Uploaded April 2023 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago

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Mouser Reference Guide for GreatScott! viewers ;-) : https://mou.sr/GreatScott-Reference-Guide
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Previous video: youtu.be/2SWj49ugr3A
Inductor video: youtu.be/kdrP9WbJIb8
Capacitor video: youtu.be/otQGdPLyF3w
Impedance video: youtu.be/W2VwAL7-8-o
Power video: youtu.be/cxXmWZDwNEs

PFC IC/Development board from Mouser:
https://mou.sr/IFX-PFC
https://mou.sr/IFX-PMIC-O1

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In this episode of Electronics Basics, we will be having a closer look at Power Factor Correction Circuits aka PFCs. It sounds like a boring topic but it is super important for the electrical future of our power grid. Along the way we will find out about current waveforms, phase shifts, current harmonics and what passive and active PFCs are and can do. Let's get started!

Websites which were shown/used during the video:
mouser.de/ProductDetail/726-EVALPFC2ICE2PCS0
mouser.de/ProductDetail/726-ICE2PCS01GXUMA1
infineon.com/dgdl/Infineon-ICE2PCS03-DS-v02_01-en.pdf?fileId=db3a30431936bc4b01193b45457e52a1
ti.com/seclit/ml/slup390/slup390.pdf?ts=1636232123558&ref_url=https%253A%252F%252Ftraining.ti.com%252F#:~:text=A%20power%20factor%20correction%20(PFC,provides%20benefits%20in%20end%20applications.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IEC_61000-3-2
jezzamon.com/fourier

Thanks to Mouser Electronics for sponsoring this video.

0:00 The Big Problem of our Devices!
1:47 Intro
2:29 What kind of Power is Bad?
4:00 Passive PFC Usage!
5:35 Why Active PFC?
7:39 Testing of Active PFC!
9:18 How does Active PFC work?
10:45 Verdict