Zener Shunt Regulator Calculator
Check an entered supply/load range against a constant-voltage Zener clamp model and calculate conditional current and dissipation bounds.
YOUR CALCULATION
Result
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Calculation steps
Work through one step at a time or reveal the complete calculation. The steps use your current inputs.
How to calculate
Evaluate the two extreme supply/load current balances before assuming that the clamp is maintained.
Iz,min=(Vs,min−Vz)/Rs−IL,max; Iz,max=(Vs,max−Vz)/Rs−IL,min
Worked example
For 10–14 V supply, a 5.1 V clamp, 220 Ω and 5–15 mA load, calculated clamp current ranges from about 7.273 to 35.455 mA, exceeding the entered 5 mA minimum.
Assumptions and input details
Supply and load ranges must be ordered, and minimum supply must exceed entered clamp voltage. All dissipation values are conditional on the ideal constant clamp assumption. Failed minimum-current conditions are reported as failed regulation; negative current is not presented as physical Zener conduction. Real diode curves, thermal drift, tolerance, transient behavior and power ratings are not assessed.
Unit definitions
Unit selection is independent of language. Each selector contains only units for its physical quantity. Calculations use defined base units internally.
SI prefixes are explicit: for example, milli means one thousandth, micro one millionth and kilo one thousand. Changing a unit changes the interpretation of the entered number.
Using this calculator
Can I enter my own problem?
Yes. Replace the example values with your own inputs. The result, calculation steps, tables and applicable diagrams update from those inputs. Blank or invalid values clear the result; example values are never silently substituted for missing inputs.
Are the results exact?
Results use floating-point arithmetic and displayed rounding. Read the formula, assumptions and any stated data precision before interpreting the result.
Is my input uploaded?
The calculation runs in your browser. No account, file upload or external AI service is required. Inputs are not saved between page reloads.
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