Quoting <NBBBIGEGHIGMPCNKHCECKEJPDJAA.kenn at bluetree.ie>
by Kenn Humborg <kenn at bluetree.ie>:
> A linear regulator around 2 or 3A is usually a 3 or 5-pin IC
> that looks like a power transistor. And at that power level,
> it will probably have a heatsink attached. There will be a couple
> of capacitors or large-ish values (say 100uF approx) nearby
> as well.
> A switch-mode regulator at that power will be a smaller IC
> (probably in a regular surface-mount package) and power transistor,
> with a capacitor and inductor (enamelled copper wire wrapped
> around a little ferrite core) nearby. Switch-modes are _much_
> more efficient, so there's no need for a heatsink to dissipate
> waste power.
Hmm, that sounds like the ceramic rings Kate described. Any way to
tell by looking at it how many amps it might be rated for?
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