Power Supply Basics: What They Are, How They Work, and How to Extend Their Lifespan
It’s kind of a no-brainer to understand that all our wonderful devices require power. Most often, when we think about needing power, we mean the power to our home, and from the outlets in the wall or our car’s charging ports into our devices. But have you ever wondered what happens when the power reaches the device, and how your device makes use of that power? The power supply is the unsung hero that keeps your device’s internal components working, and it’s usually the last thing on anyone’s mind—until it fails. We’re going to get into the basics of the power supply, why they’re so important, and how to keep yours functioning well. We’ll talk about the different types of power supply units, how they work, and how to maintain and troubleshoot them. Let’s get started!
What is a Power Supply?
A power supply is a unit that provides electrical power to an electrical or electronic system. It converts electricity from a source like an electrical outlet into its appropriate form for the device. For example, the power coming out of your wall outlets is Alternating Current (AC). Why that matters is fodder for another post, but you do need to know that most things you can actually hold in your hand need Direct Current (DC) rather than Alternating Current. Your phones, computers, tablets, and laptops, LED lightbulbs, and battery-operated devices all need Direct Current. It’s the power supply that converts AC into DC so your devices can use it. The power supply regulates the voltage, current, and sometimes the frequency, to make sure that each component in the device receives the right flow of electricity and in a consistent rate. It’s a converter and a regulator.
Types of Power Supplies
Although the job of any power supply is to supply power, different types of devices require power delivery specific to them. As a result, there are different types of power supplies. This is a summary that doesn’t require an engineering degree.
AC to DC
These units take the AC power from the wall and convert it to the DC power that the device needs. On a desktop computer or a network device like a router or a switch, when you plug the computer end of he power cord into the device, you’re actually plugging it into the power supply unit. Some industrial components use a similar power delivery system to deliver the DC power to various components.
DC to DC
When we think of DC-to-DC power conversion, we can apply the concept to our smartphones and tablets, but also to laptops! Although we view laptops as computers, their power intake and delivery are more similar to smartphones. The AC Adapter of a laptop functions pretty closely to the way that little chunky block that you plug into the outlet for your phone or tablet. The biggest difference is that with a laptop, the AC power travels from the outlet to the adapter, where a rectifier inside converts it to DC power. The power adapter of a tablet or phone is integrated inside that little chunky block that you plug into the outlet.
For both laptops and mobile devices (phones and tablets, primarily), after the power leaves the adapter, it reaches the device’s battery and provides a charge to the battery, and the battery manages power delivery and regulation to components that require power.
Uninterruptible Power Supplies (UPS)
Uninterruptible Power Supplies are units that contain a battery but supply AC power to devices while charging a battery using power converted to DC power. In the event of a power outage, the UPS senses that no AC power is arriving from the source and switches the deliver to the battery.
While a UPS may very well carry a user through a power outage, that’s not the purpose of them. A UPS will provide power sufficient to perform a graceful shutdown (yes, that’s the technical term). We don’t like to have the device going down hard without power, possibly causing data loss and device damage.
It’s tempting to plug everything into a UPS so nothing ever has to lose power during a short outage. However, you shouldn’t plug a laser printer into one. It’s not hazardous to the printer, but laser printers experience a sharp increase in power need during certain printing phases, which can cause the UPS battery to drain more quickly. Remember, the purpose of the UPS isn’t to let you keep working, it’s to get you to a graceful shutdown.
Key Components
- Transformers – adjust the voltage; they transform the voltage from one level to another
- Rectifiers – convert AC to DC; found in all AC adapters or power chargers
- Capacitors – Stabilize the voltage by either absorbing or releasing charge
- Voltage regulators – ensure consistent output; found in the power supply unit of desktops, and in the battery units of mobile devices.
Common Power Supply Problems
Anything that supplies or uses electricity can have problems, and it’s important to recognize them as quickly as possible. Let’s look at the things you’re most likely to encounter.
Overheating: The most common source of power supply overheating is poor ventilation. However, overloading the demands on the power supply can also cause it to overheat. Additionally, as a power supply ages, it becomes less efficient at providing power, causing it to work harder. Improper wiring and a faulty design are other causes.
Insufficient power: If your power supply can’t provide sufficient power, the whole system is likely to be unstable. It may crash/shut down/blue screen frequently. It might reboot itself at random times. You may see low frame rates or video “stuttering.” It also may work so hard that the device gets hot, or your peripherals may not work right.
Maintaining Your Power Supply
Most importantly, give it plenty of space. A power supply needs good ventilation in order to prevent overheating. Clean vents and fans regularly to avoid dust buildup. Make sure your power supply is rated to handle any additional loads you want to ask of it, like extra hard drives or high-power processors. Use a surge protector to prevent power spikes from damaging the power supply. Avoid frequent power cycling unless you’re troubleshooting. For best performance, turn the system off only when you need to, and let it use a sleep mode to save the battery or power.
Your Turn
Do you give your power supply a lot of thought? Now you have a better idea of how you can keep it in its best condition. Have you experienced power supply issues or overheating? Share your experience in the comment section below the Related Posts block.
Here are a few links if you want to learn more:
How Does a Power Supply Works: Understanding the Basics
Power Supply Essentials: The Basics
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