What You Need to Know About Power Supplies and Voltage Regulators

Electric current, the flow of electrons, is what powers your light bulb, cell phone and stereo. It also powers household appliances like your refrigerator and your hair dryer.

We can harness the flow of electricity by changing it to other forms of energy, such as heat or mechanical motion. To do this, we need to understand the relationships between current, voltage and resistance.

Battery Charger

Battery chargers are designed to supply the electric current needed to keep your battery functioning. These chargers also provide an effective means to jumpstart your car when it's low on juice.

They also help to prevent sulfation, which is a process in which lead sulfate crystals build up on the surface of your battery and render it inoperable. A quality battery charger can significantly extend your car's life if used properly.

When charging a battery, the charger should never supply more power than it can absorb or hold - too much voltage will damage the battery and shorten its lifespan. Batteries will heat up if the charge continues beyond their full state-of-charge (SoC), so always check that you have bought the correct charger for your chemistry of battery.

Battery chargers from Mastervolt are designed to deliver the exact charge current needed for your batteries. This ensures they can be charged quickly and safely, with long battery life.

Power Inverter

Power inverters convert direct current (DC) from batteries or fuel cells to alternating current (AC) that can be used to operate appliances and electronics. Some inverters can also provide and absorb reactive power to help balance the grid.

To make the most out of a power inverter, you must first determine what devices you want to power. Look for a label on each device that tells you the wattage it needs to run properly, and select an inverter with that total wattage rating.

Generally, you need an inverter that can handle the peak and continuous load of all your devices simultaneously. However, if you know that you only plan to use a single appliance at a time, you may be able to get away with a lower-wattage inverter.

Power Supply

Power supplies work to convert incoming سير كهربائي into the voltage and current values needed to power a load. This can be done in a number of ways, depending on the type of power supply.

A standard power supply takes incoming AC electricity and changes it to DC (direct current) power. It does this through a transformer, rectifier, and filter.

The device then cleans the power by reducing ripple voltage, which is residual variations in the output voltage that can cause overheating and damage to the output circuitry.

Some power supplies also have an overcurrent protection system that cuts off power when the supply exceeds a certain load draw level. Some use a thermal cutout buried inside the transformer, while others use a fuse or a foldback current limiter.

Output voltage regulation is important for most electronics. Too low a voltage may cause the computer to freeze or reboot, while too high can destroy the components of the computer. The voltage is regulated by the voltage regulator in a power supply, which can be set to a fixed value or variable according to the load.

Voltage Regulator

Voltage regulators are a critical part of any power supply and electronics reliability picture. They keep your device running safely by regulating the voltage to an output that meets the demands of the circuit and ensures the voltage is consistent.

There are two types of voltage regulators: linear and switching. A linear regulator employs a BJT or MOSFET pass device that adjusts to maintain a constant output voltage by comparing the input voltage with a precise reference voltage.

Using a linear regulator is easy and typically the best choice. However, you should keep in mind that they are less efficient than a switching regulator, so it is important to pick the right one for your needs.

You can also buy a voltage regulator that has inrush current protection to keep your device safe from high input surges when it is first switched on. You should check the regulator’s data sheet to see if it has inrush current protection.