Xjyuk

Shall I fix cracks on bathtub and how to fix them?

Are spot colors limited and why CMYK mix is not treated same as spot color mix?

Is it unusual for a math department not to have a mail/web server?

Template factorial function without template specialization

Term used to describe a person who predicts future outcomes

How do you say "half the time …, the other half …" in German?

Is there a word or phrase that means "use other people's wifi or Internet service without consent"?

Why is there no Disney logo in MCU movies?

Why did the population of Bhutan drop by 70% between 2007 and 2008?

Notice period 60 days but I need to join in 45 days

What ways are there to "PEEK" memory sections in (different) BASIC(s)

Do multi-engine jets need all engines with equal age to reduce asymmetry in thrust and fuel consumption arising out of deterioration?

Heat output from a 200W electric radiator?

What should be done with the carbon when using magic to get oxygen from carbon dioxide?

Should I use the words "pyromancy" and "necromancy" even if they don't mean what people think they do?

What happens after an Aboleth's body is remade in the Elemental Plane of Water following its death?

How do Barton (Hawkeye/Ronin) and Romanov (Black Widow) end up on the Benatar on Morag in 2014?

Why does `buck` mean `step-down`?

Why nature prefers simultaneous events?

How to say "I only speak one language which is English" in French?

What is the name of this plot that has rows with two connected dots?

Another "Ask One Question" Question

Why is the Grievance Studies affair considered to be research requiring IRB approval?

Defending Castle from Zombies

Why does `buck` mean `step-down`?

The potentiometer used in electronics is not a measuring instrument. Why it is contains phrase 'meter'?Why are they called flip-flops?

.everyoneloves__top-leaderboard:empty,.everyoneloves__mid-leaderboard:empty,.everyoneloves__bot-mid-leaderboard:empty margin-bottom:0;

5

$begingroup$

I just read about buck converters and boost converters and buck/boost converters. Great stuff.

But, why is a step-down converter called a buck converter?

I tried to research this myself. According to Google Book search, the phrase buck-boost transformer was in use at least as early at 1891 in a periodical called Architectural Review.

etymology

share|improve this question

asked 8 hours ago

daveloyalldaveloyall

12933 bronze badges

New contributor

daveloyall is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.

$endgroup$

• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  $begingroup$
  I suspect the term as applied in electric systems may have been created originally for transformers -- more specifically for autotransformers -- and relates to an idea that was commonly known back in the day. Logs were bucked (either under- or over- bucked) depending on from which end of the log sections were cut for milling. (Starting at the thicker base and working up or starting at the top and working down.) A bucking transformer can be seen as doing just that. And I suspect that's where the first author of the term got the idea since logging was a commonly shared experience in the 1800s.
  $endgroup$
  – jonk
  6 hours ago
  
  

  
  
  
  

add a comment | 

5

$begingroup$

I just read about buck converters and boost converters and buck/boost converters. Great stuff.

But, why is a step-down converter called a buck converter?

I tried to research this myself. According to Google Book search, the phrase buck-boost transformer was in use at least as early at 1891 in a periodical called Architectural Review.

etymology

share|improve this question

asked 8 hours ago

daveloyalldaveloyall

12933 bronze badges

New contributor

daveloyall is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.

$endgroup$

• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  $begingroup$
  I suspect the term as applied in electric systems may have been created originally for transformers -- more specifically for autotransformers -- and relates to an idea that was commonly known back in the day. Logs were bucked (either under- or over- bucked) depending on from which end of the log sections were cut for milling. (Starting at the thicker base and working up or starting at the top and working down.) A bucking transformer can be seen as doing just that. And I suspect that's where the first author of the term got the idea since logging was a commonly shared experience in the 1800s.
  $endgroup$
  – jonk
  6 hours ago
  
  

  
  
  
  

add a comment | 

$begingroup$

I just read about buck converters and boost converters and buck/boost converters. Great stuff.

But, why is a step-down converter called a buck converter?

I tried to research this myself. According to Google Book search, the phrase buck-boost transformer was in use at least as early at 1891 in a periodical called Architectural Review.

etymology

share|improve this question

asked 8 hours ago

daveloyalldaveloyall

12933 bronze badges

New contributor

daveloyall is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.

