Author Topic: Help me choose between these power supplies pls  (Read 4481 times)

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Offline DaMaDoTopic starter

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Help me choose between these power supplies pls
« on: December 03, 2011, 09:37:19 pm »
I'm just starting out and trying to learn all about electronics that I can right now. I'm currently reading 'Make: Electronics' by Charles Platt.

I've got an arduino kit and some shields to build etc and will keep expanding as I learn.

I'm currently in the market for a power supply. I'd rather get a decent one now than pay $20 for an adjustable AC adapter plus a better one later.

The ones I'm looking at are the following:

Tenma 72-8345
Atten PPS3005S
Atten APS3005S

On the Tenma, I like that it's very narrow so I it can fit on my desk better and can also be transported easier.

I read some posts here about the Atten ones but they seem hit or miss.

I'd like something that I won't need to upgrade for a long time, but I don't want to spend more than $150 now.

Please help me decide.

 

Offline hacklordsniper

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Re: Help me choose between these power supplies pls
« Reply #1 on: December 04, 2011, 06:00:47 am »
I would choose the last one (i have it) because its simple linear old school deign which you can easily repair if something goes wrong. I blew once  a quite expensive smps based power supply and here was no chance to repair it except getting a new board from manufacturer
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Offline ciccio

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Re: Help me choose between these power supplies pls
« Reply #2 on: December 04, 2011, 10:16:23 am »
I would choose the last one (i have it) because its simple linear old school deign which you can easily repair if something goes wrong. I blew once  a quite expensive smps based power supply and here was no chance to repair it except getting a new board from manufacturer


I second this opinion: I have a defective switch mode PS on my bench, smelling "cooked copper", and it's full of unobtainable parts.

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Offline Psi

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Re: Help me choose between these power supplies pls
« Reply #3 on: December 04, 2011, 11:08:47 am »
Get one that has a separate knob for voltage and current.
It's quite annoying when you have to keep pressing a button to swap what the control does.
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Offline BravoV

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Re: Help me choose between these power supplies pls
« Reply #4 on: December 04, 2011, 06:19:42 pm »
Get one that has a separate knob for voltage and current.
It's quite annoying when you have to keep pressing a button to swap what the control does.

Although at other type of power supply, just want to warn the problem of these kind ps that uses single knob that does everything, a friend toasted his expensive prototype board by accidentally turned the knob at "coarse" current mode while he thought it was at voltage "fine" mode, go figure.
« Last Edit: December 04, 2011, 06:21:15 pm by BravoV »
 

Offline hacklordsniper

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Re: Help me choose between these power supplies pls
« Reply #5 on: December 04, 2011, 06:22:22 pm »
Get one that has a separate knob for voltage and current.
It's quite annoying when you have to keep pressing a button to swap what the control does.

Its invidual, i preffer programable supplies with keypad
Oh, the joy of sending various electronics to silicon heaven
 

Offline DaMaDoTopic starter

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Re: Help me choose between these power supplies pls
« Reply #6 on: December 04, 2011, 09:00:12 pm »
Thanks all, I'll be looking more into the APS then. Luckily it's the cheapest of the group ;) Even with coupon, the Tenma is still $119.

Hopefully I'll have the APS by the end of month.
 

Offline hacklordsniper

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Re: Help me choose between these power supplies pls
« Reply #7 on: December 05, 2011, 05:58:43 am »
Great, let us know which version you will recieve ( with thermal fan control or without)
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