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ITGlossary · Power quality
Signal Conditioning
Filtering and stabilising the power or signal on a line so that it reaches the device clean and free of interference.
Technical level:Advanced
In practice, signal conditioning means that the power supply or the signal on a line is cleaned up and adapted before it reaches the device. On power lines this includes EMI/RFI noise filters, surge suppression and voltage stabilisation, so that the load receives a voltage close to the nominal 230 V and free of interference. Similar filters and protection are applied to the data and telephone lines of the same equipment.
Its importance shows with sensitive equipment such as medical devices, audio equipment or measuring instruments, where mains noise causes errors or distortion. A double-conversion UPS provides the highest degree of conditioning, while an AVR stabiliser with filters handles voltage fluctuations and much of the noise.
A common mistake is to assume that a simple surge-protected power strip also stabilises voltage, when it usually only handles spikes.
Related terms
- Line ConditionerA device that improves power quality by regulating voltage and filtering noise.
- Power ConditioningTechniques such as EMI/RFI filtering, surge protection and AVR that correct voltage problems before they reach the load.
- Noise (Electrical)Unwanted high-frequency disturbances on the supply voltage, e.g. from motors or power supplies, which UPS systems and line conditioners filter out.
- ATS (Automatic Transfer Switch)A device that automatically moves the load from the grid to a generator during an outage and back again when grid power returns.
- RFI — Radio Frequency InterferenceA subset of EMI: high-frequency noise from electronic equipment that can disturb radio, Wi-Fi and other devices.
- Automatic Voltage Regulator (AVR)A device that automatically maintains a constant voltage level to protect electrical equipment from fluctuations.