What factors do data centers need to consider when selecting high power connectors?

High-power connectors play an important role in providing high reliability and connectivity for a wide range of applications, including data centers, where they manage and store vast amounts of information and data to help drive daily operations around the world. Because this type of connector is designed to meet the needs of a particular application, here are the most important factors to consider when selecting a high-power connector for a data center.

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Electrical requirements When selecting high-power connectors, first carefully check whether their electrical and technical specifications meet the optimal working requirements of the data center. An important indicator that must be paid special attention to is the power rating of the connector, including the maximum voltage and amperage for which it is designed. At the same time, the maximum operating temperature of the connector must be determined, because exceeding the maximum temperature value will reduce the power rating of the connector. This reduction factor will help determine how to specify the correct power rating for an existing application such as a data center. In general, a connector should be specified so that its maximum power rating exceeds its environmental and electrical characteristics. This is called a design margin or safety margin, which does not subject the connector to electrical overstress, thereby improving the reliability and performance of the connector. For example, if an engineer needs to select a connector for a rated voltage of 380Vac/25A — 380Vrms is approximately 538Vpeak and is at least 125% of the NEC's 25 A, then the connector size is much larger than 600V and 32A (i.e., 125% of the highest rated power). Mechanical requirements Mechanical characteristics are as important as the electrical performance of any high-power connector. These include device dimensions, measurements, and design characteristics — all of which create constraints that affect connector installation and performance. Therefore, the form factor and profile of the connector must be considered to determine whether it is compatible with the configuration of the data center. Because high power connectors must be used to handle high voltage and high current electrical loads, which in turn requires that adequate isolation be maintained between them, as well as between other devices within the system, to avoid unnecessary electrical contact or interference. In addition, the cable connected to the connector shall be properly specified to meet the maximum voltage and current rating of the connector, and the cable must have a similar design margin or reduction factor. For example, the minimum cable size required for a 50 A connector is 8 AWG; the minimum cable requirement for a 32 A connector is 10 AWG cable. In addition, the connector contacts on the printed circuit board (PCB) must target the maximum power load and have sufficient droop. It is also important to consider how the connectors are attached to the cable and PCB, whether by screws, soldering, or locking functions. Quality assurance After evaluating the mechanical requirements, the next step is to determine whether the high-power connector under consideration has been extensively tested and quality assured to prove that it meets the most stringent safety standards in the data center. Depending on the specific connector application in the data center, different safety standards can be applied, whether it is the connector as a component or the entire circuit and the system in which it is installed. For example, the material used, the blade or pin configuration, the current rating, and whether it has a latching function. In addition, safety standards such as UL 1977/en 61984 may apply to connectors used in data, signal, and power applications. Because the field environment in which the data center system operates also has an impact on the reliability and function of the connector, especially throughout the life cycle, specific tests are required to meet different environments. Examples of this type of testing include requiring high humidity testing for applications that are water resistant or requiring corrosion testing for highly contaminated environments. The connector material itself must meet flammability standards (e.g., UL94V0 or V2) and may require halogen-free or RoHS certification. Examples of this type of testing by UNICER include high humidity testing for applications that require waterproofing, or where corrosion testing is necessary for highly contaminated environments. Other Features and Characteristics The final step in selecting a high-capacity connector is to identify any remaining critical features and characteristics that will affect or influence the application design. For example, the basic standards of UL 1977/en 61984/EIA-364 include requirements for temperature, contact resistance, and current drop, as well as test procedures and standards for these applications. This includes cost savings, assembly flexibility, and ease of maintenance. For example, there are some open questions: ① Is this connector compatible with hot-swappable systems, which means removing and replacing the connector without shutting down or restarting the data center? ② Is the connector type suitable for widespread use? ③ Is the connector required to be waterproof according to the use environment? ⑤ Is the connector locking function required? ⑥ What is the effect of ambient maximum and minimum temperatures on connector performance? These are important questions to consider when determining which high-power connector is best for your data center and its application. Connector suppliers shall also provide detailed test reports to ensure that their connectors meet or exceed the requirements specified in the safety standards and application requirements, including the results of group tests and third-party tests. Each of the electrical and mechanical requirements, quality assurance, and other relevant features and characteristics of high power connectors in the data center must be considered to ensure optimal, highly reliable performance.

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