How to judge the quality of power supply through electronic components?
Judging the quality of the power supply can be achieved by checking the electronic components and design inside the power supply. Here are some key points and indicators for evaluating the quality of power supply:
1. Capacitor
Type: High-quality power supplies usually use solid capacitors (such as aluminum electrolytic solid capacitors) instead of liquid capacitors. Solid capacitors have better heat resistance and longer life.
Brand and specifications: Capacitors from well-known brands (such as Japanese brands Nichicon, Rubycon, Panasonic, etc.) are usually of higher quality. Check the capacitor's withstand voltage value, temperature range (generally above 105°C), and life.
2. Inductor and transformer
Workmanship and materials: High-quality power supplies use high-quality core materials and fine winding processes to ensure stable voltage output and low noise.
Packaging and insulation: Good packaging and insulation materials can improve the safety and reliability of the power supply.
3. Rectifier bridge and diode
Rated current and voltage: The rectifier bridge and diode in a high-quality power supply usually have a higher rated current and voltage to ensure normal operation under high load conditions.
Brand: Components from well-known brands usually have better performance and reliability.
4. MOSFET and IC
Brand and model: MOSFET and control ICs from well-known brands (such as TI, STMicroelectronics, Infineon, etc.) usually have better performance and higher efficiency.
Heat dissipation design: High-quality power supplies will design good heat dissipation structures (such as heat sinks or fans) on MOSFETs and other high-power components to avoid overheating.
5. Printed Circuit Board (PCB)
Material and number of layers: High-quality power supplies use high-quality PCB materials (such as FR-4) and are usually designed with multi-layer boards to improve heat dissipation and electrical performance.
Wiring and welding: Good PCB wiring and welding processes can reduce resistance and improve reliability.
6. Filter circuit
Input filtering: High-quality power supplies are usually equipped with EMI filters at the input to reduce electromagnetic interference.
Output filtering: High-quality filter capacitors and inductors can reduce output ripple and noise and provide a purer voltage output.
7. Protection circuits
Overvoltage protection (OVP), overcurrent protection (OCP), overtemperature protection (OTP), and short-circuit protection (SCP): These protection circuits protect the power supply and load devices under abnormal conditions.
Fuse: Check whether there are fuses or circuit breakers with appropriate ratings to protect the power supply from overload and short circuits.
8. Heat dissipation design
Active and passive heat dissipation: High-quality power supplies are usually equipped with effective heat dissipation designs, including fans, heat sinks, and good air circulation paths to ensure temperature control.
Temperature control circuit: Intelligent fan control can adjust the fan speed according to the temperature, reduce noise, and extend the fan's life.
9. Overall workmanship
Weight and materials: High-quality power supplies are usually heavier because more metal and heat-dissipation materials are used.
Casing and interface: The casing is sturdy, the interface is well-made, the contact is good, and there is no looseness.
By checking the above key components and designs, you can roughly judge the quality of the power supply. In actual applications, you can refer to authoritative reviews and user feedback to select a suitable power supply based on specific needs.
