MA 2402 Power Amplifier

9 AC Power Draw and Thermal Dissipation

This section provides detailed information about the amount of power and current drawn from the AC mains by the Macro-Tech 2402 amplifier and the amount of heat produced under various conditions. The calcula- tions presented here are intended to provide a realistic and reliable depiction of the amplifier. The following assumptions or approximations were made:

The amplifier’s available channels are loaded, and full power is being delivered.

Amplifier efficiency at standard 1 kHz power is estimated to be 65%.

Quiescent power draw is 90 watts (an almost negligible amount for full-power calculations).

Quiescent thermal dissipation equals 105btu/hr at 90 watts.

The estimated duty cycles take into account the typical crest factor for each type of source material.

Duty cycle of pink noise is 50%.

Duty cycle of highly compressed rock ‘n’ roll midrange is 40%.

Duty cycle of rock ‘n’ roll is 30%.

Duty cycle of background music is 20%.

Duty cycle of continuous speech is 10%.

Duty cycle of infrequent, short duration paging is 1%.

Here are the equations used to calculate the data presented in Figure 9.1:

 

 

Total output power with all

x

Duty

 

AC Mains Power

=

channels driven (watts)

 

Cycle

+

Quiescent Power

Draw (watts)

 

Amplifier Efficiency (.65)

 

 

Draw (watts)

 

 

 

 

 

The quiescent power draw of 90 watts is a maximum value and includes power drawn by the fan. The following equation converts power draw in watts to current draw in amperes:

 

 

 

 

 

AC Mains Power

 

 

 

 

Current Draw

=

 

Draw (watts)

 

 

 

 

 

 

(amperes)

AC Mains

x

 

Power

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Voltage

 

Factor (.83)

 

 

The power factor of 0.83 is needed to compensate for the difference in

 

phase between the AC mains voltage and current. The following equa-

 

tion is used to calculate thermal dissipation:

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thermal

 

Total output power with all

x Duty

x .35

Quiescent Power

 

 

 

channels driven (watts)

Cycle

 

 

 

 

Dissipation =

(

 

 

 

 

 

 

+

Draw (watts)

)

x 3.415

(btu/hr)

Amplifier Efficiency (.65)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The constant 0.35 is inefficiency (1.00–0.65) and the

factor 3.415 converts watts to btu/hr. Thermal dissipation in btu is divided by the constant 3.968 to get kcal. If you plan to measure output power under real-world conditions, the following equation may also be helpful:

Thermal

 

 

Total measured output power x .35

Quiescent Power

 

 

Dissipation =

 

 

from all channels (watts)

x

3.415

 

 

 

+

Draw (watts)

 

(btu/hr)

(

 

)

 

 

Amplifier Efficiency (.65)

 

 

 

Operation Manual

page 25

Page 25
Image 25
Crown Audio MA-2402 operation manual AC Power Draw and Thermal Dissipation, Constant 0.35 is inefficiency 1.00-0.65