New capacitor discharge ICs reduce standby power for appliance applications

Power Integrations has released the CAPZero-3, the newest generation of the company’s energy-saving X-capacitor discharge ICs. Two-terminal of the ICs allow designers to simply meet IEC60335 safety approvals for major appliances, and cover all capacitor values from 100nF to 6µF.

The ICs can be installed before or after a system’s input fuse. Devices provide high common-mode surge immunity so that no external ground connection is required, and provide a high differential surge withstand due to 1000V internal MOSFETs. Creepage on the package and PCB is kept at >4mm.

Comments Edward 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-3 devices 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.