Manitowoc Ice 000008143

POWER SUPPLY - SWITCHING

Power supplies in restaurant equipment are used to provide electrical energy to operate appliances such as:

• Commercial ovens
• Refrigerators and freezers
• Dishwashers Coffee makers
• Grills and fryers
• Food warming equipment
• Blenders and mixers

The primary function of a power supply is to convert electric current from a source to the correct voltage, current, and frequency to power the load. As a result, power supplies are sometimes referred to as electric power converters. Some power supplies are separate standalone pieces of equipment, while others are built into the load appliances that they power.

Other functions that power supplies may perform include limiting the current drawn by the load to safe levels, shutting off the current in the event of an electrical fault, power conditioning to prevent electronic noise or voltage surges on the input from reaching the load, power-factor correction, and storing energy so it can continue to power the load in the event of a temporary interruption in the source power (uninterruptible power supply).

In electrical engineering, a switch is an electrical component that can disconnect or connect the conducting path in an electrical circuit, interrupting the electric current or diverting it from one conductor to another. Switches of all types are used in the operation of restaurant equipment. The most common type of switch is an electro-mechanical device consisting of one or more sets of movable electrical contacts connected to external circuits. When a pair of contacts is touching, current can pass between them, while when the contacts are separated no current can flow.