Ripple voltage

Ripple voltage refers to the small, unwanted fluctuations in voltage that occur in a power supply after AC (alternating current) is converted to DC (direct current). When a power supply converts AC to DC, the output is not perfectly steady and shows tiny variations or "ripples." These ripples are caused by incomplete filtering of the AC signals. Excessive ripple can affect sensitive electronic components, so engineers design power supplies to minimize it, ensuring the output voltage remains as steady as possible for reliable device operation.