Key Reasons of an AC Power Source Makes Quality and Safety Difference

The technological revolution has had a profound impact on our lives. Due to the technologies evolving, the international safety agency formulated strict electrical safety requirements to ensure electrical products are safe and achieve superior innovation performance. Despite most manufacturers paying attention to the safety testing and following the standard required to perform the test, they often neglect the importance of AC power sources and rely on utility or variable transformers to power their products. It may result in improper test setup and noncompliance. Therefore, to comply with international standards and increase productivity, an AC power source can be one of the most valuable investments for manufacturers. In the following, we will share the applications and benefits of using an AC power source and how to select the AC Source.

Power Voltage and Frequency Are Different Around the World

The traditional power alternative, such as utility power and variable transformers, are not ideal power sources for compliance testing because they are fixed and unregulated. If manufacturers rely on utility power for compliance testing, they may not be able to comply with the testing procedures. Let’s look at an example. The IEC 60601 leakage current test required the product to be tested at 110% nominal line voltage, but it is impossible to adjust the output voltage of utility power. Further, many international standards require using the nominal operating frequency of the product for conducting the test. In the EU, the utility power is 50 hertz. A manufacturer in the US can only simulate the plugging into a 60 Hz wall outlet, so it fails to meet the standards’ requirements. Using a simple variable transformer is another alternative power source. It can adjust the output voltage to 110% of the nominal condition. However, it won’t be able to adjust the output frequency and lead to fails to meet the international standards’ frequency requirement. The manufacturers won’t allow to ship their products the oversea if it fails to meet the requirements of the standards.

Simulating the Voltage Abnormal Change to Meet the IEC 61000 Requirement

Let’s take a look another example. Most electrical product should comply with IEC 61000-4-11 Electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) standards to evaluate the immunity of electrical and electronic equipment when subjected to voltage dips, short interruptions, and voltage variations. Depending on the class of product, the standard has established different test levels and duration to simulate the voltage abnormal change. The test level can be 0%,40%,70%, and 80% of nominal voltage. The duration requires from 1 cycle to 300 cycles under 50/60 Hz. Therefore, the output voltage and frequency must be adjustable to conduct the IEC 61000-4-11 immunity test.

Tolerance Test to Ensure LED’s Quality and Performance

According to Ikonix's industrial experience, many LED manufacturers would consider each country's utility power at different voltages. To ensure the product is high quality and safe, they will add tolerance voltage to the test voltage. Generally, it is the rated voltage plus or minus 10% of the voltage. For example, the LED street light can reach 277V. The manufacturers would use 240V or 305V to conduct the test. And some of them would choose higher voltage (about 310V) to simulate various real-world severe situations in the performance test. It is hard for utility power and variable transformers to achieve.

How to Select an AC Power Source

The AC source is different from the traditional alternative sources. It can generate worldwide voltages and frequencies and provide stable and clean test products for global markets. Using AC source in the safety test, the manufacturers can perform the test with accuracy and compliance and allow to sell their products globally. Therefore, many manufacturers who care about their products' quality and safety would consult with Ikonix Asia for a complete safety test solution. The most common question is how to select the right power source. In the following, we will share the selecting tips with you. First, you need to know the DUTs' nominal voltage, frequency, and current capabilities. Let's take a look the table below. The nominal voltage of the 3 Horsepower Single Phase Motor is 230.0 V, the frequency is 60 Hz, and the current is 13.2A @ 230V. In addition, you also need to understand the Crest Factor*, Total Harmonic Distortion (THD)*, and the input power requirement of the AC power source itself. Eec An Ikonix Brand has a complete AC power source product series that cover various capacities from 500VA to 150kVA and provide up to 600Vac output voltage and up to 1200Hz output frequency. It also provides a variety of waveform editing capabilities to simulate real-world power situations and meet the needs of customers’ different testing requirements.

* Crest Factor: A commonly used indicator in the AC power source field. It is the ratio of the inrush current to the rated working current. The following are the Crest Factor of commonly seen electronic products: desk lamps can be as high as 3.75, IT equipment is about 3, and home appliances are about 1.4.
* Total Harmonic Distortion (THD): Low Total Harmonic Distortion can output low noise power and provide a perfect power output waveform to meet the strict requirements of users. Generally, this value is less than 1%.

3 Horsepower Single Phase Motor
Catalog NumberCL3619TM
EnclosureTEFC
Frame184TC
Frame MaterialSteel
Output @ Frequency3,000HP@ 60 HZ
Synchronous Speed Frequency1800 RPM @60HZ
Voltage @ Frequency230.0 V @60 HZ
Current @ Voltage13.200 A @ 230.0 V
Design Code:L

Power is not just related to the voltage and current. It can further divide into different types of power and applications. If you like to learn more about it, Ikonix Asia Academy is hosting an online training course to introduce what is the power and power source relevant information. Limit spot available, so register today.

Ikonix has more than 85 years of industry expertise and experience. We dedicate to the R&D and manufacturing of safety testing instruments and AC power sources and actively cooperate with leading manufacturers and laboratories to provide suitable solutions for various industries.

Many customers choose the simple adjustable power source that allows workers to operate with an intuitive push button and maximizes efficiency. So, they choose the 6900S series AC power supply. Real-time frequency adjustment from 40Hz to 450Hz and a range of voltage settings up to 310V meet the rigorous demands of various deployments. To limit the excessive noise interference affecting the test results, the communication and audio and video equipment industry's customers choose the 6700 series linear programmable AC power supply. The ultra-low resolution and a clean and ultra-low noise design are well-suited. Industries with high power requirements, such as charging piles or air conditioning systems, will choose the 6300 series high-power programmable three-phase AC power supply. This series provides a large capacity of up to 150kVA, an ultra-high output voltage of 600V and a wide frequency output, and can also meet relevant regulations and needs of the aviation industry. High power industry, such as charging stations or air conditioning, generally choose the 6300 series high-power programmable three-phase AC power supply. This series provides a large capacity of up to 150kVA, an ultra-high output voltage of 600V and a wide frequency output.

With the rapidly changing markets and industry applications, we have introduced the new eec brand EAL–5000 Series Programmable AC Power Source. The advanced high power density technology is designed to establish ultimate compactness. EAL-5000 series provide 6 various capacity models, from 500VA to 6,000VA, and 2 levels of upgradeable performance packages for different needs. A simple choice of the right product for the right use at the right price. Besides, both packages provide greater frequency ranges from 5Hz to 1,200Hz and more flexible waveform testing functions that include transient and end angles in simulating power surges and sags. Exclusive on the advanced packaged, with the new library function tailored for production line testing. The commonly used complex waveform tests program or IEC 61000 required measurements can be quickly set into the EAL-5000 series.And a greater frequency ranges from 5Hz to 1,200Hz. Users only need three steps to complete the tasks without needing a computer or software. If you are interested to learn more about the EAL-5000 series AC power source, please contact our sales representative immediately.