$endgroup$

share|improve this question

asked 8 hours ago

daveloyalldaveloyall

12933 bronze badges

New contributor

daveloyall is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.

share|improve this question

asked 8 hours ago

daveloyalldaveloyall

12933 bronze badges

New contributor

daveloyall is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.

asked 8 hours ago

daveloyalldaveloyall

12933 bronze badges

New contributor

daveloyall is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.

asked 8 hours ago

daveloyalldaveloyall

12933 bronze badges

2 Answers
2

active

oldest

votes

7

$begingroup$

It's the same sense as to "buck" a trend:

1. to oppose or resist (something that seems oppressive or inevitable).
   "the shares bucked the market trend"
   synonyms: resist, oppose, contradict, defy, fight (against), go against, kick against
   "it takes guts to buck the system"

So you're "bucking" the input voltage to reduce the output voltage.

share|improve this answer

answered 8 hours ago

John DJohn D

13.2k11 gold badge2222 silver badges3232 bronze badges

$endgroup$

• 
  
  
  

  
  3
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  $begingroup$
  Which is more applicable to transformers than to regulators, but the idea of "bucking" as "reducing voltage" probably came from transformer usage, and got transferred to regulator usage.
  $endgroup$
  – TimWescott
  7 hours ago
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  $begingroup$
  Buck regulators use an inductor which opposes the current flow when the switch opens. So it's just as valid as the transformer use.
  $endgroup$
  – gbarry
  3 hours ago
  

  
  
  
  

add a comment | 

0

$begingroup$

I may be wrong(apparently there is no way to qualify any answer here as correct), but I had always assumed that "buck" referred to an action similar to a "bucking bronco or bull". A buck converter sends a voltage pulse only as often as it needs to in order to provide the rectified and filtered DC output required, just as a "bucking bronco or bull" will "buck" as often as he feels he needs to in order to eject the rider or loosen the strap.

share|improve this answer

answered 4 hours ago

HitekHitek

29555 bronze badges

$endgroup$

• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  $begingroup$
  Please, no downvotes because you dislike rodeos. Even though I understand where you may be coming from, it is a very plausible answer...
  $endgroup$
  – Hitek
  4 hours ago
  
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  $begingroup$
  (No one is downvoting?) I honestly thought it had to do with animals as well when I first heard the term but I knew that it probably wasn't correct. The verb "buck" could mean to be resistant against something. I think there could be a way to qualify an answer and that's looking it up in the dictionary :)
  $endgroup$
  – KingDuken
  3 hours ago
  
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  $begingroup$
  @KingDuken - I know, but right after I posted the answer I had visions of SJW bombardment, so I was just trying to preempt that :). If the term isn't derived from my suggested possible answer, than it does likely refer to resistance, as you say...
  $endgroup$
  – Hitek
  3 hours ago
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  $begingroup$
  Since most of the switching topologies work by making controlled pulses in response to operating conditions, it's hard to imagine that we'd take the "bucking" notion and specifically put it on the one that's a step-down.
  $endgroup$
  – gbarry
  1 hour ago
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  $begingroup$
  @gbarry - I sort of see it in the opposite scenario. An animal "bucks" as high and often as it need to in order to obtain it's goal, I see it as "providing action only to the extent that is required", rather than the dictionary version, which implies more of a "resistance" or "opposition" aspect, and would seem more analogous to the implementation in a linear regulator...
  $endgroup$
  – Hitek
  1 hour ago
  
  

  
  
  
  

add a comment | 

Your Answer

StackExchange.ifUsing("editor", function ()
return StackExchange.using("schematics", function ()
StackExchange.schematics.init();
);
, "cicuitlab");

StackExchange.ready(function()
var channelOptions =
tags: "".split(" "),
id: "135"
;
initTagRenderer("".split(" "), "".split(" "), channelOptions);

StackExchange.using("externalEditor", function()
// Have to fire editor after snippets, if snippets enabled
if (StackExchange.settings.snippets.snippetsEnabled)
StackExchange.using("snippets", function()
createEditor();
);

else
createEditor();

