The Results Are In! ACUPWR Wins!

ACUPWR voltage transformers are the boss when it comes to safety, reliability, and energy efficiency. We pack them with features—safety and otherwise—and don’t hold back as far as boasting about what they can do (perform safely beyond their stated wattage) and what they won’t do (catch on fire).

To back up our claims, we recently hired New Jersey Micro Electronic laboratories (NJMet) to evaluate our popular AUD-500 model. At the same time, we tested one of our competitor’s products, a Chinese-made PowerBright VC-500W model that sells very well because it’s very reasonably priced—too reasonably priced, in fact. Both voltage transformers are combination step up/step down types that convert 220-240 volts to 110-120 volts, and vice-versa, and feature a stated 500-watt load capability. One (ours!) is manufactured with premium components, safety features, and high-end quality, and our cost reflects that, while our competitor is cheaply made in China and therefore costs around $30. But as we like to say, “In the end, you get what you pay for.”

Here’s what our technician at NJMet labs, John Lauermann, reported to us. Let’s just say the results were not surprising.

“On September 28, 2016, the ACUPWR AUD-500 and PowerBright VC-500W transformers were tested at New Jersey Micro-Electronic Testing, Inc. NJMET is an AS9100 and ISO 9001 registered company in operation for 40 years and is a full-service laboratory for testing electronic components and counterfeit detection of electronic components.

Both transformers were tested at 100-, 125-, and 150-percent of the stated wattage. The performance of the transformers with respect to output voltage, efficiency, and safety of operation were compared. 

The ACUPWR AUD-500 performed exactly as specified at the 500-watt level outputting 120 volts RMS with 96 percent efficiency and a case temperature barely above room temperature. The PowerBright VC-500W, with a specified output of 110 volts RMS, underperformed. It outputted 96 volts RMS with a case temperature of 63° Celsius (145.4° Farenheit).

At the 125 percent level (625 watts) the ACUPWR AUD-500 delivered 119 volts RMS with  95.7 percent efficiency, while the PowerBright VC-500W delivered only 95 volts RMS with an 85.6 percent efficiency. Within six minutes the PowerBright transformer was outputting just 91 volts RMS whereas the ACUPWR transformer continued to output 119 volts RMS.

At the 150 percent level (750 watts), the PowerBright VC-500W outputted 85 volts RMS and in 15 minutes reached a temperature of 88 Celsius (190 Farenheit). Smoke was coming through the case vents and the protective fuse did not blow as it should have. At the same power level, the ACUPWR AUD-500 outputted 118 volts RMS and was 94 percent efficient. At 55 minutes, the thermal protection circuit activated and shut down the transformer at a case temperature of 56 Celsius (133 Farenheit) and thus avoided a potentially dangerous situation. In 27 minutes, the ACUPWR AUD-500 resumed normal operational safety.

Based on the findings of this comparative study, it is obvious that the ACUPWR transformer is far superior to the PowerBright transformer in supplying the specified output voltage, efficiency, and overall operational safety.

John Lauermann

Director of Engineering

NJ Micro-Electronic Testing, Inc.”

ACUPWR has always claimed to be the safest, most reliable, and most efficient voltage transformers on the market, and NJMET proved that to be the case. You can argue that the Chinese transformer is only one example, yet take a look at what’s available and you’ll see that most voltage transformers look almost the same except for the brand. That’s because they are the same—made in the same factory with the same cheap components, and priced way too cheap for the type of product that needs to be safe.

The mere fact that the PowerBright’s fuse protection didn’t blow when it was overloaded, and the smoke condition (and eventual fire) left in its wake means it’s a very unsafe product—the kind you don’t want around your family or important electrical equipment and appliances. Our evaluation also proved another thing: the cheap “Black Box” transformers such as PowerBright’s do not deliver the necessary converted voltage at their stated wattage load. Will you 475-watt appliance or electronics work sufficiently at the 96-volt output delivered by PowerBright’s VC-500W? Why say it will work at 500 watts when it absolutely does not?

When all’s said and done, ACUPWR voltage transformers prove to be the safest, most energy efficient, and most reliable transformers available. They’ll never smoke or catch on fire when overloaded (thanks to its thermal protection sensor) and it will last for decades. A lifetime warranty and up to $10,000 in damage coverage backs up our claim.

Buy ACUPWR for Safe. Power. Everywhere.