Whether you’re building a robot or just putting together servers for your cloud network, you’ll want to choose the best possible power supply to keep you going. But what if the intricacies of the tool elude you? How do you know what constitutes a “good” power supply, and how will you recognize it when you see it? Here are five tips for choosing a power supply that’s right for you.
1: Determine Your Power Needs
First things first: How much juice do you need to get the job done? Many people overestimate their power requirements in their anxiety to make sure they have enough, but if you use an online power calculator, you can get a fairly accurate idea of the range in which you should shop.
2: Gauge Battery Life
How long will your batteries last in an average power cycle? How long do they take to recharge? How long do they have before sulfation? These are important questions with answers that will determine what kind of battery you should buy.
3: Mind The Temperature
If you need a power supply for, say, turbo engines, you should know in advance that your batteries will run hot. On the other hand, if you’re working in cold weather conditions, you should be aware that lead acid batteries will be greatly affected by the chill, and you might need more power than you thought to rev them up.
4: Understand Voltage
You don’t need to become an expert, but you should have a basic understanding of voltages and how they control your power supply. For example, voltages drop as loads are applied to your battery. That’s an important thing to know in turbine starting. You might also want to revisit the subject of temperatures and think about how they affect your voltage.
5: Consider Connectors
If you’re building a computer or fiddling with your PSU, connectors are often just as important as the power itself. If you buy a power supply without enough of them, you’ll be forced to use adapters to make up the lack, and that will ripple across your circuitry and get in your way during construction. Do yourself a favor and count your connectors in advance.
If you’re in the market for a power supply, these are just five tips that should help you find a good brand. Visit Start Pac and other power supply manufacturers for more information and purchase options.
