Choosing the right power supply is important for engineers working on precise and sensitive applications. However, many fall into common traps that can lead to inefficiency, performance issues, or equipment damage. With approximately 559,000 engineers working in the United Kingdom as of 2024, according to recent statistics, understanding these pitfalls becomes increasingly important for the profession.
- Overlooking Voltage and Current Needs
One of the most fundamental errors engineers make is underestimating or overestimating their actual voltage and current requirements, leading to mismatched power supplies that compromise system performance. This often happens when engineers calculate theoretical power needs without accounting for real-world variations, startup currents, or safety margins. The precision engineering sector in the UK, valued at £8.0 billion in 2024, particularly demands accurate power specifications as tolerance levels become critical. Engineers often fail to consider peak current demands during motor startup or sudden load changes, resulting in power supplies that cannot handle transient conditions. Additionally, many overlook the importance of matching voltage tolerances to their specific application requirements, particularly when working with sensitive microcontrollers or precision measurement equipment.
- Ignoring Load Regulation and Ripple
Poor load regulation and excessive ripple can interfere with circuit performance, especially in sensitive electronics applications that have become common in modern engineering projects. Load regulation determines how much the output voltage varies as the load current changes, whilst ripple refers to the unwanted AC components superimposed on the DC output. Many engineers focus solely on steady-state specifications without considering dynamic performance characteristics. This oversight becomes problematic in applications involving precision sensors, data acquisition systems, or high-frequency circuits where even minimal voltage variations can introduce noise or measurement errors. The UK’s electrical equipment repair and maintenance industry, generating £736.1 million in revenue in 2024, frequently encounters failures attributable to inadequate power supply specifications in these critical parameters.
- Buying Based on Price Alone
Cheaper power supplies often lack the durability, precision, or safety features needed for professional engineering applications, representing a false economy that can prove costly in the long term. This procurement approach fails to consider total cost of ownership, including reliability, maintenance requirements, and potential downtime costs. When engineers need reliable DC power supplies for critical applications, focusing solely on initial purchase price can result in equipment that lacks essential protection features, exhibits poor regulation characteristics, or fails prematurely under normal operating conditions. The cost of a system failure or the need to replace inadequate equipment often far exceeds the savings achieved through budget purchasing decisions.
- Forgetting Future Expansion
Choosing a power supply that doesn’t scale with future project needs can lead to unnecessary replacement costs and system redesigns. Engineers often size their power supplies based on current requirements without considering potential upgrades, additional modules, or increased functionality that might be needed as projects evolve. This short-sighted approach becomes problematic in research and development environments where system requirements frequently change. The UK’s engineering services market, projected to reach $225.9 billion by 2030 with a 3.6% annual growth rate, demands flexible solutions that can adapt to changing technical requirements. Failing to plan for expansion often necessitates complete power system overhauls, disrupting project timelines and increasing costs significantly.
- Neglecting Safety Certifications and Protections
A lack of overload, short-circuit, or thermal protections can put both workspace safety and valuable equipment at risk, particularly in professional engineering environments where equipment costs can be substantial. Many engineers overlook the importance of safety certifications such as CE marking or UKCA compliance, which are mandatory for commercial applications in the UK. Essential protection features include overvoltage protection, overcurrent limiting, thermal shutdown, and isolation specifications. The HSE electrical standards emphasise the critical importance of proper electrical safety measures in professional environments. Additionally, engineers often fail to consider electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) requirements, which can result in interference issues or compliance failures during final system testing.
Understanding and avoiding these common mistakes guarantees that engineers pick power supplies that deliver reliable performance, maintain safety standards, and provide long-term value for their applications.
