L7905CV

STMicroelectronics

STMicroelectronics L7905CV, fixed -5V output, 1.5A negative linear regulator in TO-220-3 through-hole package, PSRR 60dB at 120Hz, over-temperature and short-circuit protection.

STMicroelectronics L7905CV
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[IN STOCK] In Stock: 1,052 pcs
$0.51/ pc

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MOQ 5 · Tube · RoHS · EIA-481 · DAP/DDP · T/T

Technical specifications

L7905CV specifications
Parameter / AttributeSpecification / Value
Output typeFixed
MountingThrough Hole
Voltage - input-35V
Voltage dropout1.4V @ 1A (Typ)
Voltage - output (Min (Fixed))-5V
Output current1.5A
Current - quiescent3 mA
Operating temperature0°C ~ 125°C
PSRR60dB (120Hz)
PackageTube
CaseTO-220-3
Protection featuresOver Temperature, Short Circuit
Number of regulators1
Output configurationNegative
100% Footprint Match · Solder-Ready (No PCB Redesign Needed)

Need Stock or a Drop-in Second-Source for L7905CV?

Package: TO-220 / TO-220FP / D2PAK · Pin-compatible replacements with immediate Shenzhen spot stock

Footprint Match 99%
Supply Chain & Allocation Reality:

The 79xx series is the negative rail of every split supply that ever fed an op-amp, an audio stage or an instrument: -5V, -8V, -9V, -12V, -15V, -18V and -24V fixed 1.5A regulators in the same TO-220 body as the 78xx - and with a mirrored pinout that catches one swap per bench per year. The digits choose the voltage, the suffix grade (AC = 2 percent tolerance) chooses precision, and the prefixes (L, MC, KA, LM) are the familiar second-source names. The classic failure this page exists for: treating a 7905 as a misplaced 7805, when it differs in polarity, pin order AND tab potential - three separate ways to smoke a board at once.

Verified Pin-Compatible Replacements (3 verified alternatives)

L7912 STMicroelectronics TO-220
100% Drop-in (Zero Code Change)
Availability & Target Pricing:

The Voltage Choice, Same Three Pins

Shenzhen Spot Stock (24-48h Dispatch)

Electrical & Core Specs:

The same regulator body at -12V: same 1.5A class, same GND / IN / OUT pin order, same input-potential tab - the digits after the 79 are a voltage decision, not a circuit decision.

Negative rails from -5V to -24V across the family; mind the minimum input magnitude the negative side needs beyond dropout.

Compatibility & Drop-In Notes: The repair question for any 79xx swap is the rail it feeds: split op-amp supplies tolerate small moves, reference-derived rails do not. Read the schematic rail before the drawer.
Package & Solder Footprint: Same TO-220 land and pin order as the rest of the negative family.
Shenzhen Warehouse Stock & MOQ: Stocked across the voltage ladder.
L79xxAC STMicroelectronics TO-220 / TO-220FP / D2PAK
100% Drop-in (Zero Code Change)
Availability & Target Pricing:

The 2 Percent Precision Grade

Shenzhen Spot Stock (24-48h Dispatch)

Electrical & Core Specs:

The tightened-tolerance build of the same regulators: 2 percent output tolerance against the looser commercial grades, in the same pin map and the same power ratings.

Same rails; the grade buys accuracy, not headroom.

Compatibility & Drop-In Notes: Grade substitution rule as everywhere: precision upward is free; dropping from AC into a circuit that calibrated against it shifts the rail by the tolerance difference.
Package & Solder Footprint: TO-220 / insulated TO-220FP / D2PAK options across the family.
Shenzhen Warehouse Stock & MOQ: Stocked; quote the grade the schematic asked for.
LM337 TI / STMicroelectronics TO-220 / SOT-223
Functional Equivalent
Availability & Target Pricing:

The Adjustable Route Any Voltage

Shenzhen Spot Stock (24-48h Dispatch)

Electrical & Core Specs:

The adjustable negative regulator: set any output below the reference with two resistors - the answer when the required rail is not one of the fixed catalogue values (or when the original was already adjustable).

