The STMicroelectronics L7806ABV is a positive fixed 6V linear regulator delivering up to 1.5A continuous output in a standard TO-220-3 through-hole package. It belongs to the L78xx family, a widely used three-terminal regulator series that shares the same pinout and footprint across output voltages — so swapping between a 5V, 6V, or 8V variant on the same PCB layout is straightforward, provided the BOM rail voltage matches. The 6V fixed output is not adjustable, so this part fits designs where the regulated rail is exactly 6V — common for powering analog circuits that need a clean supply above the 5V logic level, or for relay and solenoid banks that benefit from a higher rail voltage without stepping up to 12V. Maximum input voltage is 35V, giving 29V of headroom above the 6V output at no load. In practice, the 2V dropout at 1A (typical) means the input must stay above 8V to maintain regulation at full load — a 9V or 12V unregulated rail works, but a 7.5V rail will drop out under load.
PSRR and protection — real-world noise rejection and fault tolerance
Ripple rejection is 65dB at 120Hz, which is the standard figure for this class of regulator at the full-wave-rectified mains frequency. That means a 1V peak-to-peak ripple on the input is attenuated to roughly 560 µV at the output — adequate for powering op-amps and ADCs in industrial control boards, though a downstream LC filter helps if the analog stage demands sub-100 µV noise floors. Quiescent current is 6 mA — typical for a 1.5A bipolar regulator. This Iq is drawn regardless of load, so in always-on applications the regulator itself dissipates about 36 mW from the 6V rail plus the dropout heat. In battery-powered designs this matters; for line-powered equipment it is negligible. Built-in over-temperature and short-circuit protection mean the regulator survives an output short without external foldback circuitry. The thermal shutdown kicks in around 150°C junction, and the current limit clamps the output before the pass transistor exceeds its SOA.
The TO-220 package with its metal tab allows bolting to a heatsink or chassis; without one, thermal resistance RθJA is roughly 50°C/W, limiting dissipation to about 2W at 25°C ambient before hitting the 125°C ceiling. Through-hole mounting (TO-220-3) means hand-assembly and rework are straightforward — no hot-air station needed. The three leads are standard: input (pin 1), ground (pin 2), output (pin 3), matching the L78xx family pinout exactly.
Active lifecycle and compliance — sourcing reality
ROHS3 compliant, so it meets the EU RoHS directive without exemptions. No lead, mercury, cadmium, or restricted phthalates — the part ships into RoHS-marked markets without paperwork issues. No stock-holding claim made here; the part is quoted per your BOM quantity and lead-time requirement.