An electrical device known as a power supply transforms the electric current that enters from a power supply, such as the power mains, into the voltage and current values required for energizing a load. A power supply aims to provide the load with the appropriate voltage and current. A power source that delivers alternating current (AC) electricity to a load is known as an AC power supply. There are different types of AC power input types used in different industries. Frequently, the power provided by power sockets (mains supply) and different power storage systems needs to be matched with the power required by the load. Read More…
Leading Manufacturers
TDK-Lambda Americas Inc.
National City, CA | 800-275-5224TDK-Lambda Americas designs and manufactures a wide range of AC-DC and DC-DC power supplies and EMI Filters for Medical, Telecom, Industrial, Datacom, and Test & Measurement applications worldwide. The company has been a major provider of power solutions since 1948. TDK-Lambda is a subsidiary of the TDK Corporation, a leading global electronics company.
Acopian Power Supplies
Easton, PA | 800-523-9478For 4 decades, Acopian Power Supplies has specialized in long lasting power supplies (0 volts – 30000 V). We offer AC power supplies, DC power supplies, AC to DC converters, uninterruptible power supply (UPS), AC to DC power supplies & high voltage power supplies. With quality customer service & technical support, we have thousands of power supplies for thousands of applications.
Applied Power Systems, Inc.
Hicksville, NY | 516-935-2230APS are specialists in power conversion and the manufacture of high performance power systems. Products include power converters and inverters; motor drives and brakes; battery chargers; AC and DC power supplies; driver circuits and more. Custom and standard power systems are available.
Triad Magnetics
Perris, CA | 951-277-0757Our company offers a variety of standard and custom power supplies. These items are great for a wide range of applications. If you have any special requests then please let our representatives know. If you ever run into any questions or issues then our engineers are available to assist you. There is no project too challenging for our teams! Give us a call today!
Quail Electronics, Inc.
Livermore, CA | 800-669-8090At Quail Electronics, we are your power cord specialists. Our power supplies consist of green dot cords, high voltage cords, North American and international cords, specialty cords, plus adapters, plugs and strips.
How Alternating Current Works
According to Faraday's Law of electromagnetic induction, if a machine is built to spin a magnetic field around a group of static armature winding with the rotating of an axis, AC voltage will be generated across the armature winding as that shaft is turned. An AC generator, commonly referred to as an alternator, operates on this fundamental premise. When connected to the load, this flipping voltage polarity causes the circuit's current to flow in the opposite direction. An alternator generates an alternating voltage and current that alternates directions more frequently over a given period as the shaft is spun more quickly.
AC Waveforms
The waveform describes the size and path of the current. Plotting the instantaneous coordinate values of the current or voltage versus time yields the AC waveforms. Other AC waveforms include the triangle, square, saw tooth, and sine wave, which is the most prevalent.
Continuous waves, sine waves, are distinguished by their distinctive S-shape that pulsates above and below zero. Their plot's x-axis is divided into degrees, which stand for time; therefore, time is stated in degrees. On the other hand, the voltage or current is represented by the y-axis. A wave has finished a cycle when it has traveled between zero to three hundred and sixty.
A (t) = Amax sin (2ft) is a mathematical equation that describes AC sine waves.
Some parameters associated with the Sine Wave:
- The highest current or voltage that the AC waveform may produce is referred to as amplitude (Amax). Additionally, it describes how strong the current or voltage is. On a sine wave graph, it appears as the greatest and lowest peaks, respectively, corresponding to the plot's 900 and 2700 x-coordinates. When the amplitude hits 2700, it will turn negative. However, the negative sign denotes that the wave's orientation is reversed and that the voltage and current values are greater than zero. Peak voltage is the highest possible voltage that can be found in an AC waveform.
- Frequency: The number of times a pulse cycle repeats in one second. The frequency is measured in Hertz (Hz, cycles per second). This is one of the crucial factors that are usually set in AC electrical systems.
- The length of time needed to finish one cycle is called the period (T). It is the same as 1/f. Periods of high-frequency waves are shorter.
- The mean of all instant voltages and currents during one wave cycle is referred to as mean voltage and mean current, respectively. If there is no superimposed DC, they are equal to zero for AC sine waves because the wave is fluctuating symmetrically above and below zero.
- The theoretically comparable DC voltage or current that would emit the same amount of power or heat as the observed AC voltage or current is known as the root-mean-square (RMS) voltage or current. A statistical gauge of the size of several quantities is the RMS. The RMS voltage of an AC sine waveform is equal to the maximum voltage divided by the square root of two. The operating AC voltage is calculated using this value.
- An angular difference between two pulses is referred to as a phase difference. It calculates the interval between the leading and lagging waves. The corresponding angles at which the oscillations reach their lowest or highest peaks can be subtracted to get the answer.
Applications of Alternating Power Supply
Most power plants generate AC electrical energy distributed by most electrical systems. It is the standard method of delivering energy to our residences, places of business, and industries. This is so because generating and transmitting AC is far more affordable and effective than DC. Transformers can step up and down the voltage of an AC to minimize the power lost during transmission. Additionally, because they rely on the reversible nature of AC, transformers can only be used with AC.
Choosing the Proper AC Power Supply Company
To make sure you have the most beneficial outcome when purchasing AC Power Supplies from an AC Power Supply Company, it is important to compare at least 4 Suppliers using our list of AC Power Supply companies. Each AC Power Supply Supplier has a business profile page that highlights their areas of experience and capabilities and a contact form to directly communicate with the manufacturer for more information or request a quote. Review each AC Power Supply business website using our patented website previewer to get an idea of what each business specializes in, and then use our simple RFQ form to contact multiple AC Power Supply businesses with the same quote.
