Torus Power Isolation Units Provide Clean AC Power and
Surge Suppression that really works

Noisy AC power delivery adversely affects every aspect of your Audio/Video system.  From diminished resolution and dimensionality in audio playback to lifeless colors and poor contrast in video display.

Torus Power Isolation Units (PIUs) totally ISOLATE your audio/video system from these harsh AC power line realities and provide state-of-the-art protection and performance. 

Torus PIUs are available in a family of models rated from 2.5A to 100A to provide a complete system to protect and improve audio/video performance. Standard 120V versions are available in rack mount and box styles, as well as balanced 240V input versions for custom installations.

The Torus PIU’s deliver true isolation along with low source impedance and large enough instantaneous current for today’s most sophisticated and powerful audio amplifiers.  (Most  products in the category are simple filters and do not provide isolation between the outside power grid and the inside power source).

The ever-present risk of severe power line spikes caused by everything from machinery and common household appliances to lightning storms is a constant threat to your system.  Torus provides state-of-art protection and series-mode surge without the use of failure-prone MOVs (metal oxide varistors).

Torus Power Isolation Units provide Clean AC Power to enable you to obtain the performance your audio and video products are capable of;  plus, protect your valuable equipment through the advanced series mode surge suppression. 

Benefits of Torus Power Isolation Units

Benefit #1: Very low source impedance and high current for the power amplifier

Torus power isolation units present low impedance to any electronic device that is connected to them. A Single 20 amp Torus PIU has an output impedance of 0.2 ohms and can deliver 400 amp peaks (instantaneous current). The 100 amp unit only has .04 Ohms of output impedance. A typical 200 watt audio power amplifier demands 10 amps RMS current from a 120 volt line (1200VA) but may demand up to 50 amp instantaneous peaks. The standard residential wall receptacle can't supply the 50 amp peaks because they typically have higher nominal impedance. A Torus 20 amp PIU plugged into the same wall plug can supply these peak current requirements quite easily.

Benefit #2: Power surge protection using Series Mode Surge Suppression rather than MOV's

The Torus power products use the finest, most elaborate surge suppression technology available. Series Mode Surge Suppression does not shunt the spike to ground like MOV's do, and therefore the ground is infinitely more stable in a Torus power device. Additionally, most MOV-based surge suppression units allow as much as 300 volts through to the protected components, easily enough to do substantial damage, where as Torus surge suppression has clamping voltage onset of around 2V above peak nominal voltage. Torus units are built to meet 6000 volts, 3000 amps at 1000 repeats standard.

Benefit #3: Total isolation from outside power grid:

Torus power products provide isolation through its finest designed toroidal transformer between the outside power grid and the devices being protected. Such isolation helps to reject external noise sources such as motors, lights, and dimmers commonly  found in the home environment. Torus power products provide noise filtering at a range from approximately 2000Hz to over 1MHz – other regular transformer based products do not start operating until nearly 10,000 Hz.

Benefit #4: High Power Capability:

There are 15 models of Torus power products available ranging from 2.5 amps to 100 amps and 120/240 Volts.  Torus has recently introduced NEMA wall-mount units, which are typically placed at the hydro panel for whole-house or whole-room power line isolation and protection.

Benefit# 5: Low Noise:

Torus products utilize Plitron ‘LONO’ (Low Noise) transformer design technology that eliminates audible noise in the power transformer regardless of line conditions, DC offset and over-voltage.  Torus products perform at the NC10 level measured on the standard NC (Noise Criteria) – which makes them suitable for use in very quiet environments such as professional recording and broadcast studios.

Benefit # 6: Cleaner Power:

Torus products utilize Plitron “NBT” (Narrow Bandwidth Technology)  to attenuate differential and common-mode noise without external circuits or components, and starting at a lower corner frequency (2Khz) than other systems.  The Torus result is startling – see press and user comments! 

Internal View of Torus Power Unit:

(RM15, RM20, and BAL versions).  Note massive isolation toroidal transformer which provides complete isolation and ensures Torus units have sufficient reserve power capability to provide all the current needed for high power systems.

Torus Transformer Technology

Torus Power PIUs are transformer-based products using toroidal technology developed over 25 years by Plitron Manufacturing. www.plitron.com

NBT (Narrow Bandwidth Technology) substantially attenuates noise with similar performance as a low pass filter, while eliminating use of an external filter. The corner frequency is 2 kHz with an attenuation rate of 12 db/decade to 500kHz.

LoNo (Low Noise) technology eliminates audible noise in the power transformer regardless of line conditions, including DC offset and overvoltage. Noise is quantified and specified to NC (noise criterion) curves. Torus products are about NC 10.

Transformer used in Torus units, pictured at left, features triple-screens for ultimate noise rejection. Also note metal mounting band that "suspends" the transformer inside the cabinet, further reducing mechanical noise.

Toroidal transformers are typically half the size and weight of conventional transformers. But, Torus uses transformers which are twice the mass of standard toroids to provide extremely open high power.

Torus Series Mode Surge Suppression

Most surge-suppression circuits are shunt-mode. Excessive voltage surges are "shunted" to ground, which raises ground voltage and may contaminate audio and video signals. Shunt-mode surge protectors usually use MOVs (metal oxide varistors) which are sacrificial components, and usually become ineffective over time.

Torus PIUs use series mode surge suppression which absorbs surges more than two volts above peak line voltages. Torus surge suppression meets IEEE endurance standards of 6000V, 3000A with 1000 repeats. Torus Technology allows for the replacement of a series inductor with the Torus isolation transformer. The transformer has lower stray fields and higher current capabilities than the typical series inductor.

For a more detailed explanation of Series Mode Surge Suppression, please see link - http://toruspower.com/Documents/PQ02ZSP.pdf