Electronic Circuits and electronic circuits, electronic schematics plus an extensive resource for hobbyists, inventors and engineers

DiscoverCircuits.com, has 45,000+ electronic circuits, cross-referenced into 500+ categories.
We have searched the web to help you find quick solutions & design ideas.

Got Designs?
Please eMail
if you want me to link to and/or post your original design
NOTE:  We make every effort to link to original material posted by the designer. 
Please contact us if our link is not to your site!  Thanks.

Low-Overhead Current Source
All materials and content contained on this page are the exclusive intellectual property of Andrew R. Morris and
may not be copied, reproduced, distributed or displayed without his express written permission.

This circuit has a very low overhead of just 120uA, and most of that is transistor base drive.  The voltage reference only uses 20uA of current.  Also, the circuit is designed to saturate if required, to maintain output current.  The overhead current quickly goes up at that point.  This circuit is ideal for squeezing out the last bit of battery power for an LED circuit.

Change R1 and R4 for other battery voltages.  Adjust R4 to keep the same reference circuit current drain.  R1 partially compensates for battery voltage variation effects on the voltage reference.  It's a linear compensation for a non-linear effect.  Adjust R1 for a precisely consistent output-current throughout your battery voltage area of interest, while readjusting R3 to restore the current reference voltage.  If you can't find a suitable R1 value, change R2 and then readjust R3.

More:  Current Source Circuits
Click on Schematic to view PDF

Got Designs?
Please eMail
if you want me to link to and/or post your original design Thanks.


HOME Schematics Index Hobby Corner Dave's Circuits Contact Info
Imagineering Ezine Dave Johnson, P.E. Faraday Touch Switches


 About Us   |  Advertise on DiscoverCircuits.com   |   Report Broken Links  |   Link to DiscoverCircuits.com  |  Privacy Policy

Copyright  January, 1998 - June, 2021     David A. Johnson  All Rights reserved. 

 COPYING any content or graphics to your web site is EXPRESSLY PROHIBITED!