Even the hard disk manufacturers stopped with that racist stuff back in the IDE days when they renamed Master and Slave to Primary and Secondary. (Where's mojo to back me up on this one?)
Not exactly. There were two channels: Primary and Secondary, each of them supporting up to two devices on a single cable: a Master and a Slave, for a total of four devices. So you had a "Primary Master", "Primary Slave", "Secondary Master" and "Secondary Slave" in a maxed-out configuration.
Isn't it that the main justification for a standard-spaced terminals on a PSU is the ability to use a shorting bar for parallel serial/symmetrical connection? On Siglent, you don't do that as there are internal relays for that.
Thanks, Dave, for the teardown of the Siglent SPD 3303X. As far as I’m concerned
there is no need for a full review of this thing at the moment. I admit, I was for a
while thinking about buying it, but after these results ….
This would have been my first purchase of semi-serious kit made in China.
I will now forget it for the next 10 years or so.
I’m looking now at the Hameg HMC 8043. I know, quite a different animal also price wise.
Yours - Messtechniker
So if there's only one AD7792 and the three outputs are isolated, how are they coupling the signal to get 5 digit precision?
I'm not an electronics expert, but I thought to get good linearity through an optoisolator you need the type with two matched photodiodes (so you can do feedback) which the pc817 isn't.
Or am I missing something? Do they have an ADC for each channel, or some feedback arrangement that doesn't need both photodiodes to be in the same package, or something?
I’m looking now at the Hameg HMC 8043. I know, quite a different animal also price wise.
Yours - Messtechniker
The only real gamechanger I found (without an actual review of how it really performs) are the binding posts. Now I know the Rigol DP832 also had an issue with a batch of them with binding posts being the other way - too narrow. Perhaps this is a bad sample? The non standard spacing would be an issue if it had sense terminals that you use standard spaced shorting bars on I guess. Surely nobody uses those fixed space banana to BNC converters on PSUs?
The Hameg is an instant fail because, like my Tenma 72-83xx PSUs it uses those recessed "safety" banana sockets. That is utter fail on a low voltage PSU.
Surely nobody uses those fixed space banana to BNC converters on PSUs?
I do. It's nicer to have one (thin) coax on the bench than two leads - especially when it's
more than one. And why wouldn't I? That's a "standard" I thought no power supply maker would be dumb enough to go against...
Surely nobody uses those fixed space banana to BNC converters on PSUs?
I use a lot of double banana plugs.
Guess I'm wrong? I never would have thought of powering stuff up using a BNC RG58 cable and no doubt another BNC at the other end to whatever convertor going into the DC input of DUT, but it takes all sorts...?
Really the wrong diameter banana sockets are of more concern. And these new EU Elfen Safety PSUs are utter shite. No binding posts at all, shrouded recessed sockets.
I use banana to BNC all the time on a power supply, if only to monitor the voltage on a scope vs some other thing I'm looking at. I power with BNC all the time too. Most of what I do only draws a handful of milliamps...enough to fly to the moon, don't you know.
It's pretty ridiculous that they can't get the binding posts and the spacing correct. I've never even given this a second thought on any other equipment I've ever used. It's just how you do it. Baffling, amateur hour kind of nonsense.
The unprotected mains wiring near sharp metal is inexcusable. How much would a small section of clear PVC tubing really add to the overall cost?
The Rubycon capacitors in this power supply are decent parts. The ZLH series is a long life low ESR part somewhat similar to the Nichicon HE series. Rubycon's YXA series is probably closer to a Nichicon PJ or PS series and are also not bad parts.
While the Lelon capacitors used as main input filters will probably last quite awhile (100Hz or 120Hz), I don't like seeing the smaller Lelon parts on the other boards. Even though 5mm or 6.3mm Lelon parts will probably last the 5 year design life of this instrument, they still aren't the high quality parts I would expect to see in a precision power supply.
You mentioned the TO-220 flapping in the breeze...
I also noticed the electrolytics on the front-panel PCB... some were already 'sagging' from vibration / gravity / whatever motivation.
