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Power Supply: Build or Buy?
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gjvdheiden:

--- Quote from: 5U4GB on May 09, 2023, 05:35:54 am ---
--- Quote from: gjvdheiden on May 08, 2023, 01:09:58 pm ---The only 4 digit Rigol I can find is the Rigol DP2031. Just over 1300 euro. That thing can do arbitraty waveforms, 1mV/1uA precision, 10A max per channel (banner specs), has a TFT, various control inputs and then some. I don't think I could built that cheaper myself. You pay, you get.
--- End quote ---

Ah, sorry, the wording was a bit ambiguous, the Rigol sentence and the following one were separate comments.  For the Rigol it was the DP-832, which cost more than the different models of DS-1000 listed next to it.  It does have a lot of bling in there but then so do the scopes, and do you really need all that in a power supply whose principal job it is to just provide X volts at Y amps?

--- End quote ---

All in the light of this topic, starting out and as a hobby.

A Rigol DP832 costs a bit under 500 euro here (the Netherlands). I didn't compare them with others, so there might be better suited ones for the price, but it isn't a waste either. Because it is such a fundamental instrument. But I would put my money on a better scope or function gen if I could spend more. My scope is an analog Hameg from '87 bought it from a school, it works.

If you're starting out, I think it is good to start with something simple. Indeed, you don't need this. If you start out simple, you can always expand with a more expensive one by the time you do need one. By that time you actually need one, you'll also actually know where to look for. But when starting out, like you said, just need x voltage at max y amps. That's the sensible way, but it's a hobby, doesn't have to be all sensible. The goal is to have fun. You might just want to play with the buttons on a Rigol DP832 all day long. Or just have more fun when actually using it. Who knows but you.
Fungus:

--- Quote from: gjvdheiden on May 09, 2023, 08:15:34 am ---If you're starting out, I think it is good to start with something simple. Indeed, you don't need this.

--- End quote ---

Yep.

If the two jobs at hand are 24V for a soldering iron and 110V for electroplating then you don't need a fancy supply at all. Get a 24V switching supply (soldering irons don't care about 50mV of noise) and look into getting 110V somehow (a boosted old wall wart?)

Total outlay: About 35 bucks.

Then you can dream about spending 500 Euros on a Rigol (or whatever).

(A Rigol isn't going to do the 110V anyway...)
james_s:
Yeah the two main applications listed aren't really bench supply territory anyway. It would be a bit silly to tie up an expensive bench supply running a soldering iron, and as mentioned earlier, 100V+ is a specialty thing you won't find in many bench supplies that are also suitable for low voltage work.
br4n_d0n:
No one has touched on the electromagnet part; it will probably be dependent on its specifications, but I was curious if it's more voltage or current dependent.
bdunham7:

--- Quote from: br4n_d0n on May 10, 2023, 03:36:22 am ---No one has touched on the electromagnet part; it will probably be dependent on its specifications, but I was curious if it's more voltage or current dependent.

--- End quote ---

Small electromagnets are not particularly challenging and I think you'd typically use a CC (current regulated) supply.  But the specifics are important--you can generate huge transients with electromagnets and simple but specialized circuits would be best to drive them.
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