Low-noise power supply offers dual and single output modes

28th March 2008

ES Admin

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TTi (Thurlby Thandar Instruments) has launched a dual-output version of its New PL Series of linear regulated power supplies. The PL303QMD is the latest model in the New PL series of ultra low-noise and ultra-compact PSUs, which have replaced the original PL series.

‘Despite the improvements in the performance of switch-mode based laboratory power supplies, demand for linear regulated models remains very strong, driven by the needs of low-voltage circuitry and RF technology’, comments Mark Edwards, sales director of TTi: ‘The original PL quad-mode dual supply has been one of this company’s most successful products, and we expect the advanced features of the new model to expand the market further.’

Housed in a half-rack (212 mm wide) casing, the PL303QMD has two identical outputs of 0 to 30 V at 0 to 3 A, and uses significantly less bench space than other linear regulated PSUs of similar power.

Voltage and current are set using true analogue controls, but the settings can be locked at the touch of a button using the S-lock function. The span of the analogue controls can also be changed using the V-span feature.

Linear regulation provides noise of below 0.4 mV RMS with low peak-to-peak excursions and low common-mode noise current. This ensures that the PL303QMD can be used in environments where many conventional power supplies would be unsuitable.

Quad-mode switching offers four modes of operation, including a single-output mode in which all 180 W of power is provided on one output of 0 to 30 V at 0 to 6 A.

In dual modes, the two outputs are always electrically isolated and can be set to be fully independently controlled or master/slave controlled with a fixed or variable ratio between the two outputs. Output isolation of these tracking modes enables the user to create two rails of either polarity and to reference them to different grounds if necessary (e.g. digital ground and analogue ground) to offer maximum flexibility.

In addition to the individual switches for each output, switches are also provided to allow both outputs to be turned on or off synchronously by a single button press. Synchronous switching of the outputs is of increasing importance for circuitry which can be damaged if one voltage rail is present without the other.