);

function createEditor()
StackExchange.prepareEditor(
heartbeatType: 'answer',
autoActivateHeartbeat: false,
convertImagesToLinks: false,
noModals: true,
showLowRepImageUploadWarning: true,
reputationToPostImages: null,
bindNavPrevention: true,
postfix: "",
imageUploader:
brandingHtml: "Powered by u003ca class="icon-imgur-white" href="https://imgur.com/"u003eu003c/au003e",
contentPolicyHtml: "User contributions licensed under u003ca href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/"u003ecc by-sa 3.0 with attribution requiredu003c/au003e u003ca href="https://stackoverflow.com/legal/content-policy"u003e(content policy)u003c/au003e",
allowUrls: true
,
onDemand: true,
discardSelector: ".discard-answer"
,immediatelyShowMarkdownHelp:true
);



);

daveloyall is a new contributor. Be nice, and check out our Code of Conduct.

draft saved

draft discarded

Sign up or log in

StackExchange.ready(function ()
StackExchange.helpers.onClickDraftSave('#login-link');
);

Sign up using Google

Sign up using Facebook

Sign up using Email and Password

Post as a guest

Name

Email

Required, but never shown

StackExchange.ready(
function ()
StackExchange.openid.initPostLogin('.new-post-login', 'https%3a%2f%2felectronics.stackexchange.com%2fquestions%2f455123%2fwhy-does-buck-mean-step-down%23new-answer', 'question_page');

);

Post as a guest

Name

Email

Required, but never shown

7

$begingroup$

It's the same sense as to "buck" a trend:

1. to oppose or resist (something that seems oppressive or inevitable).
   "the shares bucked the market trend"
   synonyms: resist, oppose, contradict, defy, fight (against), go against, kick against
   "it takes guts to buck the system"

So you're "bucking" the input voltage to reduce the output voltage.

share|improve this answer

answered 8 hours ago

John DJohn D

13.2k11 gold badge2222 silver badges3232 bronze badges

$endgroup$

• 
  
  
  

  
  3
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  $begingroup$
  Which is more applicable to transformers than to regulators, but the idea of "bucking" as "reducing voltage" probably came from transformer usage, and got transferred to regulator usage.
  $endgroup$
  – TimWescott
  7 hours ago
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  $begingroup$
  Buck regulators use an inductor which opposes the current flow when the switch opens. So it's just as valid as the transformer use.
  $endgroup$
  – gbarry
  3 hours ago
  

  
  
  
  

add a comment | 

7

$begingroup$

It's the same sense as to "buck" a trend:

1. to oppose or resist (something that seems oppressive or inevitable).
   "the shares bucked the market trend"
   synonyms: resist, oppose, contradict, defy, fight (against), go against, kick against
   "it takes guts to buck the system"

So you're "bucking" the input voltage to reduce the output voltage.

share|improve this answer

answered 8 hours ago

John DJohn D

13.2k11 gold badge2222 silver badges3232 bronze badges

$endgroup$

• 
  
  
  

  
  3
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  $begingroup$
  Which is more applicable to transformers than to regulators, but the idea of "bucking" as "reducing voltage" probably came from transformer usage, and got transferred to regulator usage.
  $endgroup$
  – TimWescott
  7 hours ago
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  $begingroup$
  Buck regulators use an inductor which opposes the current flow when the switch opens. So it's just as valid as the transformer use.
  $endgroup$
  – gbarry
  3 hours ago
  

  
  
  
  

add a comment | 

$begingroup$

It's the same sense as to "buck" a trend:

1. to oppose or resist (something that seems oppressive or inevitable).
   "the shares bucked the market trend"
   synonyms: resist, oppose, contradict, defy, fight (against), go against, kick against
   "it takes guts to buck the system"

So you're "bucking" the input voltage to reduce the output voltage.

share|improve this answer

answered 8 hours ago

John DJohn D

13.2k11 gold badge2222 silver badges3232 bronze badges

$endgroup$

share|improve this answer

answered 8 hours ago

John DJohn D

13.2k11 gold badge2222 silver badges3232 bronze badges

answered 8 hours ago

John DJohn D

13.2k11 gold badge2222 silver badges3232 bronze badges

answered 8 hours ago

John DJohn D

13.2k11 gold badge2222 silver badges3232 bronze badges

0

$begingroup$

I may be wrong(apparently there is no way to qualify any answer here as correct), but I had always assumed that "buck" referred to an action similar to a "bucking bronco or bull". A buck converter sends a voltage pulse only as often as it needs to in order to provide the rectified and filtered DC output required, just as a "bucking bronco or bull" will "buck" as often as he feels he needs to in order to eject the rider or loosen the strap.

