Power Integrations’ Energy-Efficiency Calculator Helps Designers Comply With External Power Supply Standards

Power Integrations has introduced a new online tool that enables designers of external chargers and adapters to instantly determine whether their product complies with worldwide energy-efficiency regulations. The new External Power Supply Efficiency Compliance Calculator quickly and easily compares power supply performance measurements against the maze of specifications that now apply to external chargers and adapters, significantly simplifying the design engineer’s task of verifying compliance. The calculator currently checks compliance to the following standards:

• ENERGY STAR EPS (version 2.0): Sponsored by the U.S. Department of Energy and the Environmental Protection Agency, ENERGY STAR is one of the most visible efficiency certifications worldwide.
• EISA 2007: The first mandatory U.S. federal EPS efficiency standard, the EPS limits in EISA 2007 were adopted from the California Energy Commission’s Appliance Efficiency Regulations.
• European Commission Code of Conduct (version 4): The European Commission Code of Conduct (CoC) issued version 4 of its EPS specification in April 2009.
• EC Eco-design Directive: The European Commission’s Eco-design Directive for external power supplies, scheduled to take effect in April 2010, will align with the EISA 2007 standard for Tier 1 and ENERGY STAR (version 2) for Tier 2.
• China USB Charger Specification (YD/T 1591-2006): China’s Communication Industrial Standard mandates a USB connector and power output with a no-load consumption of ≤300 mW for mobile telecommunication terminal equipment power supplies.
• EC Integrated Product Policy (IPP): In 2008, a group of leading mobile-phone manufacturers developed a “Five-Star” rating system for mobile phone adapters/chargers, specifying no-load power consumption down to ≤30 mW -- well below any current or proposed government standards.

Comments Rich Fassler, manager of energy-efficiency programs at Power Integrations: “Energy-efficiency specifications and standards have become increasingly complicated, and the landscape is constantly changing. For example, in April 2009 alone, two important updates occurred -- the EC Code of Conduct issued version 4 of its specification, and the upcoming EC Eco-design standard was approved by European Parliament. More than ever, power supply designers and those sourcing external power supplies for use with their end products need an easily accessible, up-to-date database of worldwide current and proposed regulations.”

Continues Fassler: “Power Integrations’ new External Power Supply Efficiency Compliance Calculator means that designers no longer have to consult multiple sources when checking the efficiency compliance of their EPS designs – they can simply enter their data and achieve an immediate, comprehensive, and accurate analysis.”