Products > Test Equipment
Power Supply: Build or Buy?
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5U4GB:

--- Quote from: nctnico on May 04, 2023, 08:34:58 pm ---Be sure to get a linear power supply as your primary lab power supply. Switchers (which includes those dc-dc converter modules) output too much noise to make meaningfull measurements to a circuit.

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I was going to comment on that too but checked the OPs usage and it doesn't seem like there's much there that'll be too critical about noise levels, or even exact voltage levels.
David Hess:

--- Quote from: 5U4GB on May 08, 2023, 08:59:12 am ---
--- Quote from: David Hess on May 04, 2023, 12:53:21 pm ---Unfortunately distinguishing the good produces from the bad is practically impossible, making them all bad.  China has become the Nigerian Prince of counterfeit products, with companies like Ebay, Newegg (Chinese owned now), and Amazon helping.
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For power supplies specifically it's actually not that hard, just look at the components and layout around the mains side of the circuit and you can get a fairly good idea as to whether it's properly designed and built or not.
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The criteria that I start with is whether the power supply has a service manual, with schematics and layout.  It is not like there is some secret power supply IP which needs to be protected.
5U4GB:

--- Quote from: br4n_d0n on May 08, 2023, 04:44:17 am ---As a newcomer and barely a hobbyist, this stuff is way overpriced for me.
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So that's a related question, why are most of the name-brand PSUs so incredibly expensive?  I saw a Rigol product ad the other day and their lab power supplies cost as much or more than a lot of their scopes, and those are some of the cheaper ones out there.  I realise there's a bit more than an LM723+2N3055 in there, but does that really justify a four-digit price for a dual 0-32V 3A PSU?
gjvdheiden:
You get what you pay for.

I've 2 Korad power supplies (single and a double), doing just fine for me. I'm just learning and making some simple boards. Instead of a fancy power supply I invested in nice test leads. For what I'm doing, the power supply provides a very stable output and it has current limiting. Started with a single one, nice size. Soon this was annoying enough and bought a double (and a +5V without current limit which I never use) power supply.

There's a new one out, Korad KA3005PS. Suppose to have less noise according to the advertisement.
5U4GB:

--- Quote from: gjvdheiden on May 08, 2023, 09:50:14 am ---There's a new one out, Korad KA3005PS. Suppose to have less noise according to the advertisement.
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Is the -PS a custom version of the -P for Eleshop?  That seems to be the only place that carries it, even the Korad product page doesn't mention it.

For those who don't mind switchers, the Gophert NPS-1601 is compact, fanless, and gets reasonably good reviews.
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