Proposed Standard for External Power Supplies (Australia)

[Ross Herbert]

Saw an ad in last Weekend Australian pointing to
http://www.energyrating.gov.au/library/details200702-ris-eps.html

Without reading the full pdf document (2.1MB) the advert states that
the proposed standard will apply only to external power supplies
powered from the mains (230Vac) up to a max 250VA, and having a SINGLE
elv output. After April 2008, products which don't meet the required
standard cannot legally be sold in Australia.

It is claimed in the document that the total wasted energy in
Australia due to standby and converson losses in external PSU's is a
massive 845GWh with a CO2 contribution of 885 KTons. This figure is
0.45% of the total greenhouse contribution from electricity generation
nationwide and it begs the question "why will the proposed standard
not apply also to INTERNAL PSU's of similar power rating and with
multiple outputs?".

Maybe it will be too hard to police such a standard on the latter so
they aren't concerned with these items. External PSU's can be seen and
counted and tested if necessary whereas internal one's aren't so easy
to get at and regulate. Hell, that doesn't usually worry the gov't -
they simply make the standard and then leave it up to the various
importers and manf's to self police. Naturally, ALL of these vested
interests would adhere to the standard....????

 

[Phil Allison]

"Ross Herbert"

Saw an ad in last Weekend Australian pointing to
http://www.energyrating.gov.au/library/details200702-ris-eps.html

Without reading the full pdf document (2.1MB) the advert states that
the proposed standard will apply only to external power supplies
powered from the mains (230Vac) up to a max 250VA, and having a SINGLE
elv output. After April 2008, products which don't meet the required
standard cannot legally be sold in Australia.

It is claimed in the document that the total wasted energy in
Australia due to standby and converson losses in external PSU's is a
massive 845GWh with a CO2 contribution of 885 KTons. This figure is
0.45% of the total greenhouse contribution from electricity generation
nationwide and it begs the question "why will the proposed standard
not apply also to INTERNAL PSU's of similar power rating and with
multiple outputs?".

** External PSUs with ELV outputs are all " prescribed items " - right
now.

So, any new requirement for energy efficiency would only mean a few extra
bench tests to be done by a standards lab at the time of granting approval.

For an unregulated PSU that uses an iron transformer, it will likely only
mean that it must not run hot when off load or lightly loaded.

SMPS ought to all pass with flying colours.

Linear, regulated PSUs may be in trouble.


NOTE:

The proposal does NOT involve battery chargers or PSUs with more than one DC
voltage rail.



......... Phil

 

[Phil Allison]

"Phil Allison"

See:


http://www.energyrating.gov.au/library/pubs/200702-ris-eps.pdf


Page 17 sets out the maximum allowable off load watts and efficiency to be
met by this time next year.

0.5 watts for PSUs under 10 watt rating, otherwise it is 0.75 watts for PSUs
up to 250 watts.

These are very low numbers & tough to meet with any iron transformer - even
toroidals.

Could be tough for SMPS too.

Looks like it will be a real problem for lots of suppliers.





........ Phil

 

[Phil Allison]

"Chris Jones" <

Phil Allison wrote:


If it only applies to adapters with a single output, what's the betting
that
lots of cheaper products start to find themselves for some inexplicable
reason suddenly needing split supplies, or an extra slightly different
output voltage... to run the power-on LED or something...

* So the Chinese are going to resdesign existing products so they need a
specially designed external PSU instead of an off the shelf one ? Hardly
likely.

Perhaps we will
be seeing a lot of three-conductor output cables and three pin connectors.

** The effect of the proposed regulation will be to make nearly * ALL *
currently available external AC and DC supplies illegal to sell. The
Jaycar catalogue lists only one PSU that appears to comply ( MP-3236).

Products that need an AC external supply will likely all have to be removed
for sale by this time next year - ie most modems and domestic alarm
systems.

None of this for any good purpose.

Pure insanity.



........ Phil