- Increase output power: If the output power of the power supply is insufficient, you can consider replacing the power supply with a larger output power, or adding a parallel power supply to the output port of the power supply to increase the total power.

- Check the power supply protection: If the power supply's protection circuit is triggered, you need to check whether there is an overload or power failure. Make sure the fault is resolved, and then restart the power supply.

- Set the power supply according to the load demand: Correctly set the power supply output voltage and current according to the load demand to ensure that the power supply provides the required power to the load.

- Check the power line: Carefully check whether the connection of the power line is good and ensure that the filter is not damaged or failed to ensure a reliable circuit connection between the power supply and the load.

- Troubleshooting external circuits: Sometimes, a power supply's inability to provide the required power may be caused by faulty or damaged external circuits. For example, a short circuit in an external circuit can overload the power supply and cause the power supply to Unable to provide the required power to the circuit. Therefore, the external circuit needs to be carefully inspected to eliminate any faults or damage and ensure that the circuit is functioning properly before reconnecting the power source.

To sum up, power ICs play a key role in modern electronic equipment and have a variety of useful characteristics, such as low operating voltage\small operating current\small package size\perfect protection functions and high-precision output voltage. However, power supply The problem of being unable to carry the load may occur, and it is necessary to carefully investigate and adopt corresponding solutions to ensure that the power supply can provide reliable power to the load and ensure the normal operation of electronic equipment. Through an in-depth understanding of the characteristics of power ICs and methods to solve the problem, We can better meet the challenges of modern power technology.