Programmable AC Sources and AC Power Supplies

Programmable AC power sources for testing, simulation, and automated validation

Chroma programmable AC power sources—also referred to as AC power supplies—provide precise control of voltage, frequency, phase, current limits, and waveform conditions. Engineers can reproduce normal and abnormal AC input conditions to evaluate how electronic products perform when connected to power systems around the world.

Choose from single-phase and three-phase AC power sources with ratings from 500VA to 105kVA. Available solutions support benchtop development, design verification, regulatory testing, production lines, and automated test systems.

Test Beyond Standard AC Input Conditions

A standard utility outlet cannot reproduce every condition a product may encounter. Chroma programmable AC power sources give engineers the control needed to simulate voltage dips, frequency variations, interruptions, harmonic distortion, surges, and other power-line disturbances in a repeatable test environment.

How to choose the right AC power supply

Compare Chroma Programmable AC Power Supplies

Start with the required apparent power, output voltage, frequency range, and phase configuration. Then consider inrush current, waveform programming, power-line disturbance simulation, measurement functions, automation interfaces, and whether the application requires regenerative operation. The guide below helps engineers compare Chroma AC power supplies for benchtop development, automated test equipment, three-phase products, avionics, server power, industrial electronics, and grid-connected energy systems.

Need a general-purpose AC source? Start with the 61600 for economical, instrument-grade programmable AC power from 500VA to 4kVA.

Need line-disturbance simulation? Choose a 61500-series source for programmable transients, waveform synthesis, and power-line disturbance testing.

Testing a three-phase product? Use the 61700 for dedicated five-wire, three-phase output from 1.5kVA to 12kVA.

Testing grid-connected equipment? Use a 61800 regenerative grid simulator for AI server power, EV, inverter, UPS, energy storage, or V2G applications.

Comparison of Chroma programmable AC power supply families by power, voltage, frequency, application, and selection criteria.
Product Series	Power	Voltage	Frequency	Best fit	Why choose it	Next step
61600Low-Power Programmable AC Source	500VA / 1.5kVA / 2kVA / 4kVA	0–150V / 0–300V / Auto	DC, 15Hz–1kHz	Benchtop development, production testing, commercial electronics, avionics, and general AC input testing.	Best economical source Choose this family for clean, instrument-grade programmable AC power without advanced transient functions.	Explore
61500Low-Power AC Source with Transients, Harmonics	500VA / 1.5kVA / 2kVA / 4kVA	0–150V / 0–300V / Auto	DC, 15Hz–1kHz	Design verification, regulation testing, waveform evaluation, and repeatable abnormal-input testing.	Best low-power transients Use when the test requires PLD simulation, programmable impedance, waveform synthesis, and comprehensive measurements.	Explore
61507–61509 / 61607–61609Programmable AC Power Sources	3kVA / 4.5kVA / 6kVA	0–175V / 0–350V / Auto	DC, 15Hz–2kHz; 5kHz optional	Single- or three-phase commercial electronics, AC/DC server power supplies, avionics, and power-conversion testing.	Best frequency range Choose for higher-frequency output and flexible phase configurations; 615xx models add power-line disturbance functions.	Explore
61700Five-Wire, Three-Phase AC Source	1.5kVA–12kVA	150V / 300V	DC, 15Hz–1.2kHz	Dedicated three-phase equipment testing from laboratory R&D and QA through mass production.	Best dedicated 3-phase source Use when the DUT requires pure, programmable five-wire, three-phase AC output and integrated measurements.	Explore
61610High-Power Programmable AC Source	12kVA / 18kVA	0–150V / 0–300V / Auto	DC, 15Hz–1.5kHz	Higher-power commercial, power-electronics, avionics, military, QA, and production applications.	Best high-power source Choose for dense, high-power programmable AC output and critical DUT measurements without advanced PLD functions.	Explore
61510High-Power AC Source with Transients, Harmonics	12kVA / 18kVA; parallel systems to 90kVA	0–150V / 0–300V / Auto	DC, 15Hz–1.5kHz	High-power qualification, abnormal-input simulation, compliance-related testing, and production validation.	Best high-power transients Use when higher-power DUTs require complex AC line simulation, harmonics, measurements, and scalable parallel output.	Explore
61800 High DensityRegenerative Grid Simulator	9kVA–15kVA	0–350V / 0–606V	DC, 30 to 100Hz	EV power components, PV inverters, smart-grid equipment, UPS systems, and bidirectional converters.	Best compact grid simulator Choose for high-density, four-quadrant, single- or three-phase grid simulation with regenerative operation.	Explore
61800HFAI Server Power Grid Simulator	30kVA, 45kVA, 60kVA	0–460V	DC, 30 to 100Hz	AI server power, EV, PV inverter, ESS, V2G, and grid-compliance testing.	Best grid sim for AI server applications AC grid emulator for AI server power including OCP ORv3, M-CRPS, and ITIC. Also EV, PV inverter, ESS, and V2G.	Explore
61800High-Power Regenerative Grid Simulator	45kVA–105kVA	0–335V / 0–520V	DC, 30 to 100Hz	Energy storage, PV inverters, online UPS systems, V2G equipment, and high-power industrial testing.	Best high-power grid simulation Use for full four-quadrant regenerative operation, programmable grid disturbances, and high-power bidirectional DUTs.	Explore

