Vicor vs. Levanepower: PowerSupply Comparison
Vicor vs. Levanepower: PowerSupply Comparison
Thisdocument compares the Vicor and LevanePower power supply solutions in terms of cost, weight, heatsink, input/output voltage, and external circuit design.
1. Single Module Comparison
Parameter | Vicor BCM4414xH0E5035yzz | LevanePower HLF8K-D50-1000 |
Module Type | Fixed-ratio Bus Converter (BCM®) – 1:16 ratio | Non-isolated Regulated DC-DC Converter |
Input Voltage | 500 – 800 VDC | 800 – 1000 VDC |
Output Voltage | 31.3 – 50.0 VDC (follows input) | 48/50/58.5V VDC optional(fixed) |
Output Current | 35 A | 160 A |
Max Output Power | 1.6 kW | 8 kW |
Peak Efficiency | Up to 97.7% | ≥ 97% |
Dimensions (L x W x H) | 111 × 35.5 × 9.4 mm | 197 × 186 × 68 mm |
Weight | ~150 g (estimated) ,Need to configure peripheral circuits | 2.2 kg, No need for peripheral circuits, can be used directly |
Control Interface | PMBus™ | CAN bus |
Cooling | Conduction / baseplate | Forced air / conduction |
2. System-Level Comparison at EquivalentPower (8 kW)
To achieve 8kW output power, 5 Vicor modules (5 × 1.6 kW) arerequired in parallel, compared to 1LevanePower module.
Parameter | 5× Vicor BCM4414 (8 kW System) | 1× LevanePower HLF8K-D50-1000 (8 kW System) |
Number of Modules | 5 | 1 |
Total Output Power | 8 kW | 8 kW |
Total Volume (approx.) | 111 × 177.5 × 9.4 mm (~185 cm³), (without extend circuits) | 197 × 186 × 68 mm (~2,490 cm³) |
Volume Ratio | Larger overall and weighter when including heatsink and external circuitry | ~13.5× larger |
Total Weight (approx.) | ~2 kg | 2.2 kg |
System Complexity | High (parallel design, current sharing, PCB layout, heatsink) | Low (single module, used directly (no external components)) |
Output Regulation | Unregulated (depends on input) | Fully regulated 48/50/58.5 VDC(fixed) |
3. Price Comparison (Estimated – ForReference Only)
Note: Actual pricing depends on volume, distributor, andnegotiation. The following estimates are based on typical market ranges forindustrial quantities.
Configuration | Estimated Sample Price per Module | Total Cost for 8 kW System |
Vicor BCM4414 (1.6 kW) | $1074 | $5370 (5 modules) ,Significantly higher when including required PCB, enclosure, circuitry, and heatsink |
LevanePower HLF8K (8 kW) | $3000 | $3000 (1 module) , Included in module cost |
Conclusion on Cost:
At the 8 kW systemlevel, both solutions are cost-competitive, with the Lefeiersolution offering simplerintegration and regulated output at a similar orslightly lower total cost.
4. Volume Comparison at Equivalent Power (8kW)
Metric | 5× Vicor BCM4414 | 1× LevanePower HLF8K |
Total Volume | ~1850 cm³(Include extend circuitry) | ~2,421 cm³ |
Power Density | ~4.32 kW/L | ~3.2 kW/L |
Footprint Advantage | ✅ High – ideal for space-constrained systems | ✅ High – ideal for space-constrained systems |
Note: When scaled to 8kW, the Lefeier Energy 8kWsolution and the Vicor solution offer almost identical power density.Therefore, the LevanePower solution is also well suited for applications withstrict limitations on PCB area and height (e.g., embedded systems, aerospace).
Additionally,the LevanePower solution provides fully regulated output, simplerthermal management, and lower design complexity.
5. Summary & Recommendation
Consideration | Vicor BCM4414 (5-module array) | LevanePower HLF8K-D50-1000 |
Input Range | 500 – 800 VDC | 800 – 1000 VDC(680- 800VDC optional) |
Output | Unregulated (1:16 ratio) | Fixed 48VDC/50VDC/58.5VDC |
Power Density | Very high | Very high |
Design Effort | High (parallel, current sharing, layout) | Low (single module) |
Best For | Space-critical, distributed power architectures | Simple 48VDC/50VDC/58.5VDC power in one block |
✅ ChooseLevanePower HLF8K if:
· Your input voltage is stable at ≥680V or 800 VDC
· You need a simple,single-module 8 kW solution
· Regulated 48VDC/50VDC/58.5VDC output isrequired
· System volume is notthe absolute priority
✅ ChooseVicor BCM4414 array if:
· Input voltage is 500–800VDC
· Extreme power density (smallfootprint) is critical
· You are building a distributedpower architecture with multiple downstream loads
· Your team has experience with high-density power module design
If you can share your exact input voltage range, cooling method,and physical spaceconstraints, Our teams can help narrow down the recommendationfurther.
