Paper shows how disturbances affect power supplies

The paper cites four independent authorities explaining how and why power-line disturbances affect switch-mode power supplies and the computer circuitry connected to them.

There is little argument that power disturbances of sufficient magnitude can damage or destroy the power supply.

In addition, some people remain convinced that switched-mode power supplies are effective in protecting electronic circuits from power-quality problems of all kinds.

One piece of evidence occasionally presented to Powervar is a whitepaper authored in the 1980s by a UPS manufacturer.

The whitepaper offers an explanation for why SMPS design makes it impossible for power disturbances to travel through the power supply to the connected electronics.

That argument, however, is based on a perfect-world scenario in which the power supply contains no parasitic elements and no unintended coupling pathways that may allow a power disturbance to sneak through the supply.

Real-world experience has shown that the theoretical, while neat and tidy, seldom exists.

Powervar believes the best explanations of the real world of power-supply design and function come not from manufacturers of UPS products, power conditioners or surge protectors, but from those that design and work with power-supply technology.

Whitepaper 213 can be downloaded from Powervar's website.