A really important and effective Simple Battery Charger Circuit using IC L200 is key of making sure batteries work well and last a long time.
Here, a simple battery charger circuit shows when the polarity is reversed through LEDs.
The IC L200 is a special five pin variable voltage regulator that is super flexible and perfect for charging batteries.
This amazing voltage regulator IC has lots of great features like built-in current limiting, thermal shutdown and accurate voltage control which makes it a great option for charging.
The circuit is carefully designed to provide a steady voltage and current ensuring that the battery charges safely and efficiently.
It is specifically made for charging a 12V lead-acid battery.
Circuit Working:

Parts List:
Component Type | Value/Part Number | Quantity | Specification |
---|---|---|---|
Resistors (1/4W) | 1.8k | 1 | – |
820Ω | 1 | – | |
680Ω | 1 | – | |
56Ω | 1 | – | |
100Ω | 1 | – | |
R2 (see the calculations below) | 3.9k | 1 | |
R3 (see the calculations below) | 470Ω | 1 | |
Preset Resistor | 1k | 1 | – |
Capacitors | Ceramic 0.33µF | 1 | – |
Electrolytic 1000µF 25V | 1 | – | |
Semiconductors | IC L200 | 1 | |
NPN BC557 | 1 | ||
LEDs | Red 5mm 20mA | 1 | – |
Green 5mm 20mA | 1 | – | |
Diodes | 1N4148 | 2 | |
1N5401 | 1 | ||
Meter | FSD Meter 1.5A | 1 |
The above diagram shows how the battery charger circuit works using the IC L200 voltage regulator chip.
This circuit has important parts like diodes, resistors, capacitors and transistors all arranged to make sure the charging happens efficiently.
The L200 chip is set up to control the voltage going to the battery by carefully choosing the resistor values R2 and R3 whose values are mentioned in formulas and calculations.
One cool feature of the IC L200 is that it has a built-in current limiter to protect the battery from getting too much charge.
In this setup, diode D1 1N4148 is super important because it stops any current from flowing backward which keeps the circuit safe.
Diode D2 1N5401 also helps by preventing any unwanted discharges when the circuit is not working.
The green LED1 lights up to show that the battery is charging, in case the battery is connected in reverse polarity the red LED2 will glows thanks to the transistor Q1 BC557.
The preset VR1 allows you to change the charging current.
Lastly, M1 meter is crucial for protecting the circuit from too much current.
Formulas with Calculations:
Below are formulas with calculations to design your own circuit for Simple Battery Charger Circuit using IC L200:
Output Voltage Calculation:
The output voltage of the L200 is given by the formula:
V_OUT = V_REF * (1 + R2 / R3) + (I_ADJ * R2)
where,
- V_REF is 2.77V internal reference voltage of L200
- I_ADJ is negligible and can be ignored
- R2 and R3 are resistor values to set the required voltage
For example, to set V_OUT = 13.8V for charging a 12V battery:
Choosing:
R2 = 3.9k
R3 = 470Ω
Substituting the values:
V_OUT = 2.77 * (1 + 3900 / 470)
V_OUT = 2.77 * (1 + 8.3)
V_OUT = 2.77 * 9.3
V_OUT = 13.8V
We need to set V_OUT = 13.8V so we rearrange the formula:
13.8V = 2.77V × (1+R2 / R3)
Isolate the resistor ratio
R2 / R3 = VOUT / VREF − 1
Substituting values:
R2 / R3 = 13.8 / 2.77−1
R2 / R3 = 4.98 −1
R2 / R3 = 3.98
Selecting Standard Resistor Values
We need to choose R2 and R3 such that their ratio is approximately 3.98
If we set R3 = 470Ω we calculate R2 as:
R2 = 3.98 × 470
R2 = 1866Ω
The nearest standard resistor values are 1.8k or 2k, but for better voltage accuracy we use a series combination.
If we choose R2 = 3.9k, the actual output voltage will be slightly different but it remains within the acceptable charging range for a 12V lead-acid battery.
Thus, we select:
R2 = 3.9k
R3 = 470Ω
This combination gives an approximate V_OUT of 13.8V making it suitable for a 12V battery charger.
How to Build:
To build a Simple Battery Charger Circuit using IC L200 following steps needs to be followed:
- Gather all the components as mentioned in the above circuit diagram.
- Connect INPUT pin 1 of IC1 L200 to one end of capacitor C2 and other end of capacitor to GND.
- Connect the input pin 1 to positive of 18V rectified voltage input, and negative of GND.
- Connect capacitor C1 positive end to INPUT pin of IC1 and negative of capacitor to GND.
- Connect LIMITING pin 2 of IC1 L200 anode of DIODE D2 and cathode of diode D2 connect to positive of M1 meter.
- Connect resistor R6 parallel to diode D2.
- Connect emitter of transistor Q1 to one end of resistor R6,connect the base of transistor Q1 to other end of resistor R6 through resistor R7, connect the collector of transistor Q1 to positive of LED1 and negative of LED1 to one end of resistor R5 and GND.
- Connect a diode D3 anode between LED1 and resistor R5, and cathode of diode D3 to positive of LED2 and negative of LED2 to other end of resistor R7
- Connect positive of M1 meter from LIMINTING pin and negative pin of meter to center leg of VR1 preset and connect other leg of VR1 preset pin 3 and pin 4 of IC1.
- Connect GND pin 3 of IC1 to anode of diode D1 and cathode of diode D1 connect to GND
- Connect REF pin 4 of IC1 L200 to one end of resistor R4 and other end of resistor R4 to GND.
- Connect OUTPUT pin of IC1 L200 to resistor R2 and resistor R3 in parallel
- Connect the positive of +12V battery to be charged to M1 meter negative, and negative of +12V battery to be charged to GND.
Conclusion:
A Simple Battery Charger Circuit using IC L200 that shows when the polarity is reversed.
This charger which uses the IC L200 is a great and safe option for charging lead-acid and other rechargeable batteries.
It has features like current limiting, overvoltage protection and charge indication LEDs making it perfect for keeping batteries in good shape.
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