Types of Power Supplies

There are usually two types of power supplies. The first type is the AC (alternating current) power which is available as the electricity supplied to your homes. The second type is the DC (direct current) power, which is available from batteries or other artificial power storage devices.

Different types of power supplies are required for powering specialized equipments or for testing certain electrical components or for any other purpose as required. A number of devices are present to convert the power supply as required. They are DC power supplies, AC-DC adapters, DC-DC converters, AC power sources, and DC-AC inverters. Each of these has a specific task to perform which can be seen below.

1) DC power supplies accept AC power from any input source and give DC power as output.

2) AC-DC adapters accept AC power only from wall outlet and give DC power as output.

3) DC-DC converters also act as regulators by taking in DC power input and giving a standard DC power output. These are mainly used for computers and telecommunication purposes.

4) AC power sources are such that their voltage, current and frequency levels to test component response at specific values of each.

5) DC-AC inverters receive DC power input from an artificial power source and transmit AC power output. This is used to run home appliances with artificial batteries or other power source.

The most important factor when choosing a power source is its application. A few other factors that also need to be considered are style, output, display and features.

Firstly see for what purpose you will be using the power supply source. It can either be for testing, medical, laboratory, military, laser or any other purpose. Find out what type of power supply you need for that purpose.

Style: If you choose power supply devices based on their style, you have a number of options like ATX, board, cabinet, DIN rail, PCB mount and wall mount to name a few.

Output: Firstly you must see the number of outputs that the power supply device has. Then see the type of outputs that it gives. If the device is a DC power supply, you must check its DC output voltage and DC output power. In case your device is an AC power supply device check its AC output voltage and AC output frequency. Some devices supply both these types of power supplies and then a new feature called the apparent power must also be checked. Apparent power is similar to the VA rating.

Display: Displays can be analog, digital, graphic or video.

Features: The features of the power supply must be assessed by determining the nature of your usage. Some notable features are integral heatsink, short circuit protection, water cooling, adjustable voltage, remote on or off switch, etc.