Power supply

Within electronics, the power supply is the fundamental piece in an electrical equipment or device ( computers, printers, washing machines ). These have the sole function of receiving the alternating current that enters from the sockets and converting it into continuous energy to feed the electrical circuits that make up the equipment.

Power supply characteristics

The main characteristics of a power supply are:

• They are found in the vast majority of equipment that requires a large amount of electrical current.
• Some have a current regulator to avoid current spikes that generate expensive bills.
• There are a large number of markets that produce power sources so it is very easy to access one of them
• When the equipment suffers electrical inconveniences, it is mostly at the power source where they receive the most impact.
• This piece began to be discovered thanks to the rise of the ” gamers “
• The best power sources have an electricity regulator, electric consumption reducer, voltage protector, a small electrical charge storage system to continue using the equipment and it is only found in the computer market.

History

There is no specific date when the sources of power are created, some believe it was the company Apple with its first computer version , however, specialists in the field have concluded that it was the company IBM ‘s which created the first model.

Some consider that it was with the first computer that was incorporated, but the truth is that they begin to develop in depth simultaneously with the creation of graphics or video cards .

Parties

The parts of a power supply are:

• An aluminum frame converter.
• Electrical conversion circuit.
• An electrical transformation coil.
• A current rectifier bridge.
• A set of electric capacitors adapted to the circuit.
• AC connection port.
• Connection ports to the different circuits of the equipment in question.
• Switch-type button to turn the piece on or off.
• Cooling system by fan or heat sink.
• In the cases that have it used current meter
• In some cases a small sound system that emits a beep indicating its operation.
• Depending on the model, an insulating fabric covering for the cables.

What is the power supply for?

The power sources consist of a circuit specially created for the conversion of electrical energy , this is kept constant in work, receiving the alternating current pushed by the AC cable , it treats it, converts it and sends it to the rest of the equipment into continuous electrical energy, and always keep your cooling system active to avoid inconveniences.

How does it work

The power supply handles current in a four-stage process:

• The transformation of energy: Where the voltage of the incoming current is reduced (110 or 220 depending on the nation where we are) where a ” Coil ” type transformer intervenes, generating an output of between 5 to 12 volts.
• The rectification process: It is where it is verified and ensured that the current will suffer from oscillations within time. Also it begins to try to convert by means of a Graetz, the current from AC to DC that is to say from alternating to direct.
• The filtering phase: The filtering phase is achieved by refining the energy to the maximum by means of capacitors, which maintain the currents and manage the energy flow, thus achieving the desired effect.
• The stabilizers: As their name indicates, they are already in charge of the final stage , they keep the signal continuously and almost completely flat. Here it has just stabilized completely.

Power supply types

The power sources in the case of computers are separated into two parts, the AT and the ATX:

The AT are older models that connect directly to the motherboard , and its activation fully dependent on a voltage switch , which creates a great risk to the integrity of equipment.

These are rudimentary models, and they are hardly used since their production has been reduced since the launch of the Pentiums on the market. This presented many problems mainly because they had two connectors to the motherboard and when they got mixed up they produced a short circuit.

The ATX are the newest power sources and kept in constant activity, is always present even a little tension to keep it in hibernation mode. In addition, it does not present the voltage switch but rather has a push-button placed on the motherboard, thus facilitating connection and disconnection of it.

Featured Manufacturers

• A- Stars
• Corsair
• M: Yes
• XOU
• Aspharock

Importance of power supply

Without the power sources, the equipment simply could not work, its function is essential within any equipment to maintain it in terms of active current . In addition, in the special cases of sources with added functions, they end up working as another tool when it comes to preventing risks of electronic equipment.