Author Topic: Cheap power supply for a begginner going on "FleEbay"?  (Read 3432 times)

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Offline Terry01Topic starter

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Cheap power supply for a begginner going on "FleEbay"?
« on: February 11, 2019, 01:46:01 pm »
Spotted this while browsing Ebay and thought it may be a decent buy for a beginner?

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Rapid-Electronics-30V-10A-DC-Regulated-power-supply/283372173587?hash=item41fa4c3913:g:VhYAAOSwRaFcXtj8

Prob get it £5 cheaper on an offer or there about.

May be good for someone....
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Offline capt bullshot

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Re: Cheap power supply for a begginner going on "FleEbay"?
« Reply #1 on: February 11, 2019, 01:52:57 pm »
Enclosure design looks like Manson.
It'll be a switcher, of decent quality if it is a Manson.
Absolutely don't like the loudspeaker contacts for the 5V / 12V output, that's just cheap crap.

10A is a bit "oversized" for a beginner, 30V would be fine for many purposes.
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Offline Terry01Topic starter

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Re: Cheap power supply for a begginner going on "FleEbay"?
« Reply #2 on: February 11, 2019, 02:43:11 pm »
Enclosure design looks like Manson.
It'll be a switcher, of decent quality if it is a Manson.
Absolutely don't like the loudspeaker contacts for the 5V / 12V output, that's just cheap crap.

10A is a bit "oversized" for a beginner, 30V would be fine for many purposes.

Yes you may be right.

I was just thinking for £15 it may be ok for someone just starting out. They don't need the best of everything to see if electronics is for them.
If they decide they are going to stick with it obviously a better 1 would come in time and if not they haven't shelled out £££'s on a power supply that they will no longer use.
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Offline Tetzly

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Re: Cheap power supply for a begginner going on "FleEbay"?
« Reply #3 on: February 11, 2019, 05:12:21 pm »
Triple output power supply for 20...how could you go wrong?
 

Offline Shock

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Re: Cheap power supply for a begginner going on "FleEbay"?
« Reply #4 on: February 11, 2019, 05:23:55 pm »
Triple output power supply for 20...how could you go wrong?

It's an auction, 20 is just the starting price.
Soldering/Rework: Pace ADS200, Pace MBT350
Multimeters: Fluke 189, 87V, 117, 112   >>> WANTED STUFF <<<
Oszilloskopen: Lecroy 9314, Phillips PM3065, Tektronix 2215a, 314
 

Offline Terry01Topic starter

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Re: Cheap power supply for a begginner going on "FleEbay"?
« Reply #5 on: February 11, 2019, 05:29:56 pm »
Triple output power supply for 20...how could you go wrong?

It's an auction, 20 is just the starting price.

It has "make offer" below it.

I knocked £30 off the starting price of something a couple days ago by making an offer lower than the starting price. Even £25 would be an ok price for that if you could get it for someone just starting out.
Sparks and Smoke means i'm nearly there!
 

Offline Shock

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Re: Cheap power supply for a begginner going on "FleEbay"?
« Reply #6 on: February 11, 2019, 05:46:02 pm »
It has "make offer" below it.

That normally means in this situation make a higher offer, but hey anything is possible.
Soldering/Rework: Pace ADS200, Pace MBT350
Multimeters: Fluke 189, 87V, 117, 112   >>> WANTED STUFF <<<
Oszilloskopen: Lecroy 9314, Phillips PM3065, Tektronix 2215a, 314
 

Offline Ordinaryman1971

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Re: Cheap power supply for a begginner going on "FleEbay"?
« Reply #7 on: February 13, 2019, 04:08:24 pm »
It looks like a BK Precision to me.. the same display and the same "futures".
Those power supplies go for about $120 in States so it's definitely good price.
If it's the same build they use 3055 pass transistors and they are working fine.
 

Offline bd139

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Re: Cheap power supply for a begginner going on "FleEbay"?
« Reply #8 on: February 13, 2019, 05:19:37 pm »
Those are the modern version of the old black ones with the analogue/digital meters (PS3025 type/series) on them. They're "mostly" ok. The design is a bit marginal i.e. they tend to explode if you run them full whack for a bit. I had one in the late 90s and it was used to run a CB off. Was TX'ing and it let the magic smoke out. Turned out one of the wires had gone woosh inside it.

