GW Instek AC Power Supplies currently can be divided into three categories, AC/DC power source, programmable linear AC power source, and linear AC power source.

ASR-6000 Series High Performance
Programmable AC/DC Power Source

 

• Adopts third-generation semiconductor silicon carbide (SiC) technology to create a 4U 6 kVA high-performance AC/DC power source with high power density
• AC input supports single-phase and three-phase, phase voltage 200 V to 240 V±10 % (Delta or Y connection)

ASR-3000 Series
Programmable AC/DC Power Source

• Output Rating: AC 0 – 400 Vrms, DC 0 - ± 570 V
• Output Frequency up to 999.9 Hz (ASR-3400HF up to 5000 Hz)
• DC Output (100 % of Rated Power)
• Measurement Items: Vrms, Vavg, Vpeak, Irms, IpkH, Iavg, Ipeak, P, S, Q, PF, CF

ASR-2000 Series
Programmable AC/DC Power Source

• Output Rating: AC 0 – 350 Vrms, DC 0 - ± 500 V
• Output Frequency up to 999.9 Hz
• DC Output (100 % of Rated Power)
• Measurement Items: Vrms, Vavg, Vpeak, Irms, IpkH, Iavg, Ipeak, P, S, Q, PF, CF
• Voltage and Current Harmonic Analysis(THDv, THDi)

Why is power supply important?

In the past, the purpose of using the AC power supply was to provide the voltage and frequency of the utility power in various countries and to simulate various phenomena of abnormal power quality. With the development of new energy sources, in addition to using AC power as input, communications and server power supplies can also directly input DC power (HVDC or LVDC) from UPS or energy storage devices to save power consumption from AC to DC conversion.

Test instruments are output-type instruments. The output provided has two purposes. The first purpose is to provide an output with a known error to stimulate (Stimulate) the input of the DUT so that the DUT can operate; the second purpose is to simulate possible fault phenomena by the input to the DUT to observe the fault tolerance of the DUT or to reproduce the fault for circuit debugging.

Why can't the functional test be done directly by utility power?

Take the charger specifications of a notebook computer as an example, the specifications of the input terminals are： 

• Rated input voltage AC 100~240 V
• Operating voltage range AC 90~264 V
• Rated frequency 50/60 Hz±3 Hz

The utility power cannot provide the rated input voltage range of 100~240 V for the global universal charger, and must also provide a stable voltage tolerance range of ±10 %, so it must be able to provide an operating voltage of 90~264 V as the input excitation source.

The autotransformer is cheaper than the AC power supply and can provide a voltage of 90~264 V. Why can't the autotransformer replace the AC power supply?

There are five reasons why autotransformer cannot replace AC power：

1. It has no electrical isolation function.
2. In addition to controlling the variable factor in experiments or product verification, it is necessary to observe the unknown from the known. The voltage of the utility power itself is unstable. Even if you use an electricity meter to confirm that the output of the autotransformer is 90V, it is difficult to guarantee the next second the output of the autotransformer to become 88 V due to the change of the neighbor's load. The experimental purpose cannot be achieved by using the unknown to observe the unknown.
3. The autotransformer cannot provide the frequency range of rated frequency 50/60Hz±3 Hz.
4. The output impedance of the autotransformer will distort the output sine wave, causing the PFC (Power Factor Compensation) circuit of the power supply circuit to track a problematic waveform.
5. It will produce 50 Hz or 60 Hz low-frequency electromagnetic radiation to interfere peripheral circuits.