Bench Power Supply - what to get?

[firenewt]

Looking to get a variable dc power supply. Here are a couple of units and their specs. Any winners on the list? Any winners not on the list?

Manufacturer: E-C Apparatus
Model: EC 600
•Output voltage: 4000V maximum
•Output current: 200mA maximum
•Four constant voltage ranges: 0-500v, 0-1000v, 0-2000v, and 0-4000v
•Two constant power ranges: 0-20W and 0-200W
•Four constant current ranges: 0-5mA, 0- 20 mA, 0-50 mA, and 0-200 mA

Manufacturer: E-C Apparatus
Model: EC500-90
•Output voltage - 2000V
•Output current - 300mA
•Output power - 300W
•Four output terminals
•Two pairs of outlet jacks

Manufacturer: E-C Apparatus
Model: EC-154
•Outlet voltage: 500V
•Output current: 500mA
•Output power: 250W
•Constant voltage
•Two pairs of outlet jacks

Manufacturer: E-C Apparatus
Model: EC570-90
•Output voltage - 500V
•Output current - 2500mA
•Output power - 325W
•Output models: Constant voltage or constant current with automatic crossover
•Four sets of terminals

Manufacturer: LAMBDA
Model: 71
Four Outputs
0-500Vdc @ 0 -200ma
0 -50V dc or 0-200Vdc bias output
6.5Vac 5A unregulated
6.5Vac 5A unregulated

thanks in advance,
Kevin

 

[lexx21]

Why not just get a heathkit bench supply? Unless you can find one in your list cheaper than you can the heathkit....... spend the extra cash on transformers or tubes.

 

[tomchr]

An electrophoresis supply can be had for not that much money. I think I paid $80 shipped for mine. 0-1kV, 200 W.

~Tom

 

[HollowState]

E-C Apparatus is better known as a maker of electrophoresis equipment and not really considered a quality laboratory supply IMO. The Lambda 71 is a nice rugged bench supply. I've used them. They are old tube based supplies and easy to service. As I remember they use 6L6's for series pass tubes. I still own a model 50 which is the higher current version. There's one on ePay now.

Lambda also made a C-280 & C-480 series of HV tube supplies. These were rugged supplies but had a limited adjustment range. (up to about 350V) They also used 6L6/5881 pass tube that were often missing because they were exposed on the rear.

Kepco makes a few different HV supplies and Kepco is a top notch brand still in business. I own several of their old tube supplies. (605's)(0-600V/.5A) Big and heavy and they just won't die. But they're scarce these days. The BHK series are nice but use expensive 8068 series pass tubes. (BHK500-.4M or BHK1000-.2M) And there's an HB525M (525V/.5A) But everybody robs the 6550 pass tubes.

Then there's always an HP 6448B. (600V/1.5A) Expensive but nice, although noisy and somewhat slow in response. (comparatively) And let's not forget the old 712A tube supply (0-500V/.2A)

Fluke made a type 407 tube supply. (555V/.3A) I think they used 807 pass tubes.

GriefKits will serve in a pinch but I always considered them too wimpy.

 

[smoking-amp]

If you can get them to ship it cheaply (not express), or go pick it up yourself:

TDK Lambda EMI EMS TCR 600S1 Single Output DC Power Supply 600V 1A 600W | eBay

Says 64 lbs. Looks like they have so many of them, they will probably take most any offer. I would try like 1/2 the listed price. (the picture file name was $_57 ??? must mean something, maybe that's what they paid for them)

There is another model, EMS 600-1.6 I think, that is lighter and thinner, If you keep an eye out for it. Probably won't get it for a price anything like this one though.

 

[smoking-amp]

The Ebay link changed or something. Here is the current link to the TCR-600 power supply:

TDK Lambda EMI EMS TCR 600S1 Single Output DC Power Supply 600V 1A 600W | eBay

Hmmm, the link still doesn't work. You'll have to do a search on:
TDK-LAMBDA-EMI-EMS-TCR-600S1

Note: make sure to get them to agree to a cheaper rate shipping before ordering one!!! They're quoting like overnight delivery cost for 70 Lbs!

 

[smoking-amp]

Ha, here is another one listed at $175 with "make an offer" and analog meters instead. Shipping cost is way more reasonable than the other one quoted.

TCR 600 S1 Power Supply | eBay

 

[smoking-amp]

Hohoho..... Merry... keeps getting cheaper
$100 and cheapest shipping yet.

Em Electronic Measurements SCR Power Supply | eBay

Good example of a poorly listed Ebay item. Does not show up with a "600V power" search.

 

[firenewt]

Thanks for the suggestions. Last night's events severely reduced the amount I have to spend on a power supply. I was doing some busy work - the boring but necessory. I was - bringing a small tube amp up on the variac
- testing a quad of KT100's on the tube tester
- watching the Pacers play the Suns
- and some general straightening up
Soooooooooo I was watching the game, putting a tube into the tester and increasing
the power. Then I heard the dreaded 'snap, buzz, pfft' followed by all the magic
smoke leaving the variac. I unpluged the variac and the amp and somehow
during all this, I broke a pin off one of the KT100's. So now I need to replace the
variac, look for another KT100 that will match the other three. Once I take
deal with this, I will be back on the hunt for the power supply. Oh, and the Pacers lost.

Kevin

 

[smoking-amp]

$1 now, tough to beat this one!

$60 shipping though (to here anyway). Seems to be configured as a negative 600V supply, but I think these usually are floating anyway. In any case, the manual is on line to re-configure it if necessary.

Lambda EMI TDK TCR 600S1 600V 1A Power Supply Read Description | eBay

I looked up some Heathkit 400V supplies on Epay, and they mostly start out at $200, what a rip-off! They used to be $50 or less. I was going to suggest just getting a Heath for the screen grid supply and -bias V use, but it's way cheaper to buy some fancy bench supplies.

If someone wanted to do a 1200V power supply for some Xmit'g tube, they might combine this with a +600V version. A rather unique one of a kind unit.

 

[firenewt]

Thanks for the info - am biding on it.