RFxx

Podcast Transcript

Jeff: Welcome to RECOM's Powerful Podcast, where we discuss new topics and products. I'm Jeff Deutschman, your product moderator. From a quarter watt up to 1,000 watts, whether the power is required for an industrial setting, a new IoT gadget, or a high-end medical-grade device, RECOM has you covered.
On this episode, we're going to explore our extremely inexpensive DC/DC 1W converters, the RFXX series, the RFM, RFMM, and RFB. So, Peter, what would you say is the biggest benefit to our RFxx series?

Peter: Well, Jeff, these are going to be the lowest cost converters in our entire portfolio. On top of that, they're manufactured in Taiwan, making them tariff exempt.

Jeff: That is fantastic.

Peter: Yeah, it really is. I'd also like to emphasize that almost all of our DC/DC converters are made in Taiwan, and so they have this economic advantage over a lot of our competitors.

Jeff: Low BOM costs are always a plus. However, even though these are lower in cost, are we making sacrifices to our quality and performance?

Peter: No, Jeff, this is the magic of RECOM. We took the extra time to ensure that even though these parts are lower cost, that they would include the same RECOM quality and reliability that everybody has come to expect.

Jeff: Excellent. We do make quality. How are we able to do such things, Peter?

Peter: Well, there is a slight trade-off when it comes to variety. All the RFxx series have a single part number, meaning there is only one input and output voltage combo available.

Jeff: So, what are the inputs and outputs specifically?

Peter: So, for these parts, we're looking at 5Vin, 5Vout, up to 1W.

Jeff: Wait a second. Why would you need just a 5Vin and 5Vout?

Peter: Good question, Jeff. For many applications, isolating the circuit is advantageous. We call this breaking the ground loop, and it can help with EMI or safety. For these parts, it would only be for EMI due to the low isolation voltage.

Jeff: That is good to know. Is there anything else we should know about this series?

Peter: Yeah, so there are actually a few other specs worth highlighting here. So, this part has a pretty strong temperature range. It can output full load from minus 40°C all the way up to 85°C. And even for lighter loads, you can get all the way up to 100°C. It's important to note that these parts also come in a SIP-4 or SIP-7 package and have either a 1kV or 4kV isolation.

Jeff: That is impressive for a 1W converter, Peter. Well, thanks for sharing all about the RFxx series with us. Well, that wraps it up for another episode of RECOM's Powerful Podcast. Be sure to listen next time when we delve into the pros of another RECOM topic. As always, please contact your regional sales manager for any samples or pricing. Our applications engineers are always happy to assist you with any technical questions or requests. You can email them at techsupportamericas@recom-power.com. Until then, have a great day and always remember, RECOM powers your products!