How to choose proper power supplies for the Smart Home 

Information on the use of power supplies and their classification

The operation of any electronic device requires a power supply. A common option for powering many devices in the house - DC power supplies.
DC power supplies are classified according to the following criteria:
● by the principle of operation: transformer and switch-mode;● by output voltage: depending on the nominal supply voltage of the connected consumer (3.3 V, 5V, 12V, 24V, 48V and others);● by output current: depending on the power consumption of the connected consumer;● by type of stabilization: stabilized and unstabilized;● by types of protection: may contain functions of protection against short circuits at the output, protection against overheating, protection against overload, protection against interference in the network;● by design: built-in - are part of the circuit of a particular electronic device, and external - a device in a separate case. Most often, external power supplies are metal and plastic (with the possibility of mounting on a DIN-rail) 

Power supplies for Atom series controllers

The i3 Engineering Smart Home system also requires the use of power supplies. In addition to sensors, primary transducers and actuators, a DC power supply is also required by the controller.
Atom series controllers are designed to connect power from 9V to 48V. Such a fairly wide range of supply voltage is convenient primarily by the ability to connect to the controller different values of the output voltage of power supplies (with voltages of 12V, 24V, 36V and 48V). Meanwhile, it should be noted that the best option for powering Atom series controllers will be a power supply with 24V DC output.
Much of the sensors, analogue converters, servos, provides for power this is the voltage value. Adjustable air damper drives and analogue pressure sensors in the ventilation system, blinds and curtains drives, adjustable thermal heads of radiators - all these are examples of components of the Smart Home system that are powered mainly by 24V. Another example of using this voltage value in a Smart Home system is powering LED strips.

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Compared to power supplies with an output voltage of 12V, 24V units have a number of advantages:
● twice less current consumption, and hence the possibility of laying cables of smaller cross-section, as well as much lower heat loss;● twice as much power can be connected to the output with dimming capabilities of the Atom controller to control the LED strip (because this output is limited by the load current, not the power as a whole)

Important! Do not forget that when designing a Smart Home system, you need to separate the power supplies depending on the type of load to be connected. It is recommended to use separate power supplies for sensors, LED strips and other devices. Adherence to this rule will significantly increase the reliability of the system.

Choosing the power supply

It is necessary to begin selection of the power supply unit with type of the case. In this case, many factors affect: placement, the availability of free space in the electricity distribution box, the presence of space on the DIN-rail.
Regarding the design of the power supply for i3 Engineering controllers, it is worth focusing on the same type of housing as in the controllers themselves - the housing for mounting on a DIN rail. This will allow you to place the power supply next to the controller in the electricity distribution box.
The final stage is the selection of power. Here you need to take into account the total power consumption of the devices to be connected, and add a margin of 20-25% of the total nominal power consumption.
For example, to connect Atom Hydrogen, with a maximum power consumption of 15W (see the technical characteristics of the controllers), you can use a power supply with a capacity of 15-30W. If you use several controllers, after calculating the total power consumption, you can choose a single unit to power the entire system.

Installation of power supplies

When installing the power supply should take into account the tendency of its elements to heat. In the vast majority of modern power supplies there is protection against overheating: when overheated, the voltage at the output of the power supply drops to zero, and is restored only after overheating.

Important! To prevent overheating of the power supply, it is necessary to pay attention to the availability of free space in the electricity distribution box for their placement and the availability of space for its natural or forced ventilation.

Connection of power supplies

Important! Connection of the power supplies to the 220V mains should be done according to the wiring diagram in the documentation provided by the manufacturer with the power supply. The "minus" terminals of power supplies in the vast majority of cases are combined in one point (so-called GND).

But the "plus" terminals should not be combined. The values of the voltage at the output of the power supplies, as a rule, may differ. In this case, if the "pluses" are combined, it can cause uneven power distribution between power supplies and their failure.

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The importance of proper selection of power supplies

Proper selection, connection and operation of power supplies for the Smart Home system is the key to the reliability of the system and ensuring quality power supply of electrical equipment.

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