Step outside with the ABS601 reliable power supply series

The rise in outdoor signage is just one example of the increased use of outdoor power supplies. Today, digital signage is used in transport hubs, bus, train and tram stops for passenger information; information points in the same transport hubs; in municipal areas or areas of interest to provide information; and there are increasing levels of interactive digital advertising displays in the high street and on main traffic routes.

Another driver is the use of 5G services which brings faster, richer mobile networks with low latency, higher capacity and faster upload and download speeds to deliver connectivity for smart cities and smart buildings as well as telecommunications, security, satellite and radio services.

These applications rely on reliable power supplies which are able to withstand harsh outdoor environmental conditions. These can range from high and low temperature extremes to wind, rain and snow. In addition, they are often installed in hard to reach locations, which can make monitoring or maintenance more difficult than for conventional supplies. They may often be used for mission-critical applications, however, such as security access or navigation systems, which means they have to be reliable.

The power supply must also be securely installed so that it is not dislodged. Installation must be as straightforward as possible and bearing in mind that the power supplies may be located in hard-to-reach areas, they must also be compact and discrete to remain in keeping with the aesthetics of its surroundings. After all, in the case of digital signage in particular, the equipment being powered is the focus of the user, not the power supply!

The housing, while being discrete and meeting the aesthetics of the system design, must also be rugged. The power supply will be subjected to extremes of temperatures but must also be able to repel dust, salt, grit and any other ingress which may corrode or otherwise adversely affect the operation of the power supply or its component parts. It may also be subject to vibration, especially if sited by the side of a rail system or an area of heavy vehicle or foot traffic, or if located on a pole which might be subject to weather elements.

For some of the toughest outdoor power needs, Relec Electronics offers the ABS601 Series of AC-DC power supplies, manufactured by Bel Power. It provides up to 600W of regulated output power through a wide input voltage range of 85 to 305 VAC in a single output of 24 VDC or 48 VDC.

The power supplies have high efficiency up to 94% at 50% to 100% load. They also have low standby power consumption of less than 0.35 W and input inrush current limiting of less than 30A. Peak power is 800 W up to 10 seconds.

It is compact, measuring just 4.92 x 9.86 x 2.36 inch or 125 x 250 x 60mm. It is designed to be easy to install with input / output connections fixed to the aluminium extruded chassis through watertight glands. The chassis design also includes fins to optimise heat dispersion through natural convection.

The sealed enclosure are fully potted and provides protection to IP66 / IP67 / IP68 ingress protection, to protect against dust, water jets / temporary immersion / long periods of immersion under pressure.

The company offers an -SL option of the ABS601 Series which offers a 5 VDC stand-by output and a set of control signals: +/- remote sense, remote on / off, power good and I-share.

The ABS601 Series complies with the latest international safety standards and displays the CE-Mark for the European Low Voltage Directive (LVD). It has active power factor correction (PFC) and is EN61000-3-2 compliant (Class C, above 25% load). The power supplies are also approved to IEC / EN 60950-1 and IEC / EN 62368-1 for IT equipment. In addition, the power supplies have LED lighting approval to UL 8750 and are RoHS 3 -compliant according to Directive 2015/863/EU.

Over temperature, over voltage, over current and short circuit protection features are integrated in the compact power supply. The input and output cables are UV-resistant to ensure uninterrupted transmission.

The ABS601 Series power supplies are versatile and can be used in clean operating environments where the elimination of acoustic noise and dust disturbance is required. Typical applications are therefore in telecom, datacom, broadcast equipment, video wall display and solid state lighting. In the industrial market, the ABS601 Series can be used in process control and automation.

For over 40 years, Relec Electronics has worked closely with key suppliers and specialises in a wide range of industry sectors, including automotive, industrial, transportation, instrumentation and defence.

A team of dedicated engineers is ready to support customers throughout the design process.

The company carries stock of all standard modules and accessories for next day delivery.

Relec’s team of specialist advisers can refine an initial specification for a given application to include bespoke features to meet the needs of a particular design or project.

In December 2020, Relec Electronics became been a UK subsidiary of Gresham Worldwide.

For more information please contact Relec