Engineers are often faced with applications that would work best with a dc sensor but have only ac power available.
Ac-to-dc converter for sensors
To help in those situations, designers at Hyde Park Electronics, Dayton, Ohio (hpsensors.com), developed Python Power, an ac-to-dc converter. It consists of a universal, in-line ac/dc power supply and a triac switch. The triac detects a sensor's sinking or sourcing outputs and then activates itself. The dc output will power most sensors, including inductive proximity, photoelectric, and ultrasonic, letting engineers exploit advantages inherent in dc sensors and absent in ac sensors. It accepts voltages ranging from 85 to 265 Vac and is UL listed to UL61010C-1 and CE certified to EN61010C-1. The device is small enough to be pulled through and stored in 1-in.-diameter conduit. And the 6-in.-long housing protects electronics inside from frequent washdowns and exposure to acids, bases, and foods. It carries an IP67 rating.