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Want tips on DC-DC psu's in dumpster
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stenor:
Want to know if there are some good, common targets to look for in the e-waste.

Looking for:

* High current, 10A++
* DC input ~36-100v, output variable or 12/24/48v
* Simple/sturdy construction, preferably
* Good efficiency
I read that some atx psu's can run directly on dc, although I wonder about efficiency. I'd be feeding it maximum ~70v dc.
Kjelt:
IIANM most modern PC PSUs run on a 12V rail, so if you open them up you can find 12-5VDC-DC converters and 12V-3.3V DC-DC converters or 5V-3.3VDC-DC converters.
However they are 85-92%efficient on high current loads only, if you only draw an amp or less they might end up in the low 80s % eff.
daqq:
In the better class of e-waste (high end servers, special tech), look for anything labelled VICOR. They make some delightful power modules which pack amazing features into deceptively small sizes.

Variable output however is rare - best you can hope for is some center voltage around which you can slightly adjust by +/- 10%. Or maybe abusing sense lines? But not by much.
Cubdriver:

--- Quote from: daqq on September 25, 2020, 01:38:05 pm ---In the better class of e-waste (high end servers, special tech), look for anything labelled VICOR. They make some delightful power modules which pack amazing features into deceptively small sizes.

Variable output however is rare - best you can hope for is some center voltage around which you can slightly adjust by +/- 10%. Or maybe abusing sense lines? But not by much.

--- End quote ---

The Victor Vicor Maxi/Mini/Micro series of D.C.-D.C. bricks can be trimmed from 10% (lower if loaded sufficiently) up to max using the 'SC' pin - we used them to drive and regulate variable output RF power supplies at my previous job by controlling the applied voltage.  Their packaging efficiency seems to have improved since I last used them in 2007 - IIRC back then the full brick was good for 200W and they now do 400 and 500W units in that package, but it's been a loooong time so I may be misremembering the exact detail in the physical size vs output.  I know we used two different generations of them over the years I worked there.

They proved to be very user friendly implementation-wise, and were quite reliable, too.

-Pat

<Edit - goddamned autocorrect!!!>
daqq:

--- Quote from: Cubdriver on September 27, 2020, 08:37:01 am ---
--- Quote from: daqq on September 25, 2020, 01:38:05 pm ---In the better class of e-waste (high end servers, special tech), look for anything labelled VICOR. They make some delightful power modules which pack amazing features into deceptively small sizes.

Variable output however is rare - best you can hope for is some center voltage around which you can slightly adjust by +/- 10%. Or maybe abusing sense lines? But not by much.

--- End quote ---

The Victor Maxi/Mini/Micro series of D.C.-D.C. bricks can be trimmed from 10% (lower if loaded sufficiently) up to max using the 'SC' pin - we used them to drive and regulate variable output RF power supplies at my previous job by controlling the applied voltage.  Their packaging efficiency seems to have improved since I last used them in 2007 - IIRC back then the full brick was good for 200W and they now do 400 and 500W units in that package, but it's been a loooong time so I may be misremembering the exact detail in the physical size vs output.  I know we used two different generations of them over the years I worked there.

They proved to be very user friendly implementation-wise, and were quite reliable, too.

-Pat

--- End quote ---
Oh yes, they are very good devices, I used them for weird stuff as well. The modern ones have an insane power per volume ratio, see: http://www.vicorpower.com/products?productType=cfg&productKey=DCM3717S60E14G5TN0
As to their control interface, the ones I've worked with were pretty much 'just add some caps and you're good'.
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