man with drill
A surge protector works every time a cell phone is charged, a car is started, a computer is plugged in, or a small appliance is turned on. Sometimes called voltage regulators, current regulators reduce and limit the amount of electricity to a level that is necessary for the electrical device to work. Standard household current in the United States (US) is 110 volts, which is 240 volts in the UK and much of Europe. Many electrical devices, however, only require a fraction of the input voltage; this is where a current regulator comes into play.
Generally, a current regulator is a form of step-down transformer that allows only a certain amount of current to pass through the device. For example, computers typically only require 20 volts to run and cell phones only require 3 volts. The current regulators in both cases are usually part of the cable that connects to the wall and then to the appliance.
Almost all current regulators for consumer appliances include circuits for constant current regulation. This circuit keeps the current going to the device at a constant level to prevent damage. Since household voltages can fluctuate slightly due to variations in the general capacity of the electrical grid or drains in the building’s electrical system, this type of fluctuation can cause sensitive devices to malfunction or stop working. The constant current circuit takes the available voltage and stabilizes it at a constant and reliable low voltage level.
The simplest type of current regulator is a voltage regulator, which works like a step-down transformer. It does not contain any constant current circuitry as it is used for more robust devices that are designed to operate within acceptable ranges of voltage fluctuations. Common types include those found in the ignition systems of some automobiles, large appliances, machines, and voltage transformers used by travelers abroad.
Most common current regulating device consumers do not require manual voltage adjustments or other interaction. Universal current regulators are often equipped with switches for the user to change the output voltage to power a variety of different devices. Commercial and industrial current regulators are installed on certain types of machines where it is required to change or adjust different voltages for various stages of machine operation. They are commonly used to vary the speed of motors to power equipment, but work on the same standard current conversion principle for lower levels.