Power supply for tattoo machines

[Seaofdep]

Hi, i have two spare power suplies , pushing 2 amps max. And need 4 amps true 6 peak  So before i spend 300 on a new one wanted to to see the diy route first. My question, is there a way to add higher amperage by replacing or adding parts. Is it even possible and if not is there a cheaper route than 300 to build one myself ?

[jeroen79]

Without knowing the brands/types nothing definitive can be said.

To increase the current rating all parts in the main loop (ie. transformer, rectifier, capacitors, passtransistors) would need to meet the new requirements.
Tweaking a the currentlimiter may be a bit easier.

Can't you modify your tattomachine to work at twice the voltage?
Then you could put both supplies in series.

And why do you expect to pay 300 (dollars?) on a new 6A (12V?) powersupply?
A tattoomachine doesn't sound like something that requires a 'high end' supply.

[rstofer]

Google has a ton of replies re: how to build a tattoo machine power supply.  Videos too...

[MagicSmoker]

http://www.mouser.com/ProductDetail/Mean-Well/LRS-100-12/?qs=sGAEpiMZZMsPs3th5F8koMf%2fa2V0paI9bHtyLIIvm6sQ6FMGZ6as2Q%3d%3d

There ya go. Please paypal me $100 for saving you so much money. 

[Brumby]

Why such a high current for a tattoo machine?  The few that I've seen don't run past 2A.

http://www.mouser.com/ProductDetail/Mean-Well/LRS-100-12/?qs=sGAEpiMZZMsPs3th5F8koMf%2fa2V0paI9bHtyLIIvm6sQ6FMGZ6as2Q%3d%3d

There ya go. Please paypal me $100 for saving you so much money. 

Needs to be adjustable...

[Seaofdep]

 am sorry for late response some reason i didnt get notified but anyway i am sorry  that i am not to an expert, the machines and power supples that i have see of quality all are 4 amps true and run around 300 dollars
 and the builder of my machine  notified me that with the coils he makes for his work it will run best on a supply of that spec and some research said the same for quality built machines and should run at about 4-6 v. if it helps i will post picture of what i have?

[CJay]

The tattoo parlours I've been in just used variable lab power supplies (my partner has several really rather nice bits of ink*, I'm too indecisive to have any).

I asked one why and they basically called BS on the 'special' tattoo gun power supplies.

Seems there's a lot of mythology and BS surrounding the whole market.


*For those who have met her, she looks like just the sort of person who has tattoos as she has several and is planning several more.

[Aeternam]

Enlighten me, what's special about tattoo machine PSUs?

[CJay]

Nothing special about them other than they have fancy graphics, blingy connectors on them and can have ridiculous price tags.

In fact the ones I've seen are pretty poor.

[JonathanSA]

Just find a budget beginners bench supply or get the mean well with a buck converter. 

[Marek85]

Why these tattoo power supplies have to look like an electric guitar pedal effect?

[Seaofdep]

 from what i can tell and experiencdd the "tattoo community" is money driven and could care less about anything else ... i just have a delta 200pb 185a/ ac in:100v-240v ~3.5a max coninuios:190w dc output: +12v 5a +52v 2.5a . and  a few potentiometers a voltagemeter ,female jack connectors . aboard with a lm317 and another wih lm2756s and random other.. and wondering if possible with these items will i be able to make myself a variable power supply?

[amyk]

Nothing special about them other than they have fancy graphics, blingy connectors on them and can have ridiculous price tags.

In fact the ones I've seen are pretty poor.

Not even better (i.e. medical-grade) isolation? After all, it is powering equipment designed to puncture the skin...

[P90]

Nothing special about them other than they have fancy graphics, blingy connectors on them and can have ridiculous price tags.

In fact the ones I've seen are pretty poor.

Not even better (i.e. medical-grade) isolation? After all, it is powering equipment designed to puncture the skin...

Maybe that's what they need... a good shock to perhaps clear the shit out of their brains for getting tattoos in the first place...

[CJay]

Nothing special about them other than they have fancy graphics, blingy connectors on them and can have ridiculous price tags.

In fact the ones I've seen are pretty poor.

Not even better (i.e. medical-grade) isolation? After all, it is powering equipment designed to puncture the skin...

Nope, it is discussed on tattoo forums by responsible users and i'm sure some of the better equipment is of that grade but I wouldn't trust the cheap PSUs to have decent isolation full stop let alone medical grade, I'd probably be slightly happier with a decent quality bench PSU.

Plenty of 'homebrew' stuff out there too and there's a 'maker' culture around this stuff as well with some incredible looking steampunk equipment.

[CJay]

Nothing special about them other than they have fancy graphics, blingy connectors on them and can have ridiculous price tags.

In fact the ones I've seen are pretty poor.

Not even better (i.e. medical-grade) isolation? After all, it is powering equipment designed to puncture the skin...

Maybe that's what they need... a good shock to perhaps clear the shit out of their brains for getting tattoos in the first place...

