All info about power converters

Posted by adairsawyer on May 25th, 2013

When you were young you would’ve read about converting energy from one form to another – kinetic energy to electrical energy and so on. Do you know that the same energy can be converted from one form to another? For example, electrical energy can be converted from AC (Alternating Current) to DC (Direct Current) by using power converters. Voltage from a source of power can be converted by using voltage converters. A voltage converter is a form of power converter that is used in multiple places and has multiple uses too.

Power converters are nothing but electro-mechanical or electrical devices that convert electrical energy. A simple power converter is a transformer that is used in AC to change the voltage. However, there are many other complex uses of these converters and they can be used on household items and also as industrial devices.

There are essentially four forms of electrical conversions that can happen using power converters – 1. AC to AC, 2. AC to DC, 3. DC to AC and 4. DC to DC.

Some devices for AC to AC conversions are cycloconverters, transformers, variable frequency transformers, voltage regulators and voltage converters.

The examples of AC to DC converters are mains PSU, rectifiers and switched mode power supplies.

The device used in DC to AC conversion is the inverter and the devices used in DC to DC conversions are DC to DC converters, linear regulators and voltage stabilizers.

All of these devices have their different roles to play and they are used in different places. Let us look at the voltage converter here.

As mentioned earlier, a voltage converter is a device that changes the voltage of a power source. It can be used to create power supply when it works in combination with other components.

Where is the use of voltage converters? Let us take an electrical device that required very low voltage to operate. If it is connected to the main power line it may get damaged. A converter can be used here to lower down the voltage so that the device can work optimally. The other advantage of lowering the voltage is that the power consumption is reduced and this results in a lower energy bill.

When you look at the voltage converters available in local electrical shops or in the online stores you will find that the amperes or watts used by the devices are mentioned on the labels. Along with this information you also get information on the rating of these converters. If you use a device with a high rating and with the right ampere or watt you need you are always safe to use your device with it.

Power converters play an important role in today’s society because they can incorporate redundancy in addition to managing the voltage. Many people carry voltage converters with them because they feel safer using them with the electrical devices especially when they travel to other countries. Since the full range of these devices can be bought online there is no issue purchasing.

Voltage converters are a type of power converters. One should choose their converter depending on what they need to do.