Selecting An AC Line Filter For Switching Power Supply Applications

Focus:

While guidelines have been written on how to select EMI line filters, many system engineers still aren’t aware that they need EMI filters. When they do realize they need one, they often select a filter without regard to their actual filtering needs. They may also ignore the impact of the filter on other requirements (such as leakage current), and issues such as customer support. In this article, the authors identify some of the popular bad practices being used to choose EMI line filters, explain why they’re wrong and provide a quick step-by-step guide to proper filter selection that will help designers avoid the common pitfalls. They identify the key criteria you’ll need for filter selection including rules of thumb and key specs. Popular EMC standards and standards organizations are also noted. Armed with this information, designers will be better equipped to apply the existing EMI selection guides and tools, some of which are referenced here.

What you’ll learn:

• How to select EMI line filters for power supply applications
• How to avoid common mistakes in the selection of EMI line filters
• How to understand the value of customer support when selecting an EMI filter supplier

View the Source

Author & Publication:

Kevin Parmenter, Chair, and James Spangler, Co-chair, PSMA Safety and Compliance Committee , How2Power Today, Oct 17 2019

This article summary appears
in the HOW2POWER Design Guide.

The Design Guide offers
organized access to
hundreds of articles
on dozens of power conversion
and power management topics.

The Design Guide search results
include exclusive summaries
and accurate "how to" analysis
to help you make faster,
more informed decisions.

Search
for more articles