A direct current (DC) remote power controller for remotely controlling DC power between a DC power source and a DC load, comprises: a current sensor for sensing the level of current that the power source supplies to the load and generating a current feedback signal representative of the sensed current level; a current limit controller that compares the current feedback signal to a reference current level and generates a current regulation signal representative of the value of sensed current level above the reference current level; a current limiting device that is responsive to the current regulation signal to limit load current to the reference current level up to a first predetermined level of potential difference across the current limiting device; a load resistance; and a switched-mode DC-to-DC converter in parallel with the current limiting device that senses potential difference across the current limiting device and diverts a portion of the load current from the current limiting device through the load resistance above the first predetermined level of potential difference to reduce power dissipation of the current limiting device and maintain the load current at the reference current level.