Are you an engineer looking to spec out a military-grade project with a land-based power supply? Tracked, wheeled, and other types of military vehicles require power for many essential features. For integration purposes, military-grade power supplies must be compatible with the voltage levels used in military vehicles.
To ensure that military vehicles are reliable in and out of combat, military-grade power supplies must meet strict standards such as MIL-STD-1275. These standards measure input compatibility, protection from electromagnetic interference, and shock absorption. Learn more about choosing the best power supply for your land-based project.
Military ground vehicles encounter rugged terrain in a variety of climates. They require a robust, stable power supply that functions optimally regardless of environmental or situational conditions. Land-based power supplies must be equipped to handle:
Many features in a military vehicle depend on a reliable power source. Communication systems, guidance systems, engine control, and other sensitive systems all need compliant and reliable power solutions to operate effectively. For safety reasons, military vehicle power sources need protection from short circuits, electrical overload, and polarity issues. They must operate regardless of interruptions or malfunctions.
Land-based military power supplies are energy-efficient and produce abundant power without weighing down vehicles. You can find off-the-shelf power supply forms or create a custom form to suit your project specifications. Ruggedized mounting frames and hermetically sealed modules provide additional protection for military power supplies.
To perform at the required military-grade level, all land-based power supplies must meet strict military standards including MIL-STD-1275, MIL-STD-461, and MIL-STD-810. These standards measure input voltage requirements, EMI shielding, and the ability to withstand shock and vibration.
The military requires 28-VDC electrical systems to perform at a high level in harsh environments. Whether your land-based operation needs power in the jungle or a desert, a military-grade power supply can handle it all. By meeting the strict standards required, these power supplies are built to operate without malfunctioning.
There are many benefits to choosing military-grade power supplies. They’re made of the highest-quality materials, go through rigorous verification testing, and are designed to operate in harsh conditions. Here are eight benefits of military-grade power supplies for land operations:
Some military vehicles require more power than others to operate. To support electrical systems, military-grade power supplies are built to meet vehicle specifications with the right power capacity. Many ground military vehicle systems operate with DC-DC power, so ground power supplies are often designed with this input and output option.
During a military operation, it would be disastrous for a power supply to malfunction, overheat, or suddenly stop working. Military-grade power supplies are extensively tested to ensure they’re reliable under extreme conditions, such as changes in temperature, vibration, and humidity.
For an additional layer of security, military-grade power supplies are constructed with safety features like overtemperature, overvoltage, and short-circuit protection. They’re also equipped with an EMI filter and other safeguards so nearby communication signals or intentional electrical interference won’t affect them.
Ground power supplies must function well in many temperatures. To keep them from overheating, military-grade power supplies have different cooling systems. Forced air systems use a fan to keep power supplies cool, while natural convection cooling involves the transfer of heat from a device to a fluid, such as air. These cooling options are approved for military use, but one may be best for your specific application.
Not every power supply integrates smoothly with every ground vehicle. Reliable integration comes from understanding the best voltage for ground powered systems and being aware of standard mounting hardware and common military connectors. When you work with a military power industry expert to design and manufacture power supplies, you can ensure easy compatibility between vehicles and power supplies.
Military-grade power supplies are designed for minimal maintenance and often equipped with a hermetic seal to protect them from dust, dirt, and moisture. To prevent power supplies from taking up too much space or weight in a military vehicle, they’re also energy-efficient, delivering a lot of power for their size.
Before they can be approved as military-grade, power supplies must meet rigorous standards set by the military for their power supplies. Ground-based power supplies must meet standard MIL-STD-1275, which ensures voltage compatibility with a military vehicle. Additional standards MIL-STD-461 and MIL-STD-810 ensure high performance in harsh environments.
Because military-grade power supplies are ruggedized and built with the highest-quality materials, they may have a high initial cost. However, their quality means they will have a long lifecycle, recouping these initial expenses.
Consider power compliance and durability to find the right power supply for your application. A land-based operation means your power supply must handle unique challenges and meet all military standards for power supplies for ground vehicles. It should have EMI shielding, vibration protection, and a seal against dirt, dust, and sand.
The exact specifications of your power supply will depend on vehicle specifications and the circumstances they may encounter. Once you have a clear vision of your needs, you can build a power solution that meets all requirements with optimal performance. You may need custom forms, inputs and outputs, and ruggedized mounting.
You should find a trusted organization, like ACT, to design or manufacture your power supply. An experienced partner can help you solve design challenges, achieve preferred specifications, and meet compliance standards. If you have custom requests or specific concerns, you can work them out together.
If you’re looking for a trusted partner in designing and manufacturing military-grade power supplies for land-based operations, look no further than Advanced Conversion Technology (ACT). At ACT, we’ve served the United States military and prime defense contractors with reliable military-grade power supplies since 1981.
We offer field-proven AC-DC MIL-COTS and DC-DC MIL-COTS power supplies, custom power supplies, and build-to-print solutions. Our land-based products are quality tested for environmental stress and compliant with military standards MIL-STD-1275, MIL-STD-461, and MIL-STD-810. Because safety is paramount, our quality management system is certified to AS9100D and ISO9001:2015 for ruggedized power supplies.
Can’t find what you need in our stock? We have extensive experience designing custom power supplies that meet unique specifications, like form, input and output, and mounting. As an industry leader, we consider it an honor to support our nation’s armed forces with reliable power sources. Contact us today to talk about your power supply needs.
