DESCRIPTION The 7812 is a fixed voltage linear regulator that can output 12V at up to 1A current with an input voltage range of 14 – 35V. PACKAGE INCLUDES: 7812 Voltage Regulator KEY FEATURES OF 7812 VOLTAGE REGULATOR: Fixed voltage linear regulator78xx Pin-out 14-35V input voltage range 12V fixed output voltage 1A continuous current with 2.2A surge capability TO-220 package The 78xx series of fixed-voltage linear regulators are some of the most popular linear regulators available and have been around for a very long time. They have built-in current limiting and over temperature protection and tend to be fairly robust devices. The prefix may vary depending on the mfr so you may see them listed as LM78xx, MC78xx, L78xx or just 78xx. Basic Operation The 7812 is a commonly used linear regulator. Input voltage can range from 14 – 35VDC and it outputs a fixed 12V at over 1A of current and up to 2.2A of surge current. For basic operation, no external components are required. Just hook up the input voltage and ground and you have 5V available on the output. If you are using it at a fair distance (> 10″) from the supply that is providing the input voltage, then a .33uF or larger input filter capacitor is recommended. The part ideally should be a low ESR part such as a Tantalum or Mylar capacitor, but small electrolytic caps generally work fine. An output capacitor of 0.1uF or larger can also be added to improve output transient response as shown below