Emerson launches new DCH3 AC-DC power adapters

CARLSBAD, USA: Emerson Network Power, a business of Emerson and the global leader in enabling Business-Critical Continuity, has launched a new series of 3 W ultra high efficiency wall-mount ac-dc power adapters that meet the international efficiency Level V standard.

The new DCH3 series power adapters also comply with the even more stringent Tier 2 Energy-related Products (ErP) requirements of Ecodesign Directive 2009/125/EC. Compliance with this Ecodesign Directive becomes mandatory in European Union countries on April 27, 2011. After this date, all external power supplies for consumer electronics and office equipment must meet this efficiency standard in order to gain a CE mark of approval – which is a prerequisite to sales in the European marketplace.

“Emerson Network Power has extensively redesigned its entire DCH3 range of ac-dc power adapters to comply with the Level V standard and to meet the additional ErP requirements of the European market, which sets even more rigorous criteria for conversion efficiency and standby power,” said Chris Jones, product marketing director, Embedded Power, Emerson Network Power. “Similar efficiency standards and conditions on sales are likely to be imposed by energy regulators in other countries. Key design changes include an entirely new PCB layout and a new type of PWM (pulse width modulation) transformer for the power switching stage.”

The new efficiency Level V versions of the Emerson Network Power DCH3 have a universal 100 to 254 Vac input and generate a regulated 5 Vdc output, capable of delivering 0.55 A. The power adapters are primarily intended for recharging low power portable consumer electronic devices such as mobile phones and digital cameras.

There is a choice of six models; three are fitted with mini-USB 2.0 output connectors, and three are fitted with micro-USB 2.0 connectors, which are used extensively by most of the world’s leading mobile phone manufacturers. Each of these two categories is available with a choice of three different AC input plugs, to suit the region of the world in which they are intended to be used.

All efficiency Level V versions of the Emerson Network Power DCH3 power adapter produce a constant voltage, constant current output and have an extremely low safety ground leakage current of just 10 µA. Comprehensive protection against fault conditions includes latching overvoltage, output short-circuit with auto recover, and overload limitation to less than 0.8 A. The adapters accommodate an ambient operating temperature range of zero to 45 degrees Celsius.

The power adapters feature a built-in CISPR 22 Class B EMI filter and meet the EN55022 Class B, FCC Class B and EMC89/336/EEC standards for EMI, as well as the EN55082-1 standard for electromagnetic susceptibility. They carry a comprehensive set of international safety approvals, including cUL/CSA/TUV/NEMKO 60950, CE Mark (LVD, EMC & ErP 2011) and CB certification.

Samples of the new efficiency Level V versions of the Emerson Network Power DCH3 power adapters are available now.