Mean Well RSP Series · 8 Rails · 5V 90A 450W · Universal PFC · Remote Sense
Mean Well RSP-500 Switching Power Supply
The Mean Well RSP-500 switching power supply pairs a 5 V / 90 A / 450 W rail (eight rails from 3.3 to 48 V in the series) with an 85–264 VAC universal input, active PFC, remote ON/OFF and remote sense — the compliance-grade big brother that sits between the NEL-400 and the LRS-600 in the Mean Well screen ladder.
📱 / WhatsApp: +86-191-18802497 · Shenzhen, China · GMT+8
450 W
Rated output (5 V rail)
5 V / 90 A
DC output rail
85–264 VAC
Universal input + PFC
Remote Sense
+S/−S, ON/OFF on CN100
3 Years
Warranty (1.37M h MTBF)
Short answer
The Mean Well RSP-500 is a 500 W-class switching power supply with an 85–264 VAC universal input and built-in active PFC. The 5 V model delivers 90 A (450 W); the series spans eight rails from 3.3 V to 48 V in a 230 × 127 × 40.5 mm 1U chassis cooled by a thermally managed DC fan. It is the only supply on this site with remote sense — a +S/−S pair that compensates up to 0.3 V of voltage drop on long DC runs — alongside remote ON/OFF control, constant-current overload recovery, a 3-year warranty and a 1,372,400-hour Telcordia MTBF rating.
What Is the Mean Well RSP-500 Switching Power Supply?
The Mean Well RSP-500 is a 500 W single-output enclosed AC/DC switching power supply (SMPS) that converts an 85–264 VAC mains feed into one regulated DC rail. The series carries eight rails — 3.3, 4, 5, 12, 15, 24, 27 and 48 V — with the screen-relevant 5 V model rated at 90 A / 450 W. Cooling comes from a built-in DC fan whose behavior the unit manages thermally, inside a 230 × 127 × 40.5 mm 1U chassis weighing 1.3 kg.
The RSP-500 is the function-rich member of the family. Beyond the active PFC front end (power factor above 0.98 at 115 VAC, EN 61000-3-2 harmonic compliance), it adds two control features no other supply page on this site offers: remote sense, which lets the regulation loop measure voltage at the load end of long DC runs and compensate up to 0.3 V of cable drop, and remote ON/OFF on the same CN100 connector. The platform carries UL 62368-1, TUV, CCC, EAC, BSMI and BIS approvals with a 3-year warranty, and a dual-method MTBF of 1,372,400 hours minimum (Telcordia SR-332) plus 187,900 hours minimum (MIL-HDBK-217F, 25°C).
90 A on the 5 V rail
A 360 W usable budget at the 80% rule — covering a dense indoor cabinet outright, with the LRS-600’s 100 A rail above it as the next step.
Sense the load, not the case
The +S/−S pair measures voltage at the far end of the harness, so long cable runs and big bus bars no longer shave tenths of a volt off the modules.
Compliance paper trail
UL 62368-1, EN 61000-3-2 harmonics, dual-method MTBF and a 3-year warranty — the RSP tender package at 450 W.
Planning a screen’s full electrical side? Pair this page with the LED display power consumption guide, and for the control end of the same cabinet see the LED screen display control system catalog.
What Are the Mean Well RSP-500 Switching Power Supply Specifications?
