| Products > Test Equipment |
| Better not: ATTEN APS15-3A |
| (1/1) |
| Phil1977:
I thought I could use a small linear power supply for the bench and got a good offer from a quite reputable German supplier: The ATTEN APS15-3A. From the first glance it looked like a no-brainer: 15V, 3A, analogue current meter, digital voltage meter. But looking inside changed the mood: - A really chaotic design. The device uses 5 (five!) PCBs, partially connected with flexPCBs. - Mains lines directly touch PCBs on the secondary side so that soldered pins scratch on the insulation - and that´s no double or reinforced insulation (see second pic) - The 5V for the USB-port are generated with a switching mode buck converter (XL4015E). Usually I'm not afraid of switching mode DC DC's, but if I explicitly buy a linear power supply then it should be completely linear. - The 5V of the USB-port are not galvanically isolated - No constant current mode, only overcurrent protection - The transformer has a quite loud hum There are also a few positive points: - The control of the output voltage is set by a digital encoder. In it´s fine-setting (by pressing the button) the voltage can be controlled in 2.5mV-steps. - No ripple of the XL4015 is visible on the main output with a standard scope in AC-coupled 10mV/div settings. - The fan is temperature controlled - Nice compact form factor - A beeper warns you when the OCP is triggered |
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