| Electronics > Beginners |
| Does one ever need some specific voltages from PSU other than most common ones ? |
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| unitedatoms:
I have an idea about useability of DC power supply controls. Will typical hobbyist user be satisfied with supply with no digital displays. Just few leds and knobs? Consider the panel with banana outputs, red led indicating constant current mode, green led indicating constant voltage mode, one knob for 10 fixed voltages: 1.200V, 1.500, 2.500, 3.300, 5.000, 6.300, 9.000, 12.000, 15.000, 24.000V. And one current limit knob for 10 fixed limits: 0.1mA, 0.5mA, 1, 5, 10, 20, 50, 100, 500, 1A. The numbers are painted on panel for each knob. It will take very little space, will give feel of repeatability and precision. But resolution is coarse. My reasoning for such UI is that most of the functionality needed from PSU is a constant voltage for some design, where rails are long decided upon. And current limits are also decided and clearly belong to certain damage levels for different circuits. For example LED will never need more than 20 mA. Or relay will never need more than 100mA, etc. Any fine measurements can be done once with external multimeters. Users need repeatabilty, low noise and clear function more than resolution. What do you think? Did you ever need some specific voltages for PSU other than listed ? |
| unitedatoms:
Agree about ramp requirement and the tolerance testing, but this can be done with any lab supply. Everyone has a good range and resolution on their lab supply. I am mostly thinking about low noise, low cost, low power, and low care supply with multiple isolated channels, like say 6 channels. So all the rails with all polarities will be available in small package. It looks like the useabilty fails on any multichannel supply when you have more than 1 channel. |
| MarkF:
Also, voltage injection. I sometimes use a power supply to drive a signal input (i.e. not the power rails) for testing a device over various voltage levels. |
| MarkF:
--- Quote from: unitedatoms on March 15, 2019, 03:58:25 am ---Agree about ramp requirement and the tolerance testing, but this can be done with any lab supply. Everyone has a good range and resolution on their lab supply. I am mostly thinking about low noise, low cost, low power, and low care supply with multiple isolated channels, like say 6 channels. So all the rails with all polarities will be available in small package. It looks like the useabilty fails on any multichannel supply when you have more than 1 channel. --- End quote --- I have built a +/-15V supply from 3 terminal regulators to test analog/op-amp circuits without the need to setup a +/- supply. (I only have single output supplies.) I can see a standalone supply with multiple voltages (but without the switches). I often need multiple 'standard' voltages for circuits. |
| not1xor1:
--- Quote from: unitedatoms on March 15, 2019, 03:43:53 am ---I have an idea about useability of DC power supply controls. Will typical hobbyist user be satisfied with supply with no digital displays. Just few leds and knobs? Consider the panel with banana outputs, red led indicating constant current mode, green led indicating constant voltage mode, one knob for 10 fixed voltages: 1.200V, 1.500, 2.500, 3.300, 5.000, 6.300, 9.000, 12.000, 15.000, 24.000V. And one current limit knob for 10 fixed limits: 0.1mA, 0.5mA, 1, 5, 10, 20, 50, 100, 500, 1A. The numbers are painted on panel for each knob. It will take very little space, will give feel of repeatability and precision. But resolution is coarse. My reasoning for such UI is that most of the functionality needed from PSU is a constant voltage for some design, where rails are long decided upon. And current limits are also decided and clearly belong to certain damage levels for different circuits. For example LED will never need more than 20 mA. Or relay will never need more than 100mA, etc. Any fine measurements can be done once with external multimeters. Users need repeatabilty, low noise and clear function more than resolution. What do you think? Did you ever need some specific voltages for PSU other than listed ? --- End quote --- IMHO for general purpose testing/experimenting a PSU with 2 single outputs plus one double output might be more useful: 1) variable CV/CC... something like 0-24V 0-3A (at least) 2) switchable output (or variable one) 3-5V with fixed current limit (1A or more) 3) dual rail symmetrical output with 100mA (at least) current limit, variable voltage from ±1 up to ±15V (or more) that should cover most needs for a beginner. |
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