Every figure below comes from the official Mean Well RSP-500 specification sheet (4 pages, revision dated 2025-09-26). The eight-rail table first, then the platform parameters:
| Model | Rail / current | Rated power | Tolerance | Ripple (max.) | Efficiency |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| RSP-500-3.3 | 3.3 V / 90 A | 297 W | ±2.0% | 120 mVp-p | 81% |
| RSP-500-4 | 4 V / 90 A | 360 W | ±2.0% | 120 mVp-p | 83% |
| RSP-500-5 | 5 V / 90 A | 450 W | ±2.0% | 150 mVp-p | 84% |
| RSP-500-12 | 12 V / 41.7 A | 500.4 W | ±1.0% | 150 mVp-p | 88% |
| RSP-500-15 | 15 V / 33.4 A | 501 W | ±1.0% | 150 mVp-p | 88% |
| RSP-500-24 | 24 V / 21 A | 504 W | ±1.0% | 150 mVp-p | 89% |
| RSP-500-27 | 27 V / 18.6 A | 502.2 W | ±1.0% | 150 mVp-p | 89.5% |
| RSP-500-48 | 48 V / 10.5 A | 504 W | ±1.0% | 150 mVp-p | 90.5% |
| Common to all eight rails | Value |
|---|---|
| Input voltage range | 85–264 VAC / 120–370 VDC, 47–63 Hz (nameplate: 100–240 V, 5.8 A) |
| Power factor | Active PFC: PF > 0.95 at 230 VAC; PF > 0.98 at 115 VAC, full load |
| Line / load regulation | ±0.5% line (3.3–5 V), ±0.3% (12/15 V), ±0.2% (24–48 V); ±1.0% load (3.3–5 V), ±0.5% (12 V+) |
| Setup / hold-up time | 1500 ms, 80 ms at 230 VAC; 3000 ms, 80 ms at 115 VAC; hold-up 18 ms / 14 ms at full load |
| Inrush / leakage current | 20 A at 115 VAC, 40 A at 230 VAC / <2 mA at 240 VAC |
| Protections | Overload 105–130%: constant current limiting, auto-recovery; OVP: shut down, re-power on to recover; OTP: shut down, auto-recovery; short circuit |
| Remote control / sense | CN100 (HRS DF11-04DP-2DS): power ON 0–0.8 VDC, OFF 4–10 VDC; remote sense compensates up to 0.3 V of load-wiring drop |
| Fan control | Fan ON at ≥50°C, OFF at ≤40°C (always on for 3.3–5 V rails; thermal ON/OFF for 12–48 V rails) |
| Working temperature | −30°C to +70°C with derating curve (full load to ~40°C); 20–90% RH |
| MTBF | 1,372.4K hrs min. (Telcordia SR-332); 187.9K hrs min. (MIL-HDBK-217F, 25°C) |
| Dimensions / packing | 230 × 127 × 40.5 mm (Case 226A) / 1.3 kg, 9 pcs per carton |
| Safety / EMC | UL 62368-1, TUV, AS/NZS 62368-1, EAC TP TC 004, CCC GB 4943.1, BSMI, BIS IS 13252; EN 55032 Class B, EN 61000-3-2/-3, EN 55035, EN 61000-6-2 |
| Warranty | 3 years |
Factory mechanical drawing: 230 × 127 × 40.5 mm, Case 226A, TB1/TB2 terminals and CN100 marked
Field notes before you buy
First, input range: the datasheet specifies 85–264 VAC while the production nameplate reads 100–240 V, 5.8 A (the photo below shows a 48 V unit) — the factory curve gives full rated load from 115 VAC upward and roughly 80% at the 85 V floor (Note 4). Second, the low-voltage rails (3.3–5 V) keep their fan spinning at all times; only the 12–48 V rails get the thermal ON/OFF behavior — so a 5 V bay is not silent, just speed-graded. Third, overload is constant-current limiting (auto-recovery) while an OVP trip latches until re-power.
Production nameplate: INPUT 100–240 VAC, 5.8 A · OUTPUT 48 V, 10.5 A · +V ADJ and CN100 at the block ends
The published ripple figures follow the same factory measurement discipline as the rest of the range — here is Mean Well’s own method video, the same habit our bench applies before any batch ships:
How Many LED Modules Can the Mean Well RSP-500 5 V Rail Carry?
Apply the industry-standard 80% loading rule and the RSP-500-5 gives you two budgets:
Power budget
450 W × 80% = 360 W usable per unit
Current budget
90 A × 80% = 72 A usable per unit
Mapped onto typical modules (average draws under normal program material — full-white patterns run higher, so verify against your module datasheet):
| Typical load | Average draw | Max per RSP-500-5 at 360 W |
|---|---|---|
| Indoor P2.5 module (320 × 160 mm) | ~10–15 W | ~24–36 modules |
| Rental P3.91 module (250 × 250 mm) | ~15–20 W | ~18–24 modules |
| Outdoor P4.81 module (250 × 250 mm) | ~20–30 W | ~12–18 modules |
| Receiving card (Novastar / Colorlight class) | ~3–5 W | Shares the same 5 V rail |
One RSP-500-5 therefore carries a dense 500 × 1000 mm indoor cabinet outright; the only step above it in the Mean Well screen set is the 500 W LRS-600, with the full derating math in our power consumption walkthrough.
