Power supply with high and low power operating modes

A battery-powered power supply comprising:

• a voltage converter including:
• a first power supply, and
• a second power supply,
• wherein the first power supply and the second power supply are configured to provide an output to a common output bus, and
• wherein the voltage converter is configured to receive power from a removable battery pack;
• a voltage sensor coupled to the output bus and configured to sense a voltage of the output bus;
• a current sensor configured to sense a current though the output bus;
• and
• a controller configured to:
• monitor a voltage of the output bus during an activation period of the first power supply,
• determine whether the voltage of the output bus is less than a predetermined voltage level,
• deactivate the first power supply and activate the second power supply in response to determining that the voltage is less than the predetermined voltage level.

A method for controlling a battery-powered power supply, the method comprising:

• generating a first output from a first power supply within the battery-powered power supply, the first output being coupled to an output bus;
• monitoring a power output at the output bus;
• determining, using a controller of the battery-powered power supply, whether the power output at the output bus is greater than a first predetermined level;
• deactivating, in response to determining that the power output at the output bus is greater than the first predetermined level, the first power supply;
• and
• generating a second output from a second power supply within the battery-powered power supply, the second output being coupled to the output bus,
• wherein the second power supply has a higher output power rating than the first power supply.