Basic Types of AC-DC Power Supplies

When it comes to choosing an AC-DC power source for your needs, there are a lot of possibilities. Electrical technology advancements have made it possible to create AC-DC power supplies that are both compact and capable of meeting even the most demanding application requirements. With that in mind, how do you pick the best one?

You can choose from three different types of AC-DC power supplies, depending on your application and power conversion requirements:

  1. AC-DC Power Supply Adapters

Almost everyone has seen an adapter-style AC-DC power supply, sometimes known as a “AC Adapter,” which is extensively used for laptops, computer screens, televisions, and other household and business gadgets.

External power supplies that are often encased in a compact, sealed container for safety and aesthetic reasons are known as adapters. If you want to convert AC power to DC for portable devices or residential and business equipment, you may need an adapter-style AC-DC power supply.

  1. Open Frame Power Supplies

When the AC-DC power supply components are mounted on a circuit board without a protective cage or enclosure, it is known as an open frame power supply. The physical protection required is usually provided by the enclosure of the electrical equipment.

When it comes to AC-DC conversion, open frame power supplies are the most common choice. They’re very popular for a variety of reasons:

Pen frame power supply can be simply installed in a convenient and secure location within the chassis of any electrical device.

  1. Industrial PC Power Supplies

Adapters and open frame power supplies are both appropriate for low-power applications, but what if you have an industrial PC with more stringent AC-DC conversion requirements?

You should limit your search to industrial PC power supplies to suit those requirements. They’re AC-DC power supplies designed exclusively for PCs in industrial situations, with a wide range of wattage options.

Aside from getting an AC-DC power supply with higher wattages, you should also consider the following reasons:

  • Extreme operating environments – industrial power supplies can cope with extreme temperatures and have a high MTBF (mean-time before failure) rating;
  • High energy efficiency – energy efficiency can reduce energy consumption, minimise environmental stress from energy production and use, and lead to competitive yet inexpensive goods and service operating costs.

When choosing a power supply, there are several requirements that need to be considered. The power requirements of the load or circuit, including voltage and current; safety features such as voltage and current limits to protect the load; physical size and efficiency; and noise immunity of the system.

Looking for the best AC-DC power supplies? EP-Power together with BriPower aims to give you a total commitment to ensure the best quality and provide first-class products and services.

For questions and inquiries, you may send us an email at: sales@edac.com.sg or call us at +6564547877.

Understanding The Basics of AC-DC Power Supply

An AC-DC power supply, often known as an adapter, is a device that takes electricity from a grid and converts it to a different current, frequency, and voltage. AC-DC power supplies are required to give the correct amount of power to an electrical component.

AC-DC power supplies provide electricity to equipment that are usually powered by batteries or have no other source of power. Here’s everything you need to know about AC-DC power supplies.

Introduction to Power Supply

Electric power is the backbone of any electronic system, and the power source is the supplier of the system. Choosing the right source can be the difference between a device that is operating at the optimum level and a device that may be producing inconsistent results.  In addition to  alternating current (AC) to direct current (DC) power supplies, DC / DC converters are also available. If your system already has a DC power supply, a DC / DC converter may be a better design choice.

In other words, ACDC power supplies convert one type of electricity (AC “alternating current” to DC “direct current”. Most people definitely use electrical equipment that requires both types of electricity every day. 

 For example, a car needs a 12V DC power supply to operate. And  homes and businesses are powered by AC power. You may need to convert AC power to DC power. Therefore, an ACDC power supply is required.

  • AC Power

AC or Alternating Current is the same old form of strength provided from the electric grid to houses and businesses. It’s known as AC due to the waveform that the electrons take. Sometimes, the cutting-edge reverses and adjustments its magnitude.

AC energy`s voltage and frequencies fluctuate among regions; for example, the USA makes use of a hundred and twenty volts at a frequency of 60 Hz. Across the Atlantic, the UK makes use of 230 volts at a frequency of fifty Hz.

Because AC energy acts in waves, it could journey plenty similarly than DC energy, for this reason why it is utilised in electric grid structures throughout the world. While many electric gadgets use main-provided AC energy, others want changing to DC strength.

  • DC Power

Direct current is another type of electricity used in a variety of applications. Unlike AC, the path an electron takes in DC  is linear. You can see that electrical equipment such as batteries, solar cells, fuel cells, and alternators use direct current instead of alternating current. One of the advantages of direct current over alternating current is that it provides a consistent voltage supply to electrical equipment. However, the disadvantage of direct current is that it is not suitable for power grids because it can only flow over short distances. Most electronic items require DC electricity due to the `clean` delivery of power. Of course, mains electricity gets provided as AC power, so an ACDC power supply converts the electricity to DC power.  All ACDC power supplies have rectifiers built into them and transformers to raise or lower voltage levels where necessary. Rectifiers are the components in power supplies that convert AC power to DC.  DC electricity dates back to the late 19th century and is most commonly associated with early electrical pioneers like Thomas Edison. 

An AC-DC power supply is necessary for our electronic devices nowadays. You can find them in various formats, such as external adapters that plug into laptop computers, and internal converters like in all electronics from DVD players to medical equipment. Each AC-DC power supply has different design configurations, but the basic principles remain the same. For instance, an AC-DC power supply will have one or more transformers, rectifiers, and filters.

If you’re looking for the best place to get your AC-DC power supplies, EP-Power together with BriPower aims to give you a total commitment to ensure the best quality and provide first-class products and services.

For questions and inquiries, you may send us an email at: sales@edac.com.sg or call us at +6564547877.