Why Does the Mean Well RSP-500 Give Its Fan a Brain?
Most fan-cooled supplies treat the fan as an on-or-off afterthought. The RSP-500’s datasheet dedicates a function row to fan behavior, and the factory block diagram gives it a dedicated control stage: the fan switches ON at 50°C (±10°C) and OFF at 40°C (±10°C) on its internal sensor — with one rule that surprises buyers:
Low rails: always spinning
The 3.3–5 V models keep the fan running whenever powered — the 90 A rail needs continuous airflow, so a 5 V bay is never totally silent.
High rails: thermal cycling
The 12–48 V models run the fan only when heat demands it — signage and control-bay builds stay silent in the cold and spool up in the summer.
Predictable service
A fan that cycles with temperature ages slower and announces itself before failure — listen at commissioning and at every scheduled screen service.
Which Input Grids Can the Mean Well RSP-500 Run On?
The 85–264 VAC universal window spans 110–120 V and 220–240 V networks alike, with the active PFC holding power factor above 0.98 at 115 VAC and the factory curve giving full rated load from 115 VAC upward:
| Grid | Verdict on the RSP-500 |
|---|---|
| 220–240 V (EU, UK, Middle East, Asia, AU) | Full rated load; the design center the nameplate quotes (100–240 V) |
| 110–120 V (US, Canada, Japan, Taiwan) | Full rated load at 115 V+ — no transformer caveat for these grids |
| 85–100 V (brownout-prone 100 V grids) | Runs, but derate the load to roughly 80% per the factory curve (Note 4) |
The corrected input also pairs naturally with generator-fed event sites and long temporary distribution — the same argument the RSP-200 and RSP-150 make, now at cabinet-feeding scale.
What Do Remote ON/OFF and Remote Sense Add to the Mean Well RSP-500?
The CN100 connector carries two features that separate the RSP-500 from every other supply page on this site:
Remote ON/OFF (RC+/RC−)
0–0.8 VDC between the pins powers the unit ON; 4–10 VDC powers it OFF. Wire it to a timer, light sensor or room controller to darken the screen on schedule without touching mains.
Remote sense (+S/−S)
Run thin sense wires to the far end of the DC bus and the regulation loop compensates up to 0.3 V of cable drop — the difference between 4.8 V and 5.0 V arriving at the modules in a big cabinet.
Why it matters at 90 A
At high current, milliohms become tenths of a volt. Sense wiring recovers that drop without overdriving the near-end modules — the fix for the classic bright-center, dim-corner cabinet.
Mean Well RSP-500-5 vs LRS-600-5: Which 450-500 W Supply Wins?
These two are the top of the Mean Well screen ladder from opposite engineering lines — and both already have full pages on this site:
- Output: the LRS-600-5 carries 100 A / 500 W against the RSP-500-5’s 90 A / 450 W — the LRS wins raw current by 11%.
- Power factor: the RSP-500 corrects its input (PF > 0.98 at 115 VAC, EN 61000-3-2 compliant); Mean Well’s own catalogue describes the LRS line as the non-PFC economy series.
- Control: remote ON/OFF plus remote sense on the RSP-500’s CN100; the LRS-600 has neither.
- Documentation: dual-method MTBF on the RSP-500 (1.37M h Telcordia / 187.9K MIL-HDBK-217F); the LRS-600 publishes the MIL figure alone.
- Hold-up and profile: 18 ms hold-up in a 40.5 mm chassis for the RSP-500 versus 20 ms at 41 mm for the LRS-600 — effectively level.
| Parameter | Mean Well RSP-500-5 | Mean Well LRS-600-5 |
|---|---|---|
| Output | 5 V / 90 A / 450 W | 5 V / 100 A / 500 W |
| PFC | Active, PF > 0.98 at 115 VAC | None (economy line) |
| Remote control / sense | CN100: ON/OFF + ±S sense | None |
| Efficiency (5 V rail) | 84% | 86–92% (range) |
| Dimensions / weight | 230 × 127 × 40.5 mm / 1.3 kg | 225 × 124 × 41 mm / 0.95 kg |
| Hold-up time | 18 ms at 230 VAC | 20 ms at 230 VAC |
| MTBF | 1,372.4K h Telcordia + 187.9K h MIL | 301.7K h MIL |
Full detail on the value-line big brother lives on the Mean Well LRS-600 switching power supply page; and for the slimmest 80 A alternative, the fan-cooled Mean Well NEL-400 trades current for a 30 mm chassis with conformal coating standard.