Same negative input culture; the divider replaces the internal fixed reference tap.

Compatibility & Drop-In Notes: Choosing between them is a design-time fact, not a repair-time one: a board built for a fixed 79xx takes the fixed family; an adjustable socket takes the LM337 (or its grade variants).
Package & Solder Footprint: TO-220 with its own pin functions; see the dedicated page.
Shenzhen Warehouse Stock & MOQ: Stocked; the flexible end of the negative family.
Buyer & Quality Checklist for Sourcing Alternatives
  • The mirror: 7905 is pin 1 GND, pin 2 IN, pin 3 OUT - against 7805 at 1 IN, 2 GND, 3 OUT. Inserted straight across, the negative part connects the input to what the board believes is ground.
  • The tab is live: on the 79xx the heatsink tab sits at input potential (the negative rail), where the 78xx tab is ground. Heatsink isolation and creepage belong to the design review of every swap and mounting.
  • Polarity is the third difference: the 79xx regulates a negative rail. The "7905 for 7805" belief fails on three independent counts - polarity, pin order, tab - which is why it fails so convincingly.
  • The negative family is fussier about input capacitance: the ~2.2uF-class input capacitor is a stability part here, and a repair that leaves it out gets oscillation or a drifting rail that looks like a bad regulator.
  • Read the whole orderable number: digits pick the voltage (05 / 08 / 09 / 12 / 15 / 18 / 24), the AC suffix the 2 percent grade, and the prefix (L / MC / KA / LM) the second source - the pin map is the family constant.
  • Split supplies share the ground reference: impedance between the positive and negative regulators shows up as tracking error between the rails - star-point the reference when a repair touches either side.
Frequently Asked Technical Questions

Q: Can a 7905 replace a 7805?

A: No, on three independent counts: it regulates a negative rail, its pin order is GND / IN / OUT where the 7805 is IN / GND / OUT, and its tab sits at input potential instead of ground. A straight-across swap connects the input to the board ground.

Q: What is the pinout of the L7905?

A: TO-220: pin 1 GND, pin 2 IN, pin 3 OUT, with the tab connected to the input - the mirror image of the 7805 arrangement, and the reason this family is a permanent entry in smoke-story collections.

Q: Which 79xx parts are interchangeable?

A: Inside the family the pins are constant: L / MC / KA / LM prefixes and the AC precision grade interchange, and the digits choose the voltage (-5V through -24V). Across voltages it is a rail decision; across families (fixed vs the adjustable LM337) it is a circuit change.

Technical details

Negative rail regulator for analog and mixed-signal supplies

The L7905CV is a fixed -5V output linear regulator from STMicroelectronics, rated for 1.5A continuous output current. It is designed to generate a clean negative rail from a raw negative input up to -35V maximum. With a PSRR of 60dB at 120Hz, this part attenuates mains-frequency ripple on the input by a factor of 1000, making it suitable for powering analog circuits such as op-amps, ADCs, and audio stages that require a low-noise negative supply. Built-in protection features include over-temperature shutdown and short-circuit current limiting, which guard against load faults and thermal runaway in confined enclosures.

Dropout voltage and quiescent current for BOM planning

The typical dropout voltage is 1.4V at 1A output, meaning the input must be at least -6.4V to maintain regulation at full load. This is a standard figure for a three-terminal negative regulator of this era and class. Quiescent current is 3 mA typical, which is the current drawn by the regulator's internal bias circuitry. It does not vary significantly with load, so the total input current is the output current plus this 3 mA overhead. For industrial or automotive environments requiring -40°C operation, a different negative regulator with a wider temperature grade would be needed.

No end-of-life notification or successor has been issued for this order code. For volume builds, confirm the tube quantity with your distributor at quote time.

L7905CV
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