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Computer power supply

A modern computer power supply is a switched-mode supply designed to convert 110-240 V AC power from the mains supply, to several output both positive (and historically negative) DC voltages in the range + 12V,-12V,+5V,+5VBs and +3.3V. The first generation of computers power supplies were linear devices, but as cost became a driving factor, and weight became important, switched mode supplies are almost universal.

The diverse collection of output voltages also have widely varying current draw requirements, which are difficult to all be supplied from the same switched-mode source. Consequently most modern computer power supplies actually consist of several different switched mode supplies, each producing just one voltage component and each able to vary its output based on component power requirements, and all are linked together to shut down as a group in the event of a fault condition.

The most common modern computer power supplies are built to conform to the ATX form factor. The power rating of a PC power supply is not officially certified and is self-claimed by each manufacturer.[10]A common way to reach the power figure for PC PSUs is by adding the power available on each rail, which will not give a true power figure. The more reputable makers advertise "True Wattage Rated" to give consumers the idea that they can trust the power advertised.

Switched-mode power supply
Main article: Switched-mode power supply
A computer's switched mode power supply unit.

A switched-mode power supply (SMPS) works on a different principle. AC mains input is directly rectified without the use of a transformer, to obtain a DC voltage. This voltage is then sliced into small pieces by a high-speed electronic switch. The size of these slices grows larger as power output requirements increase.

The input power slicing occurs at a very high speed (typically 10 kHz — 1 MHz). High frequency and high voltages in this first stage permit much smaller step down transformers than are in a linear power supply. After the transformer secondary, the AC is again rectified to DC. To keep output voltage constant, the power supply needs a sophisticated feedback controller to monitor current draw by the load.

Modern switched-mode power supplies often include additional safety features such as the crowbar circuit to help protect the device and the user from harm.[4] In the event that an abnormal high current power draw is detected, the switched-mode supply can assume this is a direct short and will shut itself down before damage is done. For decades PC computer power supplies have also provided a power good signal to the motherboard which prevents operation when abnormal supply voltages are present.

Switched mode power supplies have an absolute limit on their minimum current output. [5] They are only able to output above a certain power level and cannot function below that point. In a no-load condition the frequency of the power slicing circuit increases to great speed, causing the isolation transformer to act as a tesla coil, causing damage due to the resulting very high voltage power spikes. Switched-mode supplies with protection circuits may briefly turn on but then shut down when no load has been detected. A very small low-power dummy load such as a ceramic power resistor or 10 watt light bulb can be attached to the supply to allow it to run with no primary load attached.

Power factor has become a recent issue of concern for computer manufacturers. Switched mode power supplies have traditionally been a source of power line harmonics and have a very poor power factor. Many computer power supplies built in the last few years now include power factor correction built right into the switched-mode supply, and may advertise the fact that they offer 1.0 power factor.

By slicing up the sinusoidal AC wave into very small discrete pieces, the portion of the alternating current not used stays in the power line as very small spikes of power that cannot be utilized by AC motors and results in waste heating of power line transformers. Hundreds of switched mode power supplies in a building can result in poor power quality for other customers surrounding that building, and high electric bills for the company if they are billed according to their power factor in addition to the actual power used. Filtering capacitor banks may be needed on the building power mains to suppress and absorb these negative power factor effects.

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