How Does the Mean Well RSP-500 Fit the RSP Ladder?
The RSP line now spans four screen-relevant members on the same universal-input, PFC, 3-year-warranty platform:
RSP-150 · 30 A
120 W budget, fanless 199 mm chassis with remote ON/OFF — the single-cabinet entry.
RSP-200 · 40 A
160 W budget, fanless 1U, twelve rails down to 2.5 V.
RSP-320 · 60 A
240 W budget with a speed-controlled fan — the dense indoor cabinet unit.
RSP-500 · 90 A
360 W budget with remote sense — the ladder top before the LRS-600 takes over.
On our own bench, serviceability is designed into the cabinet from day one — our stage-screen build runs a detachable PSU box so a failed unit swaps in minutes:
How Do You Install and Wire the Mean Well RSP-500 Safely?
Two terminal blocks and the CN100 connector define the wiring workflow:
| Block / pin | Assignment |
|---|---|
| TB1 · 1 / 2 | AC/L · AC/N |
| TB1 · 3 | FG (frame ground) |
| TB2 · 1–3 | DC output −V |
| TB2 · 4–6 | DC output +V |
| CN100 · 1 / 2 | −S · +S (remote sense) |
| CN100 · 3 / 4 | RC− · RC+ (remote ON/OFF) |
1 · Mount on the flanges
5-M4 screws (L = 4 mm) into the base flanges plus 4-M4 per side (L = 5 mm), with the marked airflow path facing the open bay.
2 · Wire AC, DC and ground
Mains into TB1, the module and receiving-card bus across TB2 (+V/−V), FG bonded to cabinet earth. Check polarity with a meter before the first power-up.
3 · Optional: sense and control wiring
Run thin +S/−S wires to the far end of the DC bus for remote sense, and the RC pair to your controller for scheduled switching. Keep sense wires away from the switch-node wiring.
4 · Set the rail with +V ADJ
Trim to 5.0 V (adjustable 4.5–5.5 V) at the load end under full load, then confirm each cabinet measures the same within a few tenths.
5 · Load-test and listen
Run a full-white pattern for ten minutes, feel for hot spots, confirm the fan behaves per its thermal rules and the LED indicator stays lit, then re-torque before closing the cabinet.
Do not parallel the outputs
The RSP-500 datasheet lists no current-sharing feature, so two paralleled units will not divide load evenly — one runs hot while the other idles. Split the bus by cabinet or step up to the LRS-600’s 100 A rail. And remember the OVP latch: after an over-voltage trip, cycle the AC feed before restarting the screen. And if the bay genuinely needs a shared bus, the Mean Well RSP-1000 is the family’s only parallel-capable supply — active current sharing up to four units (3+1).
When a unit does fail in the field, our LED display power supply diagnostics and replacement guide walks the test-and-swap workflow end to end.
What Problems Does a Failing Mean Well RSP-500 Power Supply Cause?
Power trouble wears disguises — check these three signatures before blaming a module or a control card:
Dim or uneven brightness, one cabinet
Aging output capacitors sag the rail under load; the cabinet’s corner looks tired while its neighbors shine. Full-white patterns make it obvious.
Flicker on camera or under load spikes
An overloaded or failing rail dips for a frame at a time. Flicker that tracks bright content points at the supply first.
Cabinet reboots or dead sections
Constant-current limiting reads as a dimmed bus; a latched OVP reads as dead-until-repower. Measure the rail during the dropout before replacing modules.
How Much Does the Mean Well RSP-500-5 Cost?
Authorized-distributor pricing sits at $94.60 for a single unit (Mouser, observed September 2026), with bulk steps at higher quantities. Volume pricing for screen-production quantities steps down from there — Mean Well packs this series 9 pieces to a carton.
Sample · 1–10 pcs
For repairs, prototypes and trial cabinets — shipped from stock with the nameplate you see above.
Project · 10–500 pcs
Whole-screen and fleet quantities with per-cabinet load math and the sense-and-control wiring planned into the harness.
Volume · 500+ pcs
Production-line pricing with container freight planning and batch date-code consistency.
