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The desktop computer power supply converts the alternating current (AC) from a wall socket of mains electricity to a low-voltage direct current (DC) to operate the motherboard, processor and peripheral devices. Several direct-current voltages are required, and they must be regulated with some accuracy to provide stable operation of the computer.
A power supply is an electrical device that supplies electric power to an electrical load. The main purpose of a power supply is to convert electric current from a source to the correct voltage, current, and frequency to power the load. As a result, power supplies are sometimes referred to as electric power converters. Some power supplies are ...
Many computer servers offer the option of redundant power supplies, so that in the event of one power supply failing, one or more other power supplies are able to power the load. This is a critical point – each power supply must be able to power the entire server by itself.
For example, a 900-watt power supply with the 80 Plus Silver efficiency rating (which means that such a power supply is designed to be at least 85 percent efficient for loads above 180 W) may only be 73% efficient when the load is lower than 100 W, which is a typical idle power for a desktop computer. Thus, for a 100 W load, losses for this ...
In contrast, a linear power supply regulates the output voltage by continually dissipating power in the pass transistor. The switched-mode power supply's higher electrical efficiency is an important advantage. Switched-mode power supplies can also be substantially smaller and lighter than a linear supply because the transformer can be much smaller.
An AC adapter or AC/DC adapter (also called a wall charger, power adapter, power brick, or wall wart) [1] is a type of external power supply, often enclosed in a case similar to an AC plug. [2] AC adapters deliver electric power to devices that lack internal components to draw voltage and power from mains power themselves.