7.3.3 Overload Recovery

Overload recovery refers to regulator's ability to recover from a short circuited output. A key factor in the recovery process is the current limiting used to protect the output from drawing too much power. The current limiting circuit reduces the output current as the input to output differential increases. Refer to short circuit curve in the Typical Characteristics section.

During normal start-up, the input to output differential is small since the output follows the input. But, if the output is shorted, then the recovery involves a large input to output differential. Sometimes during this condition the current limiting circuit is slow in recovering. If the limited current is too low to develop a voltage at the output, the voltage will stabilize at a lower level. Under these conditions it may be necessary to recycle the power of the regulator in order to get the smaller differential voltage and thus adequate start up conditions. Refer to Typical Characteristicssection for the short circuit current vs. input differential voltage.