Mains AC source for industrial use

We discuss to build a regulated mains AC source for our lab. We found a product similair to what we have in mind: The Elgar CW2501 P

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I would like to know how such units are best built. We're working with power electronics and smps. I try to collect service manuals, docs, or other technical information, block diagrams for such units. What I have found so far is that many units feature a linear power stage to drive the loads. Some also use an output transformer. There are also models with PWM regulation, class D amp like stuff. Any advice is appreciated.

Reply to
powerampfreak
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I don't know those unit but if your electronics consume more than 50W or so I would not use a linear driver. I do, essentially a large Kenwood amplifier driven by a function generator and followed by a transformer. It's used to test international designs and also aircraft 400Hz circuitry. But if this runs at 50W in the summer it's not fun ;-)

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Regards, Joerg

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Reply to
Joerg

Ok, so you have a step-up transformer right after the Kenwood amp, right? Well, 50W isn't much, I would say we need at least 1kW, which is not sufficent for some designs.. If the thing is going to be "moveable" we got to find an efficient way of doing this. It's tempting to use a half or full bridge design as power stage.

Reply to
powerampfreak

Yes. That way I can also test for surges, distortion, brown-outs and such since the generator can do arbitrary waveforms.

Seriously, at that power level I would just buy one.

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Regards, Joerg

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Reply to
Joerg

We have a Peavey PA amp, 2 channels, 400 watts RMS per. One goes to a step-up transformer that goes up to 440 VAC, and the other goes to a big old AM transmitter filament transformer so we can put up to 200 amps into a current transformer.

John

Reply to
John Larkin

Then, during lunch break, one of the guys quietly connects his old Gibson, plugs in a big honking stage speaker, turns the Peavey to full blast and plays "Stairway to Heaven" :-)

That would have happened at my first work place, guaranteed.

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Reply to
Joerg

We sell a system with "up to 35,000 watts" of Peavey audio amps. It's used to simulate stadium noise (which we've measured at 120dBA on the sidelines).

Reply to
krw

Then you guys haven't been at the Borussia Dortmund stadium, when the home team scored. That sounds more like an explosion :-)

Here:

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Reply to
Joerg

I'm guessing you don't actually need a 35kW power outlet to power them, though? :-)

I suppose 480V, 100A connectors aren't that uncommon, though...

Reply to
Joel Koltner

35kW isn't gonna cut it for a full-to-the-brim soccer stadium in countries like the UK, Germany or Brazil :-)
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Regards, Joerg

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Reply to
Joerg

Likely a pile of 2KW outlets is more common. ;-)

In commercial buildings it's not uncommon. Stadium lights aren't low power, either. It didn't say it was one amp. ;-)

Reply to
krw

It doesn't have to fill the entire stadium. Just the field. It doesn't have to be deafening in the cheap seats. ;-)

Reply to
krw

Pickering used to use Crown amplifiers to test their little transducers. The amps had low distortion. I'm sure a higher power amp could be found.

Cheers

Reply to
Martin Riddle

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Why is the Defense standing on the side line?

Cheers

;D

Reply to
Martin Riddle

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A hardcore fan would have said "because this is the best darn team in the world" :-)

We have Borussia fan club beer glasses ...

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Reply to
Joerg

=20

Ling and Umholz-dickie come to mind. 10 kW and 50 kW in single amplifiers. Interesting specifications, related to typical use, shaker tables.

Reply to
josephkk

's

s).

in euroland it would be a 3*32A like this

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is16353594.html even the smallest places will have one of those, if not its bigger brothers 3*63A or even 3*125A

-Lasse

Reply to
langwadt

Depending on the model, you can use an industrial motor control inverter / variable speed drive for an ac psu and the power ratings go from a few hundred watts to megawatts. To use them in this mode, you may need an isolation transformer at the output and you need to run them in constant voltage mode with all the variables like vector sensing turned off / minimum. Also, not all are capable of more than about 100Hz o/p. though some go up to 1Khz or more, so you to need read between the lines of the specs to make sure it will work in your application.

If you can make use of them, they can save a fortune over dedicated variable frequency / amplitude ac supplies, I have a square D model for driving a couple of machine tools in the workshop (No 3 ph here) and another Nord Ac 17.5Kva unit with isolated op which is used for testing anything that needs a variable frequency / voltage ac supply. The Nord Ac units, run to 1000Hz op, which makes them quite usefull. We also have a Pacific 750Va unit in the lab here, which is similar format to the

5.25" high Elgar units, variable amplitude 115v 3 ph, but 400Hz only...

Regards,

Chris

Reply to
ChrisQ

Brings back memories. Crown DC300A is what we used in the 70's. iirc,

300 watts per channel into 4 or 8 ohms (?), but would tolerate driving a 2 ohm load if pushed. We used to package them 3 high in a flight case, with big fans.

They used to run quite hot driving W bins :-)...

Regards,

Chris

Reply to
ChrisQ

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