Some white epoxy-snot would fix that for virtually no effort.
Added: the channel-3 switch seems a bit flimsy - perhaps a pull & slide or other mechanism would be a bit safer - esp as it's directly below the primary controls.
The Hameg is an instant fail because, like my Tenma 72-83xx PSUs it uses those recessed "safety" banana sockets. That is utter fail on a low voltage PSU.
Why this? Just did a 4 wire measurement on a safety banana socket*
with an ordinary banana plug* inserted. Measured 2.5 milliOhms.
What's wrong with that?
*) Used items - laying the the box for ages.
The Hameg is an instant fail because, like my Tenma 72-83xx PSUs it uses those recessed "safety" banana sockets. That is utter fail on a low voltage PSU.
Why this? Just did a 4 wire measurement on a safety banana socket*
with an ordinary banana plug* inserted. Measured 2.5 milliOhms.
What's wrong with that?
Recessed banana sockets are a compromise -- they're less versatile, but you're nominally safe from touching the terminals. If the terminals can't reach a dangerous voltage, then that's a fail, they're less versatile, but __________________.
I’m looking now at the Hameg HMC 8043. I know, quite a different animal also price wise.
I have one on order.
Surely nobody uses those fixed space banana to BNC converters on PSUs?
I use them all the time as well.
Recessed banana sockets are a compromise -- they're less versatile, but you're nominally safe from touching the terminals. If the terminals can't reach a dangerous voltage, then that's a fail, they're less versatile, but __________________.
Could the output be floated at a high voltage? For example, you could use a 15V bench supply to run the gate drive circuit for a motor drive that is running from a mains level supply.
Try it, we'll watch from over here
Instead of having to be "protected" from your banana jacks, how about, y'know, not touching them? This isn't handheld equipment. Just don't bloody touch them while it's turned on. We can save the stupid recessed jacks for handheld devices and the Hello Kitty editions.
go have a coffee, while a trainee or your kids come into your work area.
So? Your kids could stick their fingers in a toaster or lamp socket too. Don't be a fool and leave things powered up while you walk out, if you're working with dangerous voltages.
As for the trainee... what are you training for, the circus? If he doesn't understand not to touch bitey voltages he needs to repeat school, or otherwise learn the hard way
My take on all these 'protective protocols' is that it is not intended to protect from deliberate stupidity, but to minimise the risk of accidental contact.
For example, I have never in my life ever known of an instance where something conductive has slipped between a mains plug and a wall socket shorting out the active and neutral - but obviously there have been. So we now have insulated active and neutral pins. I don't really mind this because it makes sense AND that it doesn't affect usage (unlike the earlier 'shroud' on line sockets, which caused me problems with a couple of things.)
My only gripe about recessed sockets is that you don't get the terminal post option, useful for securing bare wire connections. If they are trying to say we should only use 'properly terminated' cables, then I would be miffed. Trading off significant functionality for an incremental improvement in safety really rubs me up the wrong way.
Oh, if anyone is still unsure about the question of a shorted turn on the toroidal - here's a snapshot from Dave's video:
I see what looks like a nylon spacer with a moulded rim to ensure the washer nut is kept centred and right away from the mounting disc. I suspect this spacer will have a cylindrical protrusion at the rear, separating the bolt shaft and any other metalwork. In short, there is no shorted turn.
Dave did point this out.
I see what looks like a nylon spacer with a moulded rim to ensure the washer nut is kept centred and right away from the mounting disc. I suspect this spacer will have a cylindrical protrusion at the rear, separating the bolt shaft and any other metalwork. In short, there is no shorted turn.
Yup, you're right! But it would be still an interesting experiment to find out what the impact (in numbers) of a shorted turn in the middle of the toroid would be.
The recessed safty conectors are useful (and in the EU required for a lab supply that deserves it's name) for low voltages too.
Its not about isolation of the connectors itself, but compatibitly with new safety plugs with a fixed insulation tube.
So even if the supply is low voltage this alows you to use the better cables as well and thus no more need to have the unsafe old style banana plugs or the plugs with movable shield.