Electronics > Beginners
Choosing a PSU, what should I look for
Moriambar:
--- Quote from: rstofer on February 22, 2019, 08:20:18 am ---At some point, choosing equipment by consensus is a waste of time. Everybody likes what they have, they dislike what they just got rid of (with reason) and it all breaks down with no definitive answers. There is always something just a little better for a little more money. And buying used is truly a risk. Sometimes it works out, sometimes not so much. Sellers almost never pay return shipping so you are out money even if you can send it back.
Drive a stake in the ground, buy something and don't look back. Years from now, if you need something else, sell what you have and buy it. In the meantime you will have gotten years of usage and gained a real awareness of what you like or dislike in some type of equipment.
--- End quote ---
thanks.
Yes I think that I achieved what I aimed for with this topic: get guidance among the items I already pre-selected. I'll buy asap.
Cheers
Calvin:
Hi,
@ #17
--- Quote --- I would rather not buy electronic equipment based on aesthetics
--- End quote ---
Me neither. And the reply was not about aesthetics of a device but useability.
When the layout design is such that You loose on easy and intuitive handling, if You have to look twice what is what and where, then the layout simply sucks.
regards
Calvin
Wolfgang:
... well, even easiness and usability are personal judgements. Me personally never had to think what the buttons on my 832 could mean.
Being one of the worlds best selling PSUs handling problems dont see to be very common. :)
forrestc:
--- Quote from: Moriambar on February 20, 2019, 12:11:36 pm ---500+VAT in italy is 610€ (albeit on ebay I find it for over 600€); so it would be 488 with 20% off (if one can find that: do you have any hints on where to look for it?). It's still over my budget by almost 100€.
It could be nice, I trust you, but it's simply too expensive unfortunately. I could do with about 40% off!
--- End quote ---
Batronix currently has the DP832 for $498.61 inclusive of VAT w/free shipping. I have a DP832A on my bench and am perfectly happy with it, and would wholeheartedly recommend it. If something happened where I had to start my bench over, this would be on my short list of things to buy. If it was a hobbiest bench, I'd probably skip the 'A' and just buy the DP832. I also can't think of many reasons why one would want to spend more than this on a supply. I could use a bit higher voltage and current on occasion for my applications (which is why I have a Sorensen LHP-60-18 sitting under the DP832A). Sometimes people need certain other specs.
However, I truly understand the budget thing. Here's the deal: If I was budget constrained I'd go a completely different path. For most purposes, the quality of a power supply isn't all that important as long as it provides enough power, is fairly well regulated, and doesn't fail regularly or in a way that destroys the item attached to it. Most electronics is ok within 10% of the stated voltage (i.e. a 5V rail can be from 4.5 to 5.5V). Most supplies are also pretty good at staying where you set them, even if the display isn't all that accurate. So, I wouldn't bother spending hardly any money at all.
I'd probably start by buying one of the modules Dave talks about on EEVblog 1030:
Taking this, I'd go find an appropriate power supply at the top end of the range for the supply module. It wouldn't be surprising to be able to pick up a surplus power supply from a laptop at a thrift store (appx 20V), and then use one of these to get a 0-18V supply for a grand total of under 30EUR.
When I'm doing hobbiest type electronics here, I often don't bother with the variable power supply and just use a wall transformer or a USB power supply. So for the second supply, I might just forego the variable supply and collect a set of wall adapters of interest. You'll probably want ones in the 5V, 9V and 12V range. Be aware that some of the older ones aren't regulated so for example 9V supply would put out much higher voltage until it is placed under load. Any newer switching ones (the small light ones) will put out pretty close to the exact voltage. They'll also be short circuit protected at some multiple of the rated voltage. I have several 5V USB adapters that are from reputable sources that I use quite often, and then a couple 9V and 12V ones for things which need higher voltage.
One reason that I end up not using a variable power supply is that I ended up buying some small power supplies which plug directly into the power bus of a breadboard and take either a 5V usb in or a 9V wall transformer (depending on the model - I have two), and then spits out either 3.3V or 5V on the rail depending on the setting of a couple of switches/jumpers. With this, most protyping projects I do I don't need anything other than the wall transformer.
Now, I know you wanted something quick and that you know works, so this may not be appealing to you. In this case, don't overlook some of the lower cost single-output devices - like the KORAD KD3005D on the same site you linked to earlier. For a hobbiest this is just fine, and the advantage of a single output device when you're talking a cheap supply is that if/when it dies, you still have a working power supply. Versus a dual one you may or may not have one channel working. Added bonus if you buy two separate types/brands since what kills one is less likely to kill them both.
tautech:
--- Quote from: Moriambar on February 21, 2019, 08:35:31 pm ---Anyway, in a couple of days I'll decide, but I probably will choose the SPD3303C, because it seems the best I can afford apparently (and especially among the ones I suggested), unless something else pops up.
--- End quote ---
Don't, get the SPD3303X-E instead and unlock it to an X model and get the 1mV/mA resolution.
The Siglent .ads thread has the unlock info, it's very simple.
The display is much nicer and more informative than the older C models.
The Hamburg and USA Siglent websites haven't been updated to show the newer GUI that was implemented in firmware after the X/X-E were released.
The Shenzhen website shows how they look now:
http://www.siglent.com/ENs/pdxx.aspx?id=1132&T=2&tid=17
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