Need Helping Choosing a Power Supply

[borngborn]

I am still learning my way around psu's and i know they can be dangerous and deadly so i didnt want to build somthing i didnt fully understand yet as im still learning alot of things but anyway i have this soldering iron and am looking for the best way to power it https://hackaday.io/project/18899-rt-soldering-pen would a laptop psu be fine or i was thinking about getting something like this also https://www.amazon.com/Keenstone-Battery-Charger-Discharger-Voltage/dp/B072V7PNJV/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?ie=UTF8&qid=1532388755&sr=8-1-spons&keywords=Lipo%2Bbattery%2Bcharger&smid=ACHQ61Z5OP2G0&th=1

[Relayer]

Hello borngborn,
The cheapest and most reliable way of driving that iron would
be with a $10 second-hand working ATX power supply.
It can also provide all the current required and can be used on
other future projects you might pursue.
Regards,
Relayer

[GigaJoe]

laptop adapters usually 19-20V; old from 2000-x around 16V - to high seems ..

[HB9EVI]

I am still learning my way around psu's and i know they can be dangerous and deadly so i didnt want to build somthing i didnt fully understand yet as im still learning alot of things but anyway i have this soldering iron and am looking for the best way to power it https://hackaday.io/project/18899-rt-soldering-pen would a laptop psu be fine or i was thinking about getting something like this also https://www.amazon.com/Keenstone-Battery-Charger-Discharger-Voltage/dp/B072V7PNJV/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?ie=UTF8&qid=1532388755&sr=8-1-spons&keywords=Lipo%2Bbattery%2Bcharger&smid=ACHQ61Z5OP2G0&th=1

I don't know, but if read that right, that device is a battery charger and not a power supply, it might have a power supply coming with it, but if you don't have the need for a charger, it's quite pointless to buy that.

an ATX psu could do the job, if 12V is enough voltage; otherwise a laptop psu would allow you to build a variable regulation circuit behind it, without the need working on mains

[borngborn]

To get the best use out of the iron i need 12v and around 3 amps. Its a 40 watt iron so a laptop powersupply would work?

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[HB9EVI]

that would do the job; just recently I didn't see any 12V laptop supplies anymore; most run between 18-20V

[borngborn]

that would do the job; just recently I didn't see any 12V laptop supplies anymore; most run between 18-20V

If i attached it to a dc to dc step down would that do the job somthing like this https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00KL7I9XC/ref=ox_sc_act_image_1?smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER&psc=1

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[HB9EVI]

works; but for quite a price; you can watch out for the cheap LM2576 buck converter modules - one with a little bit bigger cooling area would do it for less cash

[borngborn]

Yea i know the price im guna decide on a solution im asking for knowledge to so i can get a understanding of how things work cant put a price on knowledge xD but thank you. You have been a big help and i now understand how buck converters and voltage regulators work for the most part

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[borngborn]

Okay i am bumping this beceause i need help with this same project i have the iron in hand now and im still deciding how to power it at first i thought a 12v 3amp power supply would be enough to power this pen but the creator tells me no i need a power supply with large capacitance bank while im still new at this i think i know what capacitance bank is it is the power the capacitors hold till they are discharged then charged up again correct me if im wrong. this is what he says

"Switching power supplies must be able to withstand high current pulses (12V/6A). These supplies has almost always connected negative pole with protective conductor.

Or you can use Transformer with good capacity and these supplies don't have connected minus pole to ground conductor"

so can someone help me out again would a 12v 6a laptop charger should be able to handle the job right somthing like
https://www.amazon.com/Selectec-12-Volt-Power-Supply/dp/B009ZZY28M/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1533853737&sr=8-3&keywords=12v+6a+dc+power+supply

[Old Printer]

I don't know what your budget is, but I have had very good luck getting some used PS on ebay. I have picked up 3 of the BK 1651, which is also sold as the CS250 from TEK. Also picked up 3 HP 6216A. None of these has been over $50 including shipping. These are all fanless (quiet) small desktop units that are also easy to work on if need arises. Far better equipment than I could make myself. Being in the US makes this pretty easy.

[james_s]

A power supply is unlikely to be dangerous or deadly so long as you leave the cover on. There are some nasty voltages inside for the inexperienced but what comes out of them is generally pretty safe.

What voltage and current do you need? If it's 12V, an ATX supply will work, but it's also not hard to find 12V power bricks that are rated for 3-4A, sometimes more. They're often generically called "laptop" bricks or chargers even though the ones made for laptops are typically higher voltage.

[borngborn]

Here is what im trying to power https://hackaday.io/project/18899-rt-soldering-pen creator says it runs on about 40 watts but a regylar 12v 4 amp psu wont wor beceause it pulses at 12v 6 amp so im not sure what to use

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[james_s]

See if you can find a power brick from an Xbox 360, they're widely available and put out 12V, good for a bit over 10 Amps. They're all over ebay and sometimes turn up in thrift stores and such.