DIN Rail Standards and Their Evolution
DIN-rail power supplies offer many advantages for
industrial applications, but they also present the user with a few challenges. The German Institute for Standardization (Deutsches Institut für Normung, DIN) is the official national standards body representing Germany internationally. The DIN includes
numerous standards, including the DIN rail standard for mounting power supplies and related devices (circuit breakers, relays, contactors, terminal blocks, data network components, programmable logic controllers, etc.).
The DIN rail, introduced in the 1920s, was designed to standardize the mounting of switchgear and facilitate the exchange of components between different manufacturers. DIN rail mounting has revolutionized control cabinets for industrial applications. It was so effective that it quickly spread throughout Europe and the rest of the world, eventually becoming the IEC/EN 60715 standard.
Ergonomic Design and Tool-Free Installation
The power supplies of the RACPRO1-T240, -T480, and -T960 series have a universal AC and DC input voltage range of 3x320VAC to 3x575VAC and 430VDC to 850VDC in the 240W, 480W, and 960W power classes. The -T240 series also supports two-phase operation from 2x350VAC to 2x575VAC, ensuring continuous operation without power reduction even if one phase fails. An under-voltage lockout (UVLO) in conjunction with a turn-on hysteresis prevents the uncontrolled switching on of the power supply in the event of a brownout or when using a fluctuating grid.
Wide Operating Temperature and Power Boost Features
An extended surge strength of up to 6kV at the input and an increased reverse voltage strength of >35V at the output, in conjunction with an extended temperature range of -40°C to +70°C, enable use in harsh industrial environments as well as in outdoor applications in the renewable energies sector. The RACPRO1-T480 and -T960 series achieve a power factor of >0.9 thanks to innovative circuit topology, although, in contrast to conventional designs, a separate PFC stage has been dispensed with. Active inrush current limiting allows external circuit breakers to be dimensioned more precisely and their current load to be reduced upon switch-on.
The RACPRO1-T power supplies are characterized by an outstanding efficiency of up to 94.1% and 96.9%, which allows for a very high packing density with an extremely slim design of only 43mm (-T240), 52mm (-T480), and 80mm (-T960). The devices can be mounted directly on the DIN rail without additional spacing between them, which means that the remaining space can be fully utilized for other components. The low power dissipation and the optimized thermal PCB design achieve an exceptional lifespan of over 80,000 hours at full load and an ambient temperature of 40°C.
The operating temperature of the RACPRO1 power supplies ranges from -40°C to +70°C at full power output up to 60°C and a power boost of 150% for 5 seconds to start up against high capacitive and inductive loads. With a thermal power bonus of 120% at 45°C, the user may be able to do without an additional power supply if their system is not operated permanently in the higher temperature range.
The RACPRO1-T480 and -T960 have an LED load display that shows the actual energy output in real-time mode. A separate switch allows the user to switch between standard mode with 150% power boost, battery charging mode with constant current characteristics, and parallel operation with passive load sharing without additional equalization lines. The system’s energy consumption remains minimal during standby mode or maintenance work, thanks to its low no-load power consumption ranging from 1W (-T240) to 3W (-T480 and -T960).