Honestly though, if you are willing to wait, you can usually pick up a TTi PL supply for around £20-30 for a single and £50-60 for a dual/triple at a hamfest here in the UK. Well worth the extra cash and somewhat better documented. Don't buy a brown one those though - they are poo coloured for a reason! Also look out for Farnell linear supplies if you want some amps.
« Last Edit: February 13, 2019, 05:21:38 pm by bd139 »
 

Online rsjsouza

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Re: Cheap power supply for a begginner going on "FleEbay"?
« Reply #9 on: February 13, 2019, 06:17:17 pm »
I have a BK Precision 1686 that is a workhorse (Manson EP-912) and is somewhat similar to this PS. The louspeaker connectors on mine, however, are intended for voltage monitoring or secondary points of load and are not independent.

It is a well built power supply and is great for starters. If you can get it at a very reasonable price it is well worth it.
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Oh, the "whys" of the datasheets... The information is there not to be an axiomatic truth, but instead each speck of data must be slowly inhaled while carefully performing a deep search inside oneself to find the true metaphysical sense...
 

Offline TheNewLab

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Re: Cheap power supply for a begginner going on "FleEbay"?
« Reply #10 on: February 13, 2019, 06:20:37 pm »
HEY!  I used those speaker spring connections in my DIY triple power supply!

 I based the build on an old JameCo catalog photos  LOL
 

Offline Shock

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Re: Cheap power supply for a begginner going on "FleEbay"?
« Reply #11 on: February 13, 2019, 06:24:35 pm »
No more make an offer, it's officially an auction. :popcorn:
Soldering/Rework: Pace ADS200, Pace MBT350
Multimeters: Fluke 189, 87V, 117, 112   >>> WANTED STUFF <<<
Oszilloskopen: Lecroy 9314, Phillips PM3065, Tektronix 2215a, 314
 

Offline tkamiya

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Re: Cheap power supply for a begginner going on "FleEbay"?
« Reply #12 on: February 15, 2019, 08:54:31 am »
I don't know about this particular brand but many cheap power supplies have nasty surprises.  Connect wires first and turn the mains switches on.  BANG!  Huge voltage spike comes out before it stabilizes.  Some of my power supplies are half of my age but cheap, rugged, and stable.  (and ugly)  A really good HP ones can be had for cheap, if you don't mind it taking up 1/3 of desk space....
 

Online malagas_on_fire

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Re: Cheap power supply for a begginner going on "FleEbay"?
« Reply #13 on: February 15, 2019, 05:59:10 pm »
Hi

i'm between choices on a budget Adjustable power supply...

 https://ebay.us/Nhwhxl

https://ebay.us/U02DDp

https://ebay.us/xvpOLr

https://ebay.us/DseMtm  ( This can be bought at local market at 73 Eur)

I'm also open to a used one .
If one can make knowledge flow than it will go from negative to positve , for real
 

Offline Terry01Topic starter

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Re: Cheap power supply for a begginner going on "FleEbay"?
« Reply #14 on: February 15, 2019, 08:29:50 pm »
Hi

i'm between choices on a budget Adjustable power supply...

 https://ebay.us/Nhwhxl

https://ebay.us/U02DDp

https://ebay.us/xvpOLr

https://ebay.us/DseMtm  ( This can be bought at local market at 73 Eur)

I'm also open to a used one .

I have this supply and find it ok. It has lasted me fine and never let me down. It has all the safety features on it too which is handy. I created plenty sparks and puffs of smoke when I was learning and it always worked just fine right after. There are plenty videos and posts on it too.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Tenma-Programmable-Single-Output-Dc-Bench-Power-Supply-30V-5A-Output-150W/362288127567?epid=9024283099&hash=item545a0e1e4f:g:tz0AAOSwgBNaxyEu:rk:5:pf:0



I also have a small switch mode supply which i use sometimes too that came as a kit from Ebay. It is 32v 12A and has also lasted me well. I like the TENMA much better and would recommend it over the Ebay one although the switcher can do more Amps. This is the switcher one... you have to buy the case separately for it too which is about £20-£30 if I remember correctly.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/DPS3012-Buck-Power-Supply-LCD-Color-Display-Step-down-Voltage-Converter-32V-12A/153199172959?epid=19024301095&hash=item23ab61dd5f:g:bKAAAOSwa6JbryYJ:rk:35:pf:0

The switcher needs supply to run it too so not ideal. I have a small 36v supply I picked up on Ebay and wired a IEC cable right into it then wired the 36v up to the banana jacks on the rear of the 32v supply. Even with all this it still has a very small footprint but it is a bit of a faff. The TENMA is so much easier.
« Last Edit: February 15, 2019, 08:36:43 pm by Terry01 »
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Offline bd139

