This will be the load used for safety applications. Over current Protection Modern power supplies are almost always provided with some form of short circuit protection. Over voltage Protection More important in linears, where failure of a pass transistor could easily put excess voltage on IC s. With switchers, most failures cause no output at all. The ambient temperature conditions under which the supply was designed to operate at full load.
Most power supplies can operate at higher ambient if the output load is properly derated.
The power supply may not remain within specified regulation during the peak condition. It s best to consult the factory with your load profile. The AC component superimposed over the DC output voltage. In linear power supplies, this is the traditional hum at 60 or 120 hertz. In switching power supplies, it is a complex waveform.