An AC power supply, or AC power source, generates power to a load and can be programmed to vary voltage, phase, and frequency for testing purposes. ATEC carries a vast inventory of programmable power sources, providing customers with everything from low to high-power devices and from standard power sources to frequency converters. We offer affordable AC power supply rental rates for products from leading manufactures such as Pacific Power, Chroma, California Instruments, and more.
AC power sources are used for a variety of test standards, including IEC 61000, MIL-STD, RTCA/DO-160, and more. A complete list is below.
AC Power Supply Explained
AC (alternating current) power supplies can limit the current drawn by a load to desired levels, shut off a current in the event of an electrical fault, or store energy for emergency use. Equipment designed to use AC tend to need large amounts of voltage to ensure that the voltage is not stepped down as frequently as equipment using DC.
AC power supplies come in two varieties or formats, unregulated and regulated; each with pros and cons. Regulated supplies do not have many alternating design options, while unregulated supplies do not have the ability to supply constant voltage to a load. Often used by manufacturers to check the suitability of products to be used in other countries, AC power supplies can be used to change the voltage and also change the frequency.
AC power sources are commonly used in the industrial and scientific sectors as lab instruments for compliance testing. Technicians also use power sources in the automotive, aerospace, and power grid industries as well as for R&D testing. AC power supplies come as either single-phase or three-phase AC source units with varying input and output powers.
How does an AC Power Source work?
An AC power supply typically takes the voltage from a wall outlet and utilizes a transformer to increase or decrease voltage to the desired point. Certain types are built to create a constant current and output voltage may vary which depends on the load impedance.
Additionally, they can be divided into either single-phase or three-phase systems. A single-phase supply uses two conductors (phase and a neutral) and a three-phase supply uses three conductors to transfer three times as much power. Three-phase power sources are environmentally friendly because they require less conductor material to transmit a certain amount of power.
Choosing the right aC Power Supply
ATEC's inventory includes products with a variety of input power, output power, and performance features. Certain products also correspond to certain test standards, listed below:
Input Power
- 120 V Single-Phase
- 208 V Single-Phase
- 208 V Three-Phase
- 480 V Three-Phase
Output Power
- 0 – 5.0 kVA
- 5.1 – 10.0 kVA
- 10.1 – 25.0 kVA
- 25.1 – 50.0 kVA
- 50.1 – 100 kVA
- > 100 kVA
Performance Features
- Fast transient response
- Tight load regulation
- High peak current capacity
- Low output impedance
- Linear (no switching noise)
- PWM Switching (low switching noise)
Test Standards