SNVS775L March 2000 – January 2018 LM317L-N
PRODUCTION DATA.
The current in a battery charger application is limited by switching between constant-current and constant-voltage states (see Figure 34). When the battery pulls low current, the drop across the 1-Ω resistor is not substantial and the NPN remains off. A constant voltage is seen across the battery, as regulated by the resistor divider. When current through the battery rises past peak current, the 1 Ω provides enough voltage to turn the transistor on, pulling ADJ close to ground. This results in limiting the maximum current to the battery.