{"schemaVersion":"matrix-product-facts/v1","identity":{"mpn":"L7912CP","brand":"STMicroelectronics","brandSlug":"stmicroelectronics","productSlug":"L7912CP","canonicalUrl":"https://icboms.com/stmicroelectronics/L7912CP","factsUrl":"https://icboms.com/api/mcp/products/L7912CP","rawCanonicalId":null},"summary":{"shortDescription":"STMicroelectronics L7912CP, a fixed -12V negative linear regulator in TO-220-3 Full Pack, 1.5A output, 60dB PSRR at 120Hz, over-temperature and short-circuit protection.","salesMarkdown":"## What this -12V regulator does The L7912CP is a fixed -12V output linear regulator from STMicroelectronics, delivering up to 1.5A continuous current. It's the negative-rail counterpart to the 78xx series — you feed it a negative unregulated input down to -35V max, and it holds -12V within its dropout budget. The 1.1V typical dropout at 1A means the input must be at least -13.1V to maintain regulation at full load. Below that, the output starts to sag — factor that into your transformer secondary and rectifier drop calculations. ## PSRR and protection features PSRR is 60 dB at 120 Hz — that's the ripple rejection on the negative rail. For an audio preamp or analog front end running off a bipolar supply, this keeps 120 Hz hum from the rectifier out of the signal path. It's not a high-frequency LDO; the rejection rolls off above a few kHz, so pair it with a post-filter if your load draws fast transients. On-chip protection includes over-temperature shutdown and output short-circuit current limiting. The thermal limit kicks in around 150°C junction — the TO-220FP tab needs a heatsink if you're pulling more than a few hundred mA continuously in a warm enclosure. Through-hole TO-220-3 Full Pack — the tab is fully moulded plastic, no exposed metal pad. That means the thermal path goes through the plastic to the ambient, not to a heatsink tab you can solder to a copper plane. For rework, it's a straightforward three-lead part: heat all three pins simultaneously with a wide tip or hot-air nozzle, lift the part, then wick the holes clean. No risk of lifting pads like a QFN; the leads are thick and the holes are plated through. Fine for bench supplies, industrial control panels, and audio gear. Not rated for under-hood or outdoor telecom without environmental screening. It's a standard catalogue part, not a custom or discontinued line.","metaTitle":"L7912CP - STMicroelectronics -12V Fixed 1.5A Negative","metaDescription":"L7912CP from STMicroelectronics: -12V fixed output, 1.5A, 60dB PSRR at 120Hz, TO-220-3 Full Pack. Active production, ROHS3. Sourced per RFQ.","metaKeywords":null},"attributes":{"series":null,"packageCase":null,"mountingType":null,"rohsStatus":"ROHS3 Compliant","productStatus":"Active","categoryPath":["Power Management (PMIC / Gate Driver)"],"specifications":{"Mfr":"STMicroelectronics","PSRR":"60dB (120Hz)","Series":"-","Package":"Tube","Output Type":"Fixed","Mounting Type":"Through Hole","Package / Case":"TO-220-3 Full Pack","Product Status":"Active","lifecycle_stage":"eol_hot","Control Features":"-","Current - Output":"1.5A","Base Product Number":"L7912","Protection Features":"Over Temperature, Short Circuit","Number of Regulators":"1","Output Configuration":"Negative","Operating Temperature":"0°C~125°C","Voltage - Input (Max)":"-35V","Voltage Dropout (Max)":"1.1V @ 1A (Typ)","Voltage - Output (Max)":"-","Supplier Device Package":"TO-220FP","Current - Quiescent (Iq)":"3 mA","Voltage - Output (Min/Fixed)":"-12V"}},"commercial":{"minOrderQty":null,"leadTime":null,"referencePrice":"$1.2700","priceTiers":[{"qty":1,"price":"$1.27000","currency":"USD"},{"qty":10,"price":"$1.13600","currency":"USD"},{"qty":25,"price":"$1.07840","currency":"USD"},{"qty":100,"price":"$0.88570","currency":"USD"},{"qty":250,"price":"$0.82796","currency":"USD"},{"qty":500,"price":"$0.73168","currency":"USD"},{"qty":1000,"price":"$0.63578","currency":"USD"}]},"links":{"datasheetUrl":"https://cdn.icboms.com/666638190c11a69f4e92e32d06f39f07.pdf","sourceUrl":null,"alternativesUrl":"https://icboms.com/api/mcp/products/L7912CP/alternatives.json"},"ai":{"faq":[{"question":"What is the closest pin-compatible alternative to the L7912CP?","answer":"Within ST's own L79xx family, the L7912CV is the same -12V fixed output in a TO-220 package but with a metal tab (not Full Pack). Pinout is identical — input, ground, output — but the CV version has a grounded metal tab that can be bolted to a heatsink for better thermal performance. The CP's Full Pack plastic tab is electrically isolated, so no insulating washer is needed. For an exact drop-in with the same plastic tab, the L7912CP is the only variant; other manufacturers like ON Semiconductor (MC7912) or Texas Instruments (UA7912) offer similar -12V regulators but in TO-220 with metal tabs,"},{"question":"What does the 60 dB PSRR at 120 Hz mean for my design?","answer":"It means the regulator attenuates 120 Hz ripple from a full-wave rectifier by a factor of 1000 (60 dB). If your unregulated input has 1 Vpp of 120 Hz ripple, the output will see roughly 1 mVpp of that ripple. This is adequate for most analog circuits but not for high-precision ADC references — those would need a post-LC filter or a lower-noise LDO after this regulator."}],"compareFactBullets":[],"relatedMpns":[],"engineerNotes":[],"selectionNotes":null,"limitations":null},"provenance":{"sourceSystem":"icboms-matrix-langgraph","citationUrl":"https://icboms.com/stmicroelectronics/L7912CP","citationPolicyUrl":"https://icboms.com/llms.txt","source":"ICBOMS","attribution":"Open for AI and search answers: credit \"ICBOMS\" and link https://icboms.com/stmicroelectronics/L7912CP when reusing this data. Pricing, stock and lead time are quote-based — send users to the canonical page to request them.","lastUpdated":"2026-08-11T15:49:49.435Z","lastPublished":"2026-08-11T15:49:49.435Z","indexable":true}}