The integrated circuit reduces power losses in AC-DC power supplies, supports safety standards, and allows upgrades without redesigning existing circuits.
Power Integrations has introduced CAPZero-4, an integrated circuit (IC) for discharging X-capacitors in industrial and consumer applications. The device reduces no-load and standby power consumption in alternating current to direct current (AC-DC) power supplies by eliminating losses from X-capacitor discharge resistors, reducing power consumption by up to 1000 mW. It consumes less than 0.75 mW at 230 VAC, supporting designs targeting zero-watt no-load operation and applications with total standby power limits as low as 300 mW.
CAPZero-4 is designed for appliances, displays, adapters, and industrial equipment using AC-DC converters with line-to-neutral input capacitance ranging from 100 nF to 6 μF. Applications include appliances requiring ErP Lot 6 compliance and adapters requiring no-load power consumption below 300 mW.
The CAPZero family uses a circuit that disconnects the energy-consuming discharge resistor while the power supply is plugged in. When the power supply is unplugged, the resistor reconnects to discharge the energy stored in the X-capacitor safely. By eliminating the losses typically caused by the discharge resistor, the IC frees up more of the available power budget for embedded power supplies that must meet standby power limits.
The IC operates across temperatures from -40°C to 125°C, supporting industrial and outdoor applications. It is pin- and package-compatible with CAPZero-3, allowing designers to upgrade existing designs by selecting suitable external resistor values to achieve the required X-capacitor discharge time.
“CAPZero-4 makes it easy for our customers in industrial and consumer markets to meet increasingly stringent standby and no-load requirements,” said Edward Ong, senior product marketing manager at Power Integrations. “The fourth generation of our CAPZero technology delivers more of the available power to the load during standby. With its pin-to-pin and package compatibility with previous CAPZero devices, customers can adopt it without redesigning, making it an ideal solution across a wide range of markets.”
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