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AC Power Supply Applications

What is an AC Power Supply or Source used for?
A programmable AC power supply is a test instrument that generates controlled AC voltage and frequency. Unlike utility power, its output can be adjusted and sequenced to reproduce worldwide mains conditions, voltage disturbances, frequency changes, and other power events.

Commercial and Industrial Power

Simulate worldwide mains conditions while evaluating AC/DC power supplies, adapters, converters, server power supplies, and other power-electronic devices. Programmable sequences to test input limits, regulation, efficiency, inrush current, immunity, and protection behavior.

Aerospace and Defense Electronics

Generate commercial and higher-frequency AC output for avionics, marine, and military equipment. Selected Chroma AC sources support frequency ranges suited to 400Hz systems and other specialized power environments.

Medical Devices

Verify medical device performance under expected and abnormal utility conditions. Integrate with our Sentinel Systems to meet medical device electronics global compliance requirements - including IEC60601-1 and IEC60601-2-49.

Automotive and EV systems

Test onboard chargers, EV supply equipment, bidirectional charging products, and other vehicle-power technologies. Regenerative models can simulate grid conditions while recovering energy during high-power testing.

Renewable Energy and Energy Storage

Evaluate PV inverters, energy-storage systems, online UPS equipment, and grid-connected power converters. Four-quadrant regenerative grid simulators can both source and absorb power for bidirectional testing.

Automated Production Testing

Integrate programmable AC sources into ATE using remote interfaces and repeatable stored sequences. Automated control improves test consistency, reduces operator variation, and supports higher production throughput.

Chroma Presents 2-in-1 Grid Simulator & Regenerative AC Load

Traditional AC loads contain components that dissipate the energy. By feeding the consumed test power back to the grid, Chroma 61815/61812/61809 Regenerative Grid Simulators effectively reduce the waste heat, achieving about 90% energy recycling.

Our AC Power Sources are designed to satisfy both automated test system and laboratory benchtop requirements.

Advantages include:

Programmable voltage and current limit
Programmable slew rate for changing voltage and frequency
LIST, PULSE, STEP mode functions for testing Power Line Disturbance (PLD) simulation
Voltage dips, short interruption and voltage variation simulation
Harmonics, inter-harmonics waveform synthesizer
Remote interfaces: GPIB, RS-232, USB and Ethernet

AC Power Application Notes

Browse application notes related to AC Power Sources. Chroma’s application notes provide insight and context to assist test engineers with a particular technology, instrument, or application for their bench-top, R&D, design verification and/or ATE requirements and specifications.