share|improve this answer

answered 4 hours ago

HitekHitek

29555 bronze badges

$endgroup$

• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  $begingroup$
  Please, no downvotes because you dislike rodeos. Even though I understand where you may be coming from, it is a very plausible answer...
  $endgroup$
  – Hitek
  4 hours ago
  
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  $begingroup$
  (No one is downvoting?) I honestly thought it had to do with animals as well when I first heard the term but I knew that it probably wasn't correct. The verb "buck" could mean to be resistant against something. I think there could be a way to qualify an answer and that's looking it up in the dictionary :)
  $endgroup$
  – KingDuken
  3 hours ago
  
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  $begingroup$
  @KingDuken - I know, but right after I posted the answer I had visions of SJW bombardment, so I was just trying to preempt that :). If the term isn't derived from my suggested possible answer, than it does likely refer to resistance, as you say...
  $endgroup$
  – Hitek
  3 hours ago
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  $begingroup$
  Since most of the switching topologies work by making controlled pulses in response to operating conditions, it's hard to imagine that we'd take the "bucking" notion and specifically put it on the one that's a step-down.
  $endgroup$
  – gbarry
  1 hour ago
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  $begingroup$
  @gbarry - I sort of see it in the opposite scenario. An animal "bucks" as high and often as it need to in order to obtain it's goal, I see it as "providing action only to the extent that is required", rather than the dictionary version, which implies more of a "resistance" or "opposition" aspect, and would seem more analogous to the implementation in a linear regulator...
  $endgroup$
  – Hitek
  1 hour ago
  
  

  
  
  
  

add a comment | 

0

$begingroup$

I may be wrong(apparently there is no way to qualify any answer here as correct), but I had always assumed that "buck" referred to an action similar to a "bucking bronco or bull". A buck converter sends a voltage pulse only as often as it needs to in order to provide the rectified and filtered DC output required, just as a "bucking bronco or bull" will "buck" as often as he feels he needs to in order to eject the rider or loosen the strap.

share|improve this answer

answered 4 hours ago

HitekHitek

29555 bronze badges

$endgroup$

• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  $begingroup$
  Please, no downvotes because you dislike rodeos. Even though I understand where you may be coming from, it is a very plausible answer...
  $endgroup$
  – Hitek
  4 hours ago
  
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  $begingroup$
  (No one is downvoting?) I honestly thought it had to do with animals as well when I first heard the term but I knew that it probably wasn't correct. The verb "buck" could mean to be resistant against something. I think there could be a way to qualify an answer and that's looking it up in the dictionary :)
  $endgroup$
  – KingDuken
  3 hours ago
  
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  $begingroup$
  @KingDuken - I know, but right after I posted the answer I had visions of SJW bombardment, so I was just trying to preempt that :). If the term isn't derived from my suggested possible answer, than it does likely refer to resistance, as you say...
  $endgroup$
  – Hitek
  3 hours ago
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  $begingroup$
  Since most of the switching topologies work by making controlled pulses in response to operating conditions, it's hard to imagine that we'd take the "bucking" notion and specifically put it on the one that's a step-down.
  $endgroup$
  – gbarry
  1 hour ago
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  $begingroup$
  @gbarry - I sort of see it in the opposite scenario. An animal "bucks" as high and often as it need to in order to obtain it's goal, I see it as "providing action only to the extent that is required", rather than the dictionary version, which implies more of a "resistance" or "opposition" aspect, and would seem more analogous to the implementation in a linear regulator...
  $endgroup$
  – Hitek
  1 hour ago
  
  

  
  
  
  

add a comment | 

$begingroup$

I may be wrong(apparently there is no way to qualify any answer here as correct), but I had always assumed that "buck" referred to an action similar to a "bucking bronco or bull". A buck converter sends a voltage pulse only as often as it needs to in order to provide the rectified and filtered DC output required, just as a "bucking bronco or bull" will "buck" as often as he feels he needs to in order to eject the rider or loosen the strap.

share|improve this answer

answered 4 hours ago

HitekHitek

29555 bronze badges

$endgroup$

share|improve this answer

answered 4 hours ago

HitekHitek

29555 bronze badges

answered 4 hours ago

HitekHitek

29555 bronze badges

answered 4 hours ago

HitekHitek

29555 bronze badges