I currently have your basic Chinese 30v 15Amp maybe for a second supply. It works pretty good. It does what I need it too. And it's quiet. But I upgrading but don't have alot to spend. Suggestions I can get a pyramid 52kk for 120, but I don't think I can adjust amprage and voltage only down to 12v I would use my resistor to power up boards. Need a decent suppy in the 100-200 range.
I've recommended and many people are using that pyramid.
The Astron VS-35M is also very good. I use the 20 amp version for most troubleshooting.
Watch shipping charges, no matter what you buy.
I use a resistor for current limiting and only rarely use the current limiter on the power supply. Connecting a small 12v buzzer across the resistor allows you to hear when current draw changes.
The Astron VS-35M is also very good. I use the 20 amp version for most troubleshooting.
Watch shipping charges, no matter what you buy.
I use a resistor for current limiting and only rarely use the current limiter on the power supply. Connecting a small 12v buzzer across the resistor allows you to hear when current draw changes.
Here what I ended up getting now.
Astron VS-50M Tabletop 50 Amp Variable Power Supply 656403100177 | eBay
Astron VS-50M Tabletop 50 Amp Variable Power Supply 656403100177 | eBay
I found a brand new Astron 70M on Craigs list earlier this year for $200 CAD. Cost me $ 70 to have brought to the city via Greyhound. Had crappy internal assembly, the outputs shorted and blew up a cap, and the ammeter stopped working. Both simple fixes and the supply rocks. Can power almost every amp I have, except the T2000 RF. Going to try to run a car battery in parallel with it, but thinking I need a small circuit to protect the supply and battery when the supply is shut off. Any thoughts? This might be useful for folks with small supplies who want to add a battery for transients and big amp testing. I use mine to power the car stereo system in my garage/workshop.
As the meme says:
I don't always listen to Black Sabbath, but when I do; so do my neighbors.
As the meme says:
I don't always listen to Black Sabbath, but when I do; so do my neighbors.
I have a 100 amp fuse on the B+ terminal of the battery then the following switch between that fuse and the power supply.
http://www.bcae1.com/images/jpegs/IMG_5967b.jpg
http://www.bcae1.com/images/jpegs/IMG_5967b.jpg
Hi Perry, nice to meet you; appreciate all your posts and insights.
I have a couple of those switches lying around; presumably it needs to be shut off before the supply is switched on/off? I was thinking of some diode based circuit so only the supply switch needs to be thrown.
Also, where do you pull the power and ground from in your setup - the battery or the PS?
I can't tell you how other supplies will react but I've left the switch on overnight and it did nothing except drain the battery a bit because the supplies have internal fans which continued to run. Switched the supplies on and off with the battery directly connect and no problems.
My two supplies connect to the supply with the larger terminals. The battery connect to that point.
One thing that I need to do (because i so rarely need to use the battery) is to add a charging circuit. I will likely use an 1157 lamp in series with a 6 or 8 amp diode to charge the battery when the switch is open.
My two supplies connect to the supply with the larger terminals. The battery connect to that point.
One thing that I need to do (because i so rarely need to use the battery) is to add a charging circuit. I will likely use an 1157 lamp in series with a 6 or 8 amp diode to charge the battery when the switch is open.
here is my setup, almost done, have to add the forgotten speaker output terminals, duh. Astron 70A with Odyssey AGM 925 battery; fully fused, switched and with several voltmeters, ammeters and circuit breakers. Alpine CD head, Alphasonik pre amp eq/crossover with dual inputs and outputs driving an Orion HCCA 225 series 2 for the highs on a pair of Axiom bookshelf speakers and a Rockford Fosgate Punch 45 HD running 2 ohm mono into a Fosgate HX2 DVC 12" in a non parallel 1 cft box, wired 2 Ohm mono. Sadly, the sub is so inefficient, it only works properly when jammed with real power - the 160 W rms the Fosgate produces is nowhere near enough. Should ve kept the Dr. Crankenstein HV12 4 ohm in there; was way louder and sounded better to boot. Did try running a RF800 Trans Ana into the sub yesterday and it really woke up and liked being hammered. The amp was pulling over 50 A of current pretty steady, so this was impressive.
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and some pics; thx Perry; used a 100A battery switch I had lying around; using the metal body HD ones on the car. Also installed an integrated digital voltmeter (for the battery) at the main fuse holder, prior to the switch. This way I can run with or without the battery and know what I'm dealing with. The 30A circuit for the amps and bench testing incorporated it's own volt meter and shunt with ammmeter as well. An indicator light shows everything is powered up and it seems to work well. Now to head outside and add the missing speaker test outlets and switch, duh!!
After much buggering about:
What to do with a pile of ATX power supplies
Modifying ATX 2.2 PSU - PS229 voltage chip
I decided to just buy one, you’ve made the right decision...
What to do with a pile of ATX power supplies
Modifying ATX 2.2 PSU - PS229 voltage chip
I decided to just buy one, you’ve made the right decision...
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