Contents
- 1Introducing the Enermax MaxPro 600 W (EMP600AGT)
- 1.1Packaging and accessories
- 2Connectors & cabling
- 2.1Casing & cooling
- 3Input filtering
- 4Primary side
- 4.1+5 V stand-by rail
- 5Secondary side
- 5.1Build quality
- 6Load testing
- 6.1Loading +5 V SB
- 6.2Hold-up time
- 6.3Combined loading
- 6.4Combined loading ripple
- 6.5Crossloading, overloading
- 6.6Crossloading, overloading ripple
- 6.7Fan speed, temperatures and noise
- 7Conclusion and evaluation
- 7.1Thanks
- 7.2Discussion
Input filtering
The first stage of the input filtering of the EMP600AGT uses a partially shielded AC receptacle with two ceramic Y capacitors and a single film X capacitor. There’s only a single-pole AC switch and no ferrite ring.
Then there are two more Y capacitors (with the fifth one residing between the primary and secondary side), one X capacitor, two common mode chokes and a single differential choke. Next to it we have a varistor and also a thermistor (by the input capacitor). The thermistor has no heatshrink tubing on it. You may also notice the chokes are rather small and use relatively thin wire. Clearly the cost was of more concern here over the unit’s efficiency (as the chokes will have greater losses).
However, the X-capacitor discharge IC is in fact present in the EMP600AGT, the Power Integrations CAP004DG. It is located directly on the board after the fuse so it will discharge all the caps under normal conditions. But in case the fuse blows, the X cap that sits directly on the input receptacle must (and does) have its own bleed resistor. This creates losses and negates the benefit of the discharge IC.
The X capacitors (between the live and neutral) and Y capacitors (between live and ground/neutral and ground) are used to filter out high-frequency ripple that emanates from the power grid. That is the noise of which manifests in the form of feedback from electronic devices which lack adequate filtering due to cost cutting. But also from devices where filtering was very difficult to implement (powerful devices, e.g. microwave ovens). It also prevents ripple from this unit itself from feeding back into the grid.
Chokes are used for the same reason, and together with the X/Y capacitors they form an input filter. Such filters are often made as one component, they may also be integrated together with AC receptacle. These components may also (partially) help to filter smaller voltage spikes in the power grid. To suppress more serious spikes (for example from distant lightning strikes hitting the power grid), the MOV (metal-oxide varistor) is used. Thermistor is then used to suppress current spikes when first connecting the unit to power (i.e. flipping the power switch).
The Y capacitors are also often situated between the high-voltage primary and the low-voltage secondary sides. These days, more Y capacitors are used even between primary common (ground after an input rectifier) and earth ground to suppress internal interference and keep it from getting to the secondary side. It is because really high-frequency ripple goes everywhere it can to some extent (including coupling through the insulation, metal casing etc…). That is also why the AC wires themselves are often inserted through the ferrite toroid inductor (to suppress such coupling).
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