Voltage regulation
The voltage difference between no-load and rated-load operation.
Definition
Voltage regulation characterises the stability of a transformer’s output voltage as the load varies. It is expressed as a percentage: the relative difference between the no-load secondary voltage (U20) and the rated-load voltage (U2), referred to the latter.
This voltage drop comes from the transformer’s internal impedance: the higher the impedance (Ucc %), the more the voltage falls under load. Good regulation (a low percentage) is sought for precision supplies; a softer regulation is sometimes deliberately chosen to limit short-circuit currents.
It also depends on the load’s power factor: inductive loads worsen the voltage drop.
The ABL tip
If your application tolerates voltage variations poorly (electronics, measurement), let us know: we design a low-impedance transformer, or fit tapping points to fine-tune the output voltage.
