On this page:
Pro 2 Product Features

Topics 3 April 2020
The New Efficiency Champion Comes from Minden

Efficient but still economical – these are the characteristics of modern power supply units. Mechanical engineering and system design have seen a rise in demands for more efficient power supplies. So, what does a power supply unit need in order to maximize efficiency? And what is the connection between efficiency and size? WAGO has created a new solution with the Pro 2 Power Supply, which meets present and future market demands. This report provides you with more information about the economic and ecological aspects and the significance of high efficiency, as well as some of the other challenges that a modern power supply unit needs to meet.

WAGO Power Loss Cost Calculator

How much can the WAGO Pro 2 Power Supply save you? Find out now! The WAGO Power Loss Cost Calculator is available online.

Efficiency as a Core Element in High-End Power Supplies

The variety of power supplies on the market reflects the broad scope of applications. Competition is good for users because it enables them to select the power supply that best suits their application. Efficiency, and the high output levels it allows, can be decisive competitive advantages. Add to this a reduced level of power loss and lower temperature increases in the control cabinet, and your result is a reduction in system costs and an extended service life for the power supply. However, higher efficiency can do more than just reduce the total costs of ownership; ecological aspects, like decreased CO2 emissions, as well as lower heat losses in the control cabinet, also play a significant role here. The new WAGO Pro 2 Power Supply can show you precisely how this works.

“The savings potential hidden behind the use of modern power supplies is enormous and often underestimated. This becomes obvious in initial conversations with our customers. The cost savings from reduced power losses in euros and the CO2 reductions obtained by using the Pro 2 are significantly higher than customers first assume,” says Florian Kothe, Business Development Manager for Interfaces at WAGO.

The cost savings from reduced power losses in euros and the CO2 reductions obtained by using the Pro 2 are significantly higher than customers assume at first.

Florian Kothe, Business Development Manager for Interfaces

Design as a Factor for Success

User demands regarding pricing, efficiency, voltage ranges, adjustability and size vary wildly across sectors. In some cases they are inconsistent each other, which leads to challenges when developing power supplies. Important decisions related to efficiency and costs have to be made as early as the selection of the topology for the modules. “Soft” switching resonant converters, in which losses are decreased by switching at the zero crossing point, are currently among the most efficient and economical topologies. Power losses can be further reduced by combining this with active synchronous rectification and an active power factor correction. The development of a single transmitter, adapted to each power supply unit, ensures high efficiency, reliability and a smaller overall size. Components must also be selected with a focus on efficiency and cost optimization. All together, these make the WAGO Pro 2 Power Supply an affordable champion of efficiency.

Long Service Life, Guaranteed

Using low-loss switching technology ensures that the components are exposed to minimal thermal stresses. This significantly increases expected lifespans, in particular those of heat-sensitive capacitors or semiconductors. Together, these result in very good values when calculating the MTBF or the Cap Lifetime. Applications for 24/7 continuous operation, for example, in buildings, can benefit from a reliable power supply. This is particularly relevant here, because devices installed in system distribution boxes within suspended ceilings can be difficult to access. Other examples for applications requiring 24/7 operation include the production of chemical products, toll bridges and local transformer stations. “Long life spans, maximum efficiency and minimum installation size lead to maximum reductions in operating costs. These are all direct benefits for our customers and also for system operators – from the very first day of use,” says Klaus Böhmer, Director of the Interface Electronics Business Unit at WAGO.

Long lifespans, maximum efficiency and minimum installation size mean maximum reduction of operating costs – these are direct benefits for our customers and also for system operators, from the very first day of use.

Klaus Böhmer, International Sales Director

Size Matters

The high efficiency levels allow the power loss and the dimensions to be significantly reduced. The implementation of the Pro 2 therefore reduces costs for cooling and also minimizes the space required in the control cabinet. The space to the left and right is smaller, while use of pluggable connection technology automatically guarantees the space above and below that is required for optimal cooling. This significantly simplifies installation. In some cases, the control cabinet can even be reduced in size, which leads to additional cost savings.

“We aspire, with our power supply units, to distinguish ourselves from other vendors on the market through high efficiency and reliability. Specifically, this means lower power losses and a higher density of wiring for control cabinet design,” says Klaus Böhmer, Director of the Interface Electronics Business Unit at WAGO.

Resource-Efficient Energy Use

Small but powerful: Though they may seem minor, differences in the technical data can have big effects. We can demonstrate with a small example: The typical efficiency of a simple power supply with nominal power of 960 W is 91 %. With the new Pro 2 Power Supply, the efficiency is 96.3 %. At first glance, 5.3 percent doesn’t seem like much, but it makes all the difference: The superior efficiency of the Pro 2 Power Supplies eliminates 37 W of power loss. Calculated for an operating time of five years, this translates to a savings of 209 euros in energy costs and one metric ton of CO2. For comparison: An 80-year-old beech tree standing 75 feet (23 m) tall can store approximately one metric ton of CO2 – several hundred power supplies in a production line are thus the equivalent of an entire forest. As you can see, a small difference, but a big effect! Learn for yourself what this could mean for your application: WAGO Power Loss Cost Calculator

Focus on Derating Curves

Designers must consider the derating curves of individual components if they are to be used in applications without air-conditioning. The interior temperature of a control cabinet in an exterior area can reach 60 °C or higher, and not all of the components in the cabinet can supply their rated output at these high temperatures. Derating curves provide information about the power reductions that are necessary, depending on the temperature. But not with the new WAGO Pro 2 Power Supplies, which can operate up to +140 °F (+60 °C) without derating and at 70 % capacity at 70°C.

Pro 2 Product Features

Learn more about the potential of the
WAGO Pro 2 Power Supply