Send the module types, modules-per-cabinet and total cabinet count, and the quote comes back with the load math attached — from an LED screen manufacturer that stocks the full chain from power to control.
Mean Well RSP-500 Switching Power Supply: Frequently Asked Questions
Can the RSP-500-5 run on a 110 V outlet in the US?
Yes. The 85–264 VAC universal input carries full rated load from 115 VAC upward; only the 85–100 V band asks for the roughly 20% derating the factory curve specifies (Note 4). No step-up transformer is needed for US, Canadian or Japanese grids.
How many LED modules can one RSP-500-5 drive?
At the 80% loading rule: 360 W or 72 A usable. A typical indoor P2.5 module draws about 10–15 W of average program material, so one unit covers roughly 24–36 such modules plus the receiving card — verify against your module’s datasheet and brightness profile.
Is the RSP-500’s fan always running?
On the 3.3–5 V models, yes — the 90 A rail needs continuous airflow. On the 12–48 V models the fan cycles thermally: ON at about 50°C, OFF at about 40°C per the datasheet.
What does remote sense actually fix?
Voltage drop on the DC wiring. At 90 A, harness and bus-bar resistance can shave tenths of a volt before power reaches the modules — the +S/−S pair lets the regulation loop measure at the load end and compensate up to 0.3 V, restoring exact rail voltage where it matters.
RSP-500-5 or LRS-600-5 for a big indoor bay?
The LRS-600-5 wins raw current (100 A / 500 W versus 90 A / 450 W) and price; the RSP-500-5 wins the input stage (active PFC, EN 61000-3-2), the control features (remote ON/OFF and sense) and the documentation. Match the choice to grid, harmonics and tender requirements.
Why did my RSP-500 shut off and not come back?
Check which protection tripped. Overload (105–130%) recovers by itself through constant current limiting, and over-temperature recovers once the chassis cools. Over-voltage is the exception: it latches the output off until the unit is re-powered — cycle the AC feed, then find the upstream cause before restarting the screen.
What warranty and service life does Mean Well publish?
A 3-year warranty with a dual-method MTBF: 1,372,400 hours minimum by Telcordia SR-332 plus 187,900 hours minimum by MIL-HDBK-217F at 25°C, and 100% burn-in before shipment.
Can I parallel two RSP-500 units for more current?
No. The datasheet lists no current-sharing feature, so paralleled units will not divide load evenly. Split the bus by cabinet or step up to the LRS-600’s 100 A rail.
Quote the Mean Well RSP-500 With the Load Math Done
Send your module types and cabinet count; we return per-cabinet power sizing and a matched quote from a LED screen manufacturer that ships worldwide.
📱 / WhatsApp: +86-191-18802497 · Shenzhen, China · GMT+8
More Mean Well Switching Power Supply and LED Display Power Resources
LED Display Power Supply (Mother Catalog)
The three-brand mother catalog: 27 model pages, 2026 price bands, architecture map and the 80% load math — start here.
Mean Well UHP-500 (5 V 80 A slim)
The slim flagship: 400 W on the rail at 90% efficiency (95% peak) with a 30 Vdc/1A relay DC OK and R-type redundancy.
Mean Well RSP-1000 (1000 W)
The 12 V-and-up counterpart: five rails to 1008 W, the family’s only parallel-capable unit (4000 W, 3+1) with a 5-year warranty.
Mean Well LRS-600 (500 W)
The ladder top: 5 V / 100 A / 500 W across seven rails including 27 V.
Mean Well NEL-400 (400 W)
The slim alternative: 5 V / 80 A in a 30 mm chassis with conformal coating standard.
Mean Well RSP-320 (300 W)
The step below: 5 V / 60 A / 300 W across twelve rails with universal PFC and a speed-controlled fan.
Mean Well RSP-200 (200 W)
Fanless 1U: 5 V / 40 A / 200 W with active PFC and no moving parts inside the cabinet.
Mean Well RSP-150 (150 W)
Small-bay option: 5 V / 30 A / 150 W in a fanless 30 mm chassis, nine rails from 3.3 to 48 V.
LED Display Power Consumption
Screen-level power math: module draw, brightness settings, breaker sizing and cable gauges.
Power Supply Diagnostics & Replacement
Test a suspect supply, swap it inside a live screen, and root-cause repeat failures.