Like all electronics, power supplies can’t function in every environment. Extreme heat and cold can impact your power supply’s functionality. High temperatures might lead to thermal runaway, reduce the equipment’s lifespan, and reduce component reliability, while cold temperatures can cause various effects on performance and product lifespan.
The operating environment of a power supply is heavily influenced by usage and design considerations, like ventilation, air flow, and heat sinks that affect reliability. By understanding the effects of extreme temperatures, you can better choose the right power supply for your application and keep it working as long as possible.
Extreme temperatures are the enemy of efficiency in power supplies. Both high and low temperatures can cause problems, but heat is often the primary concern because electrical components generate heat and heat shortens the component’s lifespan. The effects of cold temperatures are more performance-related and less influential on device health.
When a power supply is in hot or cold temperatures, you might see one of the following problems:
An overheating power supply can experience various problems that affect how long it lasts and present different risks. High operating temperatures can:
Extremely high temperatures can be especially challenging to address because electronics create heat during regular operation, contributing to higher ambient temperatures.
Electronics generally like the cold, but if the temperature drops too low, it can still cause problems. Low temperatures are more likely to affect performance than a power supply’s lifespan. Low power supply temperatures can:
Although extreme temperatures can hurt a power supply, some design considerations can help mitigate or prevent damage. When designing power supplies, manufacturers consider the following factors.
Designers need to consider where the power supply will be used. Will it be in a hot military environment where dust and dirt can clog a vent, or will it be moderately used in someone’s lab at a consistent room temperature? Designers must also consider whether a power supply will need additional temperature mitigation features.
The device’s operating environment will also determine whether the power supply will need to be sealed, such as preventing water and dust ingress, or if it can be vented to improve airflow.
Some applications must withstand a wide range of operating temperatures, particularly outdoors. Take traffic control, for instance. Power supplies need to be housed outdoors, where the extreme heat of the summer and the extreme cold of the winter will both be present.
Power supplies heat themselves up at different rates and intensities, and environmental influences will impact how quickly a power supply is exposed to high temperatures. Designers have to factor in the additional heat of nearby equipment, self-heating from high loads, and radiant heat such as solar energy on an enclosure.
Most power supplies will need some kind of cooling mechanism in place, which can include:
If an operator could touch an external power supply, the designer must also consider the housing’s heat to ensure it doesn’t burn the user or pose a fire hazard.
The orientation of a power supply can also affect heat buildup. Since hot air rises, a vertically mounted power supply tends to transfer heat to other components, but a horizontal power supply allows the air to move more easily via cooling methods.
For some applications, power supply temperature monitoring solutions can alert you to out-of-range ambient and operating temperatures. These solutions allow you to intervene to maximize component life and performance.
At Advanced Conversion Technology, we design and manufacture power supplies for all environments. We have a variety of rugged power supplies that can perform well in extreme temperatures, and our expertise in custom design allows us to create solutions optimized for unique, demanding environments.
We’re a trusted source for military clients who require reliable, rugged power supplies. Whether you need a power supply that stands up to high heat or that must stay operational during wide temperature ranges, our knowledgeable team can help. With AS9100 certification for our quality management system and adherence to many other quality standards, ACT meets and exceeds even the strictest of demands.
Browse our power supplies online, or contact us today with any questions or to discuss custom solutions.