Sola Power Supplies
Sola power supplies are built tough. A key design aspect is the “ruggedizing” of the power supply construction. It can withstand the kinds of environmental conditions one typically encounters in industrial installations. Sola power supplies are rated for operation over a huge temperature range, so they are fine at either end of the 0 to 60 degrees C spectrum. They can handle a wide range of humidities (they have a conformal coating to protect against this) and can soldier on in the presence of electrical noise.
Sola power supplies have many important features, including high efficiency and compact size. This is a key aspect of these devices; they are designed to convert input power—whether it’s AC or DC—into usable output power with as minimal a loss as possible. That’s because the very nature of the power supply is to provide power in a form in which you want to use it. That’s where efficiency comes in. And one nice thing about high efficiency is that it reduces heat. Heat generation in both the power supply and the equipment it serves is a bad thing because long-term exposure to a lot of heat can cause the power supply and connected equipment to fail. The flexible design of Sola power supplies allows them to be mounted directly to machines or production lines, eliminating the need for enclosures and wiring.
Sola power supplies have certain safety provisions in place. They guard against the kinds of common power problems that can cause the power supply’s or the power supply’s loads to fail, a good reason to use power supplies with those protection features in dangerous, noisy, or otherwise troubled power conditions.
More Information about Sola Power Supplies
Sola SLC 4 and 10 Watt encapsulated linears are available in dual and triple outputs for applications with sensitive electronics and analog circuitry. These encapsulated linears are suitable for electrical distribution systems, specifically for the line-side or load-side of the main disconnect. The low-noise power supply modules can be DIN rail or chassis mounted for easy installation and maintenance.
Sola SCP 30 Watt single, dual, and triple series switchers are compact power supplies designed to power industrial control and instrumentation devices with high reliability and tight regulation. The encapsulated design meets IP20 specifications and the wide range of voltages support almost all low-power devices. These switchers meet specific requirements for industrial control and instrumentation devices. They can be DIN rail or chassis mounted and the terminations are easy to access and wire.
Sola SDN DIN rail power supplies are designed with Sag Immunity, transient suppression and noise tolerance to ensure compatibility in demanding applications. Hazardous location approvals, wide temperature range operation and high tolerance to shock and vibration ensures the SDN series provides industry leading performance.
Sola SFL DIN rail switching power supplies complements the SDN products with more input voltage, output voltage and power levels to provide a broader range of industrial DC power solutions. They are available in 12, 24 and 48 VDC output and 115/230 VAC input. These power supplies can be mounted directly to the production line, thus enabling flexible design and reducing complexity and cost.
How to Select and Size a Power Supply
A power supply alters power from one type to another and ensures that the voltage being delivered is the proper level, with the right characteristics, to enable equipment to function properly.
Selecting the right power supply is crucial to help customers solve their toughest challenges and achieve their ambitious goals.
Properly sizing a power supply ensures it meets the requirements of the connected devices, providing reliable and efficient performance.
Power Rating
If a power supply is rated for 5 amps at 24 VDC, (where voltage times amperage equals total wattage) the power rating for that power supply is roughly 120 Watts. This rating is very important because if this number is exceeded, it can cause a failure of the power supply and potentially damage other hardware wired downstream or on the load side of the device. Exceeding the power rating can also lead to voltage surges, which pose risks such as transient noise, harmonics, and changing voltage conditions. To avoid this failure is important that the power supply is sized correctly.
Sizing a Power Supply
To properly size a power supply, identify what devices will be reliant on the power supply and what their total power consumption will be. Transformers play a crucial role in ensuring proper power delivery and conditioning, whether for industrial control or power conditioning. The sum of all power to be delivered needs to be less than the total power rating of the power supply. For example, if the devices combined for a total of 100 Watts, then a 5 AMP power supply, which is rated for up to 120 Watts, would be sufficient. However, if the sum of those devices’ total power requirement is greater than that of the power supply rating, then a different power supply should be selected. It is important to allow for a buffer or safety factor. When sizing a power supply, never select a power supply that is rated for the same amount of power as the total power requirement of all of the devices. Oversizing the power supply will allow for changes and additions that may occur in the future.