This compact (0.4″ × 0.5″) switching step-down (or buck) voltage regulator takes input voltages up to 50 V and efficiently reduces them to 12 V while allowing for a maximum output current of 600 mA. It has a very low dropout, so it can be used with input voltages that are within a few hundred millivolts of its output. The pins have a 0.1″ spacing, making this board compatible with standard solderless breadboards and perfboards.
The D36V6x family of buck (step-down) voltage regulators generates lower output voltages from input voltages as high as 50 V. They are switching regulators (also called switched-mode power supplies (SMPS) or DC-to-DC converters), which makes them much more efficient than linear voltage regulators, especially when the difference between the input and output voltage is large. This family includes seven versions with fixed output voltages ranging from 3.3 V to 15 V and two adjustable versions that can be set using a trimmer potentiometer.
The regulators feature short-circuit/over-current protection, and thermal shutdown helps prevent damage from overheating. The boards do not have reverse-voltage protection.
More technical information at Pololu.
