Matt Syson
Well-known member
783 and 317 can be very reliable but you must be careful to ensure that all the 'limitations' that are mentioned in the data sheets are attended to. Sticking a couple of milliamps the wrong way into the adjustment pin must not happen for example so a carefully 'protected' circuit overall, can be zapped by random probing. The suggested 'reverse polarity' diodes might need to be low forward volatage types but then schottky diodes can be a bit 'leaky'.