ePower 300, an open frame switcher

Digital Power Corp. (Fremont, CA) has announced the ePower 300, an open frame switcher. The ePower 300 was developed as a joint project with Oltronics Inc. (Celebration, FL). The ePower 300 is designed to deliver 300W and is intended for data communications, telecommunications, computer and peripheral systems, such as VME, VXI, Compact PCI and other systems where space is critical. The device is designed to achieve efficiency and high density with conventional diode rectifiers replaced with specially designed MOSFETs which are turned on and off synchronously with the power converter. The MOSFETs behave like a diode, allowing current to flow only one direction, but with much lower forward voltage drop. The ePower 300's efficiency is typically 82 percent and can be as high as 85 percent at 220Vac input. The ePower 300 also includes ac/dc circuits such as input Power Factor Correction (PFC) and EMI line filtering. The PFC circuit provides 90-250Vac universal input and also uses small surface mount components, high-density tantalum capacitors and low profile transformers. The first prototype is expected in the first quarter of 2000, and will be a quad-output +3.3V, +5V and +/-12V model. In quantities of 100, tentative pricing will be $289 each.