ASEA Power Systems expands Dock Boost Transformer line, the perfect upgrade for charles iso-boost
by Mitul Chandrani 31 Jul 2020 04:25 PDT
Dock Boost Transformer © ASEA Power Systems
ASEA Power Systems, a subsidiary of Mission Critical Electronics and a leading manufacturer of isolation transformers, shore power converters and power management systems, today announced the expansion of the Dock Boost Transformer (DBT) product line to offer upgraded models ranging from 12-24kVA.
ASEA Power Systems' DBTs are smart isolation transformers with three levels of boost to keep vessels powered even when input voltages sag by up to 35 percent. These DBTs are the perfect replacement for the Charles Iso-Boost and can protect sensitive, and often expensive, electronics from damage associated with common shore-power problems including brown outs, spikes, sags and low-line or high-line voltage.
Expanding ASEA Power Systems' existing international product offering, the new product models offer compatibility with international voltage standards and 50A or 100A shore cord inputs. The new DBTs have also been upgraded and can be ordered in a paralleled Trident system. The Trident consists of two DBT units and one paralleling master control unit, making this paralleled system an ideal replacement for the Charles PM3.
"When we first conceptualized the DBT, we intended to build a simple tapped transformer to combat drooping shore cord voltage," explains Eric Herman, Director of Engineering for Mission Critical Electronics, the parent company for ASEA Power Systems. "But as we dug deeper into the market, we realized that the challenges boaters face included 208VAC feeds masquerading as 240VAC, the desire to parallel two shore cords, 50Hz locales, 400VAC and 480VAC pedestals, and more." This realization led to ASEA Power Systems' development of a suite of products including a 50A stand-alone unit, a paralleling box for dual 50A shore cords, a 15kVA 50 hertz unit for our OEMs in Europe, and a 100A unit that accepts 240, 400 and 480V feeds.
ASEA Power Systems released the first-generation DBT as a direct replacement for the discontinued Charles Iso-Boost in 2018. The DBT boasts a wider input voltage range of 167-270 VAC and is 65 percent lighter than its predecessor. The identical mounting pattern and wiring connection points make refit installations a breeze and at only 127 pounds, installation can easily be accomplished by a single person.