I'm sure they'd be more tolerant, respectful and less vocal of your personal choices no matter how repellant they found your unadorned appearance though.

However, when you're appointed president of the whole universe then you can dictate everyone's appearance and your comments about the lifestyle choices of others will, I'm sure, be given due weight.

For now it might be an idea, unless you're trolling, to keep your prejudices hidden.

[Seaofdep]

@cjay if i do manage to get ti together i defenitly have no intentions on using it on someone unless i knew for fact that it would not do any damage or harm  . and i will fabricate my own personal housing .. im not sure but this power supply is from a server and i think good quality and is quite expensive. what has me stuck is that it does not have as many wire as a pc power supplly nor does it have 5v and 3v lines..... it has 3 12v lines and 3 gnd to go with and 1 52v with 1 gnd to go with..  basically it would be nice since i am just starting out and will need one  and be able to use it as a variable bench supply for future projects

[Zero999]

 

Nothing special about them other than they have fancy graphics, blingy connectors on them and can have ridiculous price tags.

In fact the ones I've seen are pretty poor.

Not even better (i.e. medical-grade) isolation? After all, it is powering equipment designed to puncture the skin...

Maybe that's what they need... a good shock to perhaps clear the shit out of their brains for getting tattoos in the first place...

I'm sure they'd be more tolerant, respectful and less vocal of your personal choices no matter how repellant they found your unadorned appearance though.

However, when you're appointed president of the whole universe then you can dictate everyone's appearance and your comments about the lifestyle choices of others will, I'm sure, be given due weight.

For now it might be an idea, unless you're trolling, to keep your prejudices hidden.

I can see the point: users with little knowledge of electronics, will buy something because it looks good, in the absence of any other information. As far as tattoos are concerned, I don't like them (especially the big ones) but banning them would be draconian.

am sorry for late response some reason i didnt get notified but anyway i am sorry  that i am not to an expert, the machines and power supples that i have see of quality all are 4 amps true and run around 300 dollars
 and the builder of my machine  notified me that with the coils he makes for his work it will run best on a supply of that spec and some research said the same for quality built machines and should run at about 4-6 v. if it helps i will post picture of what i have?

Decent quality power supplies have some level of adjustment. For example, the 25WPSU linked below, TDK-Lambda LS25-5, is adjustable from 4.5V to 5.5V and is capable of 5A. You may also find the voltage adjustment may be a little wider than that given on the data sheet.
http://www.mouser.com/ds/2/400/ls-524958.pdf
http://www.mouser.co.uk/ProductDetail/TDK-Lambda/LS25-5/?qs=sGAEpiMZZMsPs3th5F8koGu8EUi%252bGg%252br%2fEI43s1gIB0%3d

[Electro Detective]

unadorned appearance fan here !!!   

Mum and Dad did the best they could, as did their parents for them.

Don't fix it if it ain't broke    (and save big dollars and PAIN)

KISS    

[CJay]

As far as tattoos are concerned, I don't like them (especially the big ones) but banning them would be draconian.

Absolutely, I'm somewhere to the left of green when it comes to personal liberties but liberty always comes with the price of responsibility for your own actions, many tattoos are not to my personal taste but they're a very personal thing to the owner, criticism like we've seen in this thread is, in my opinion, rather small minded.

Anyway, back on track, yes, tattoo power supplies should be medical grade isolation but I'd say the vast majority of the cheap units out there just aren't, I would find it very hard to believe you can build a medical grade device for the prices they charge (under £15 for some of the cheapest).

As far as the requirements of the PSU go, I would think regulation isn't one of the highest, the guns are most often a fairly simple armature device so current availability and limiting is most important as that determines the movement range of the needle.

Adjustment range tends to be fairly wide, fine work requires lower power so it's really about the artist getting used to their tools just as we need to get used to our soldering irons etc.

[CJay]

unadorned appearance fan here !!!   

Mum and Dad did the best they could, as did their parents for them.

Don't fix it if it ain't broke    (and save big dollars and PAIN)

KISS   

Absolutely they did, so you never get your hair cut, never wear clothes, have had no orthodontic surgery, never wear cologne or deodorant, have no piercings or jewellery and have never had any surgery that wasn't essential to your survival right?

 

[Electro Detective]

They never told me trashing my skin with suspect toxic paint that would look like spattered swamp mud in a few years would be "essential to survival"

Heads will roll at the next family trough up   

--------------------

All that aside (for a minute) whatever PSU you go for, make sure it's a good one with necessary isolation

and DO NOT use one of these !!!    

https://www.eevblog.com/forum/chat/power-supply-goes-up-in-flames/msg1232332/#msg1232332


http://youtu.be/B6IhEz0Gzyo

[P90]

That tattoo ink leaches its way into the brain and rots it more than it already was...   LOL

[Electro Detective]

Friendly FYI: "Body Art" debates are UN-WINNABLE    

[P90]

Friendly FYI: "Body Art" debates are UN-WINNABLE    

    <<<---   people with tattoos.