Originally posted October 2007

Double Your Voltage the Easy Way! Suppose you have a 24 Vdc isolated bus, but you need 48 Vdc to run a particular device. Since your bus is isolated, get a 24 Vdc I/P & O/P dc/dc converter. Connect the 24 Vdc bus to the I/P of the 24 Vdc dc/dc converter. Now, reference from the + O/P of the dc/dc conv. to the - 24 Vdc bus and voila!, you've got 48 VDC. This method will work anytime you need to generate a non-isolated voltage above your bus using correct value dc/dc converter.

Originally Published 9/2007

If your product goes outside you may be interested in the new IP64 and IP67 models we now carry. The IP-XX standards are a part of the IEC529 spec. The first digit applies to solid objects. 6 is for dust proof, 5 is for dust protected 4 is for objects 1mm or greater etc.. The 2nd number is for liquids. 4 is for splashing water, 5 is for water jets, 6 is for heavy seas and 7 is for immersion. For example IP64 products are Dust Tight and protected against Splashing Water. Currently we offer IP64 and IP67 solutions. Call if we can answer any question on Ingress Protection specs.

Whether you are looking for a replacement power supply for your cable modem, or need a power supply for a new product and left it for last, there are ways to expand your possibilities. For replacement purposes, most devices specify a range of input voltage it will accept. These can be shown as 9 - 12 Vdc, or 4 - 6 Vdc for example. It will usually specify a current requirement too. For example, 0.4 - 0.6 A, which may also be shown as 400 - 600 mA. This information means you have the flexibility to use a power supply with an output voltage from 4 - 6 Vdc with an output current from 0.4 - 0.6 Amp. This give you many options beyond perhaps the 5 Vdc 0.5 Amp power supply the unit came with. As the majority of external power supplies used and produced today are regulated, this too yields extra options for that last minute prototype unit the power supply was never specified for. The product you are working on has internal point of load devices that generate 5 Vdc and 3.3 Vdc from a 12 Vdc internal bus. You calculate that the nominal 12 Vdc current you require will be 1.7 Amps. So you want a 2.5 Amp unit to allow for a 50% cushion. Now since we know that most external power supplies are regulated, your task is to find a 12 Vdc external power supply rated at 2.5 A, or greater. This gives you many other choices. Your minimum power rated unit would be 30 Watts (12 Vdc x 2.5 Amp), but you can also use a 40, 50, 60, or 100W unit which are all generally available units. So a little fact finding up front can yield many options for a replacement power supply. Knowing your minimum power requirement for a prototype unit will add additional options for that last minute need.

Are you configuring you own power supplies to achieve redundancy or a custom mechanical configuration? Rack mount, Plug In redundant configurations and Ruggedized Assemblies are all available from AJ's Power Source. The AJ's Power Source guys are available to do professional and quick custom power supply assemblies. They have been building Mean Well assemblies since 1989. View their website at: http://www.ajpower.com

Fuel Cells, Certain battery chemistries, and other electrolysis devices require a constant current instead of constant voltage. Usually this requires a costly Lab style supply or a custom power supply. However, we have cost effective solutions when it comes to this kind of application. Many of our supplies can be configured to meet your constant current needs, with a minimal, if any, external circuitry. For AC/DC Constant Current solutions, the Multi-Stax models from POWERSTAX can be configured from 200-1200 watts in a 1U package, and they have a constant current option. The Mean Well RSP-1000 models also have constant current limiting. For DC applications The POWERSTAX 500watt DC/DC can be configured for constant current. These are just a few of the options we have. If you would like to discuss a Constant Current requirement, call us at 813-996-5230 and ask for Al.