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PARALLEL OPERATION
The operation of two constant voltage power supplies in parallel is normally not feasible because of the large
circulating current which results from even the smallest voltage difference which inevitably exists between the
two low impedance sources. However, if the two power supplies feature CV/CC or CV/CL automatic crossover
operation, then parallel operation is feasible, since the supply with the higher output voltage setting will deliver
its constant current or current limiter output, and drop its output voltage until it equals the output of the other
supply, which will remain in constant voltage operation and only deliver that fraction of its rated output current
which is necessary to fulfill the total load demand. For example, if two CV/CC power supplies each rated for 10
amperes were connected in parallel across a 15 amp load with one of the supplies set for 30.0 volts and the
other supply set for 30.1 volts, the 30.1 volt supply would deliver 10 amperes as a constant current source, thus
dropping its output voltage to 30.0 volts. The second supply would continue to act as a constant voltage source
delivering 5 amps at the 30.0 volt level.
AUTO PARALLEL OPERATION
Auto-Parallel, or automatic parallel operation of power supplies permits equal current sharing under all load
conditions, and allows complete control of the Auto Parallel ensemble utilizing only the controls of the master
supply.
Figure 66. Auto-Parallel Operation of Two Supplies
Figure 66 illustrates the circuit principle involved. The master supply operates in a completely normal fashion
and may be set up for either constant voltage or constant current operation as required. The slave supply
employs its regulator circuit to compare the voltage drop across the current monitoring resistor of the master
supply with the voltage drop across the current monitoring resistor of the slave supply, and adjusts the condition
of the series regulator in the slave supply so that these two IR drops are held equal. Therefore, with equal values