Differences Between Power Supplies, Inverters, and

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[0m:4s] Hi I'm Josh Bloom, welcome to another video in the RSP Supply education series. In today's video we're going to be looking at some of the differences between several pieces of hardware that often get confused, even though they are intended for very different purposes. This hardware includes power supplies,

[0m:23s] transformers, inverters, and converters.

[0m:28s] All of this hardware is intended to alter or change the type of power or voltage that you might be using.

[0m:35s] The result you need will directly impact which type of hardware you may want to choose.

[0m:41s] However, it is very common for people to confuse the different types of hardware. Let's discuss each type and what it is intended to do so hopefully by the end of the video you'll be able to have a very clear understanding of each and when you might want to use them. Let's first start with power supplies. A power supply can have many different functions,

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[1m:2s] but most of the time the power supply is intended to take one type of power and convert it to another type of power. The most common example of this is a power supply that takes AC power and converts it to DC power.

[1m:17s] While it is very common to use power supplies and industrial applications, one very common place you will see a power supply being used is for the gadgets you have around your home, such as your smartphone or or tablet,

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[1m:31s] or many other devices we use on a daily basis. You may have noticed that most of those devices come with a power chord with some sort of bulky block at the end of it.

[1m:42s] This block is where you will typically find the power supply.

[1m:45s] So, most of your devices do not actually use AC power, which is the type of power being supplied to your home.

[1m:53s] These devices more commonly use some form of DC power. That little bulky block or power supply is what changes that AC power to the correct form of DC power for your device.

[2m:7s] Power supplies can also be used for other purposes, such as conditioning power, which is basically a way to clear power of any interference or that might affect your electrical equipment. You also see power supplies that are used to convert one type of DC voltage to another type of DC voltage. However, in this case, you may see them referred to as DC power converters which we have here.

[2m:32s] A DC power converter is a type of power supply.

[2m:37s] One last type of power supply we will talk about is referred to as a UPS or uninterruptable power supply.

[2m:45s] The UPS often works in conjunction with a standard power supply and is intended to continue to supply power to your load even when the input power is lost.

[2m:57s] It is able to do this because it uses batteries to supply that power.

[3m:1s] A UPS is a great option when your electrical equipment is performing important tasks that need to be continued in the invent of a power failure. Now let's talk about inverters.

[3m:14s] Inverters work in a similar manner to power supplies with one major difference instead of converting AC power to DC power, the inverter does the exact opposite. It will

RSPSupply www.rspsupply.com 1-888-532-2706 www.youtube.com/RSPSupply change DC power back to AC power. DC power is created by devices such as solar panels or batteries, but often we need AC power for the things that we commonly use.

[3m:40s] For example, if you have solar panels on your roof, the power that is being created comes in a form of or DC power. But, in our homes, most of the things that we need to power require or AC power. So in order to convert the DC power that is generated by the solar panels an inverter is used.

[4m:4s] Lastly, let's talk about transformers. For more detailed information about how transformers, actually work, please see our other video which we will link in the description below. Similar to a power converter that is used for changing only DC power, a is intended to be used with AC power. More specifically, transformers convert one type of AC power to a different type of AC power. For example, your home commonly uses 120 volts AC power. However, there are some electrical devices we use in and around our homes that need AC power, but cannot operate with 120 volts AC power. So, in this case, a transformer is used. If you have an automatic sprinkling system, chances are the valves in that sprinkling system require 24 volts AC power. To do this, a transformer converts 120 volts AC power that is available in our home to 24 volts AC power so that the sprinkler valves can operate properly.

[5m:7s] Transformers come in many different shapes and sizes. It is important to note that transformers can both convert AC power up

[5m:15s] and down, so if greater AC voltage is needed, a transformer will be used, and the same can be said when a lower AC voltage is needed.

[5m:24s] So let's quickly recap. Power supplies most commonly convert AC power to DC power. Power converters are used to change voltage within the DC range only, and UPSs are intended to continue to supply power in the invent of a power failure and are often used with a regular power supply. Inverters are intended to change DC power back to AC power. And lastly, transformers are used to change one type of AC voltage to another type of AC voltage, up or down.

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[6m:1s] For a full line of power supplies and UPS's, inverters, power converters, and transformers and thousands of other products, please go to our website. For more information or other educational videos, go to RSPSupply.com, the Internet's top source for industrial hardware. Also, don't forget: like and subscribe.

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