Rane VC 18 User Manual

Professional Audio Products Data Sheet

General Description

The Rane VC 18 UPS (Uninterruptible Power Supply)
Voltage Converter is a special purpose DC-DC converter used
to power Rane products equipped with red modular jacks and
designed for external Remote AC Power, i.e., RAP units. The
VC 18 provides inputs for simultaneous powering by AC and
DC power. When the AC power fails, the VC 18 automatically
switches to DC power, thus providing uninterruptible power.
The AC power source may be either an RS 1, RS 2, FRS 8 or a
RAP 10. The DC power is either a 12 volt or 24 volt battery,
connected to the #6 terminals on the VC 18. (Special protec­tion circuits provide safe operation of the VC 18 in harsh
automotive and other mobile environments.)

The VC 18 may be used to provide emergency back-up
power for all Rane products designed for remote power. See
the Application Information on the back of this sheet for a
complete discussion on which Rane units apply, and powering
more than one unit at a time.

VC 18-2 Option

Ordering a VC 18-2 gets two 6W converters in one VC 18
chassis. Each drives a separate output jack. The VC 18-2

requires powering by a Rane RS 2, 1.5 amp AC supply (or
parallel FRS 8 or RAP 10 outputs); the smaller RS 1 supply

will not work.

VC 18

VOLTAGE CONVERTER

Features

• UNINTERRUPTIBLE POWER SOURCE

• AC INPUT & 12/24 VDC BATTERY INPUT

• ±18 VDC DC/DC CONVERTER OUTPUT

• 6W OUTPUT; EXPANDABLE TO 2x6W

• FULLY REGULATED

• HIGH OUTPUT ALLOWS ±15 VOLT REGULATORS TO OPERATE

Parameter Specification Limit Units Conditions/Comments

GENERAL SPECIFICATIONS

Rated Output Power 6 (2x6 for VC 18-2) W

Efficiency 85 Min % 7W (14W for VC 18-2) Input Power

Rated Output Voltage ±18 5% VDC

Rated Output Current 167 (2x167 for VC 18-2) 10% mA

Ripple and Noise 150 mVp-p DC to 20Mhz

Rated Temperature 0 to +70 Min °C No Derating

DC BATTERY INPUT

..........Input Voltage Range 12-24 10% VDC

..........Full Load Input Current 583/292 (1.2A/584 for VC 18-2) Max mAD 12V/2 4V I np u t

AC INPUT

..........Input Voltage Range 16-23 VAC

..........No Load Input Current 60 (120 for VC 18-2) mAA

..........Full Load Input Current 650 (1300 for VC 18-2) Max mAA

..........AC Isolation 80k @ 3kHz 10% W 660pF Between Commons

• REVERSE & OVERVOLTAGE PROTECTION

• TRANSIENT SPIKE PROTECTION

• SYSTEM POWER SWITCH

• IGNITION SWITCH TERMINAL

• OUTPUT GROUND ISOLATED FROM INPUT

• COMPLETE EMI/RFI SHIELDING

VC 18

VOLTAGE CONVERTER

Application Information

Using the VC 18 as an uninterruptible power supply requires nothing more complicated than hooking up an RS 1, RS 2, FRS

8 or RAP 10 AC power source (NOTE: a VC 18-2 requires an RS-2 or two parallelled outputs from an FRS 8 or RAP 10), and a
12 or 24V DC battery. The VC 18 works from the AC source until it fails; then it automatically switches over to the battery
backup and continues to provide uninterruptible power until the battery runs down.

Rule: The required DC current equals one-third (1/3) of the AC current. Therefore simply divide the
maximum AC current (silkscreened under the red modular jack & found on the Data Sheet) by three
(3) to get the required DC current. This current must be less than 167 milliamps to use a VC 18 (read
the asterisk note below). DO NOT EXCEED THE MAXIMUM CURRENT RATING.

Professional Audio Products Data Sheet

MODEL

AC 22/B 160 53

AC 23/B 260 87

AP 13 600 200*

AD 22/B 650 217*

DC 24 600 200*

DMS 22 650 217*

GE 30 650 217*

MS 1 220 73

PE 15 300 100

PE 17 450 150

PS 1 175 58

SM 26B 200 67

SM 82 650 217*

* The maximum AC current ratings are in many cases quite conservative. They allow such things as simultaneously driving

all output channels to +20dBu levels into 600 ohms, or all LEDs lighting together, etc. True worst case design. Since these
events rarely occur in actual use, downrating the required DC current by 20-30% is easily possible. Make such reductions if for
your application you do not need 600 ohms line driving ability (overwhelmingly, modern equipment input impedances equal
10,000 ohms or greater—never as low as 600 ohms), or if you are not using all channels, or if your use is not continuous, or is
usually low level, etc. Just use common sense.

AC
mA

DC
mA

In general, if an RS 1 will power it, a VC 18 will power it.

Dash-Two Differences. A VC 18 has one converter and drives both output jacks in parallel. A VC 18-2 has two converters

and each drives one output jack, and requires an RS 2 as the AC input device—an RS 1 will not work. In essence, two VC 18's
in one box. Looked at another way, a VC 18 delivers a total of 167 mA from two jacks, while a VC 18-2 delivers 167 mA out of

each jack. Before you ask, NO, YOU CANNOT PARALLEL OUTPUTS. The output of the two converters will not add.
Instead, each will go into short-circuit limit and shut down.

Powering Two or More Units. Two output jacks implies the ability to drive two units, right? –if you're careful. You can

drive as many units as you want just so long as you do not exceed the 167 mA maximum. Looking at the Tables above shows
you could drive three AC 22's, but you could only drive one PE 17 for example. For VC 18-2 use, you could power two PE 17's.

©Rane Corporation 10802 47th Ave. W., Mukilteo WA 98275-5098 TEL [phone] FAX [phone] WEB http://www.rane.com

Printed in the U.S.A. on Recycled Paper

All features & specifications subject to change without notice 520-303 MAY96