San Jose, Calif. – August20, 2019– Power Integrations (Nasdaq: POWI), the leader in high-voltage integrated circuits for energy-efficient power conversion, today announced CAPZero™-3, the latest generation of the company’s elegant, energy-saving X-capacitor discharge ICs. Two-terminal CAPZero-3 ICsenabledesigners to easily meet IEC60335 safety approvals for major appliances,and cover allcapacitor values from 100 nF to 6 µF.
IEC60335 is the discharge safety standard for all appliances.To protect the user from an electrical hazard, itrequires the voltage across the input X capacitor to discharge to less than 34 V within less thanone secondafterthe AC is removed. CAPZero-3 ICs block current flow through the X-capacitor discharge resistors when the AC voltage is connected, and automatically discharge X capacitors through thoseresistors when the AC is disconnected. CAPZero-3 ICs simplify EMI filter designswhile permitting the use oflarger X capacitors, whichin turn enables smaller inductive components to be used with no resulting change in power consumption.
CAPZero-3 ICscan be placed before or after a system’s input fuse. Devices deliverhigh common-mode surge immunity sothat no external ground connection is necessary, and feature a high differential surge withstand due to 1000 V internal MOSFETs. Creepage on the package and PCB is maintained at >4 mm.
CommentsEdward Ong, product manager, Power Integrations: “With the launch of the new CAPZero-3 ICs, designers can use one part to address a large range of applications in small and major appliances that require X capacitor values from 100 nF to 6 µF.”
CAPZero-3devices are safety-certified to CB and Nemko requirements and so developers do not need to perform a separate safety test on the X-capacitor discharge circuit of the power supply.Devices areavailable now, priced at $0.31 in 1,000 piecequantities.Technical support is available from the Power Integrations website at:www.power.com/products/capzero-3.