Physical questions

[Robert G. Brown]

On Mon, 13 Jan 2003, Paul English wrote:

> Aah - good thing someone knows what they are doing. :-) I'll stick with 
> the idea of individual power supplies then I guess, and one big UPS. 

Individual power-factor-correcting power supplies, if you can find them.
The problem Greg alluded to (browning out due to high current on the
supply lines themselves) can affect the AC lines as well for switching
power supplies, leading to harmonic distortion and possibly unhappy
systems when you're running a circuit full of systems close to line
capacity.  PFC supplies spread out the current draw so it more closely
matches the voltage cycle.  They save energy, too.

   rgb

Robert G. Brown	                       http://www.phy.duke.edu/~rgb/
Duke University Dept. of Physics, Box 90305
Durham, N.C. 27708-0305
Phone: 1-919-660-2567  Fax: 919-660-2525     email:rgb at phy.duke.edu