Power supplies are one of the most popular electronic test equipment today due to the increasing need for electrical energy for various purposes. While there are many types of power supplies, variable power supplies are the most superior to use due to the numerous capabilities they offer over linear and unregulated power supplies. Some of the merits of owning a variable power supply for use in various electrical applications include:
A variable power supply comes with a wide range of application
Variable power supplies allow users to control the amount of voltage or current load being transmitted from the source to a given electrical equipment. This means that one can preset the amount of power transmitted to a recommended value thereby eliminating the worry of unprecedented current pikes that occur randomly from time to time. This makes variable power supplies compatible with a wide range of equipment engineered with different voltage requirements. In addition to this, the power supplies are very useful for brownouts (low voltage conditions) as they can be used to boost low line voltages to regular levels. This ensures that electrical equipments are able to operate optimally regardless of the amount of power available at a given time.
It is valuable for equipment testing
Designers often require to test their gadgets beyond ordinary voltage variations in order to discover weaknesses and account for potential stresses that are likely to be faced when the gizmos are put to actual use. An efficient variable power supply is valuable while performing such tasks, as it enables the manufacturer to not only improve the quality and reliability of his products but also mitigate electricity-related accidents that can cause devastating effects to users of their equipment.
High efficiency
One of the most common drawbacks of using linear power supplies is their low power efficiency of between 30% to 60%, especially when regulating a high power load. This means that for every 10 watts of power delivered to the power supply, up to 4 watts is lost within the supply due to headroom loss or heat dissipation. Variable power supplies, on the other hand, are designed to have an efficiency of between 68% to 90% regardless of the input voltage. Over time, this can reduce electricity costs by considerable amounts hence saving the user of unnecessary costs.
Increased product life for electrical equipment
Since variable power supplies can regulate power loads to certain required intervals, electrical devices are able to operate within optimal and recommended conditions. This, in turn, increases the durability and overall product life of the equipment compared to those without variable power supplies. The cost of repair and maintenance is also reduced considerably hence making these supplies generally cheaper to own and use than other less durable power supplies.
In summary, capabilities, usability, and scalability of variable power supplies make them stand out as a reliable, safe, cheap and efficient power supply to use for numerous purposes. Whether you are a hobbyist, student, engineer or just an electronics enthusiast, variable power supplies are worth having in your lab.
