RACM230-G, RACM550-G

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'll be focusing on two of our newest AC/DC converters, the RACM230-G and the RACM550-G. Peter, what should the audience know about these two supplies?

Peter: Well, Jeff, as you mentioned, these are both open-frame AC/DC converters, and they're a little bit higher power than what we're typically known for.

Jeff: Gotcha. And what kind of power are we looking at?

Peter: Yeah, so let's start with the RACM550-G. This part has a peak power capability of 550W.

Jeff: Okay, that makes sense. But what about the continuous power?

Peter: Yeah, great question. So, this comes down to a lot of different factors, the most important being the thermal considerations.

Jeff: Okay, so what can customers do to maximize the output power for this part?

Peter: So, to continuously operate with a 550W output, the end customer will need to utilize the onboard baseplate as well as implement forced air cooling with a fan or something.

Jeff: And how does that baseplate help?

Peter: Yeah, so the onboard base plate needs to be in contact with another thermal conductor. This allows for heat to efficiently transfer away from the power supply.

Jeff: Makes sense. What kind of power can they get with just a base plate and no fan?

Peter: Yeah, so with just base plate cooling alone, customers can still drive loads up to 300W. So still a pretty good power output there.

Jeff: I imagine it's a similar scenario with the RACM230-G.

Peter: Exactly. So, with the fan and base plate, we're talking the full 230W. With just the base plate, that drops down to 160W. And you should know both parts have an independent smart fan output, so they don't need to worry about another power source for that option.

Jeff: Okay, now that we've got power out of the way, tell us about some of the other good specs.

Peter: Yeah, so both parts accept universal input voltage range and have standard output voltage options ranging from 24V to 56V. And the RACM230-G even offers a lower 12V option.

Jeff: Very nice variety. How does the efficiency look?

Peter: Efficiency looks pretty good. So, as you increase in power, obviously efficiency becomes increasingly important. So, both parts fall in the range of 91 to 94% and have standby power consumption less than half a watt.

Jeff: What other special features should we know about these?

Peter: Yeah, so the 550W has a on-off control as well as a 5V VSB output for lighter secondary loads. A nice feature that isn't super common to our products.

Jeff: Nice. Let's wrap up with the certifications.

Peter: Sure. So, both parts are medical grade converters, which are certified to CSA-CAN 60601 and ANSI 60601. They cover 2MOPP and have 4kVAC of reinforced isolation.

Jeff: Okay. The obvious question here is, I did not hear you mention UL.

Peter: That's right, but don't worry. UL accepts CSA and ANSI certificates as their own, so customers will have no issues getting their product certified.

Jeff: Great. Thanks for clearing that up, Peter. Looks like we have two new great additions to the RECOM portfolio. 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!