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Re: Cheap power supply for a begginner going on "FleEbay"?
« Reply #15 on: February 15, 2019, 09:08:17 pm »
On the switchers I tend to just buy a meanwell unit from RS for the task at hand. Those are pretty good and don’t explode if you short them out. The same cannot be said for the DUT :D
 

Offline Terry01Topic starter

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Re: Cheap power supply for a begginner going on "FleEbay"?
« Reply #16 on: February 16, 2019, 11:02:56 am »
On the switchers I tend to just buy a meanwell unit from RS for the task at hand. Those are pretty good and don’t explode if you short them out. The same cannot be said for the DUT :D

LOL... poor DUT!  :-DD

I dunno how durable the Ebay one I have would be. I doubt it would handle as much "beginner" mistakes as the Tenma 1 has over the time i've owned it. It has probably ended up costing about the same £'s as the Tenma 1 when you add all the pieces together. I kinda bought it a piece at a time after i watched a few YouTube videos on it. I had no intention of building the finished unit when i bought the first power supply board, then the control unit, then the case, then the seperate PSU to run it from the wall...  :)
Sparks and Smoke means i'm nearly there!
 

Offline jabalv

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Re: Cheap power supply for a begginner going on "FleEbay"?
« Reply #17 on: February 18, 2019, 08:20:02 pm »
I am after power supply as well, but what to go for if I need to test car components. So I need here around 12/24V with current up to 24A or so.
Any suggestions?
 

Online rsjsouza

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Re: Cheap power supply for a begginner going on "FleEbay"?
« Reply #18 on: February 18, 2019, 09:42:50 pm »
A car battery perhaps?

In a very distant past we used to have a couple of motorcycle batteries when we needed some real output current at that voltage level (at that time switching PS was almost non-existent and linear was very expensive).

Vbe - vídeo blog eletrônico http://videos.vbeletronico.com

Oh, the "whys" of the datasheets... The information is there not to be an axiomatic truth, but instead each speck of data must be slowly inhaled while carefully performing a deep search inside oneself to find the true metaphysical sense...
 

Offline bd139

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Re: Cheap power supply for a begginner going on "FleEbay"?
« Reply #19 on: February 18, 2019, 09:51:49 pm »
Yeah I use one now. 28Ah SLA does the job.
 

Offline jabalv

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Re: Cheap power supply for a begginner going on "FleEbay"?
« Reply #20 on: February 18, 2019, 11:56:47 pm »
Actually right - I will lookup tomorrow morning some of my old PC power supplies. PC power supply gives 12V DC, which will work so good for my desk testing or so. So will not need to keep hazardous liquid car battery under the table.
For inspiration
 

Online malagas_on_fire

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Re: Cheap power supply for a begginner going on "FleEbay"?
« Reply #21 on: February 19, 2019, 12:25:57 am »
A car battery perhaps?

In a very distant past we used to have a couple of motorcycle batteries when we needed some real output current at that voltage level (at that time switching PS was almost non-existent and linear was very expensive).

have some 12V / 5V 1 ~2A Switching PSU small adapters , ATX desktop, one slab from a old UPS , some 9V batteries and linear regulators. never got a adjustable power supply because most of the voltages and currents are in the desired range. The ATX and SLAB's comes handy when current is required. Also using LM317 can be used to build the charger.
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Offline sambonator

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Re: Cheap power supply for a begginner going on "FleEbay"?
« Reply #22 on: February 20, 2019, 12:43:05 am »
Actually right - I will lookup tomorrow morning some of my old PC power supplies. PC power supply gives 12V DC, which will work so good for my desk testing or so. So will not need to keep hazardous liquid car battery under the table.

This would work well with an old PC Power supply
https://www.ebay.com/itm/24Pins-ATX-Benchtop-Board-Computer-PC-Power-Supply-Breakout-Adapter-Module-TE762/142926531780

Even an old laptop AC adapter with 12v out might work for you...
 

Offline jabalv

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Re: Cheap power supply for a begginner going on "FleEbay"?
« Reply #23 on: March 02, 2019, 05:49:19 pm »
At the end I am planning to build something similar as this:
Ordered most of the parts. I have few old PSUs laying around in a house. But I am wondering of possibility to squeeze out additional 24V which would be useful to test truck electrical parts/lamps etc.
Any ideas if I can achieve 24V from regular computer PSU in easy way?
 


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