Hi all,

A friend of mine (yes I really do have one) is after a bench power
supply, but isnt sure what to get. Given that i'm more a scavenger type
than a buy new type of person, i'm not really in a position to advise
him. He gave me some lame excuse as to why he doesnt use newsgroups but
I think it's just lazyness. Hence why i'm asking on his behalf.

He's got a budget of about 300 euro's, and wants something that can do
variable voltage up to 30v @ 5A or better. He's living in france so
needs something that will run off the 230v@50Hz mains and wants
something that will be reliable and last.

Any suggestions? advice on what's good or in your experience
makes/suppliers to avoid? We've seen a few unbranded ones that have good
specs at nice prices, and look fairly rugged.. are these good to go for?

Let me know if you need any more info.

Regards,
Mark

Mark Fortune wrote:

Hi all,

A friend of mine (yes I really do have one) is after a bench power
supply, but isnt sure what to get. Given that i'm more a scavenger type
than a buy new type of person, i'm not really in a position to advise
him. He gave me some lame excuse as to why he doesnt use newsgroups but
I think it's just lazyness. Hence why i'm asking on his behalf.

He's got a budget of about 300 euro's, and wants something that can do
variable voltage up to 30v @ 5A or better. He's living in france so
needs something that will run off the 230v@50Hz mains and wants
something that will be reliable and last.

Any suggestions? advice on what's good or in your experience
makes/suppliers to avoid? We've seen a few unbranded ones that have good
specs at nice prices, and look fairly rugged.. are these good to go for?

Let me know if you need any more info.

Regards,
Mark


Without some target voltages and currents how can anyone give you
good advice?


--
Service to my country? Been there, Done that, and I've got my DD214 to
prove it.
Member of DAV #85.

Michael A. Terrell
Central Florida

On Wed, 09 Aug 2006 15:13:21 +0100, Mark Fortune
wrote:

He's got a budget of about 300 euro's, and wants something that can do
variable voltage up to 30v @ 5A or better. He's living in france so
needs something that will run off the 230v@50Hz mains and wants
something that will be reliable and last.

30V at 5A is a fair bit of power. About 30*5 or 150 watts of
delivered power. 30V at 3A isn't uncommon and might well fit within
that budget, but 5A pushes the cost up -- perhaps over the 300 Euro
figure, at least for a new purchase. It may be that your friend
already knows all this and is setting the parameters so that any
useful suggestion that fits in the budget and delivers that kind of
power also will be a bargain, too.

I haven't blown up any of my power supplies yet, so they are all
lasting and appear reliable from my use. But I don't hook up huge
inductors/transformers to them, either, to see what happens. I treat
them fairly well. The ones I happen to have are BK Precision 1621
(bought at Fry's for cheap and just as a quick, simple single-supply
system) which provides up to 18V at 5A; and two Tektronix PS2520G GPIB
triple supply units, which I bought reconditioned at about $150 US
each. None of these provide 30V at 5A, though.

Jon

"Mark Fortune" wrote in message
...
Hi all,

A friend of mine (yes I really do have one) is after a bench power
supply, but isnt sure what to get. Given that i'm more a scavenger type
than a buy new type of person, i'm not really in a position to advise
him. He gave me some lame excuse as to why he doesnt use newsgroups but
I think it's just lazyness. Hence why i'm asking on his behalf.

He's got a budget of about 300 euro's, and wants something that can do
variable voltage up to 30v @ 5A or better. He's living in france so
needs something that will run off the 230v@50Hz mains and wants
something that will be reliable and last.

Any suggestions? advice on what's good or in your experience
makes/suppliers to avoid? We've seen a few unbranded ones that have good
specs at nice prices, and look fairly rugged.. are these good to go for?

Let me know if you need any more info.

Regards,
Mark

How about an electric train transformer/speed controller bought in France
which will work with his 240V. I think these devices adjust voltage through
conventional transformer technology then conver to DC via conventional
bridge and diodes???

Wayne

I would think that any of the industrial quality power supplies, the
European equivalent of Agilent, Xantrex, or similar, on the used
equipment market would suit his needs and price.
Generally equipment that is ex-engineering labs or universities is
still excellent for lighter use and extremely reliable. I have several
lab grade power supplies that are getting well into their late 30's and
are still as good as they were when new! I don't think I paid more than
C$10 for any of them, either.

Neil S.

Mark Fortune wrote:
Hi all,

A friend of mine (yes I really do have one) is after a bench power
supply, but isnt sure what to get. Given that i'm more a scavenger type
than a buy new type of person, i'm not really in a position to advise
him. He gave me some lame excuse as to why he doesnt use newsgroups but
I think it's just lazyness. Hence why i'm asking on his behalf.

He's got a budget of about 300 euro's, and wants something that can do
variable voltage up to 30v @ 5A or better. He's living in france so
needs something that will run off the 230v@50Hz mains and wants
something that will be reliable and last.

Any suggestions? advice on what's good or in your experience
makes/suppliers to avoid? We've seen a few unbranded ones that have good
specs at nice prices, and look fairly rugged.. are these good to go for?

Let me know if you need any more info.

Regards,
Mark

Almost everywhere I've worked has used the Tektronix PS280. It is a
great supply. It has one fixed 5V 3A output and two adjustable 0-30V
2A outputs. The two adjustable outputs can selectively be put into
series or parallel modes to either increase your current capacity or
make a bipolar supply. Very versatile, reliable, and robust.

Here's one for super cheap on eBay right now:
http://cgi.ebay.com/TEKTRONIX-PS280-...QQcmdZViewItem

I think it's pretty funny that this was listed as a tattoo parlor power
supply...

-Tavys

Mark Fortune wrote in message ...
Hi all,

A friend of mine (yes I really do have one) is after a bench power
supply, but isnt sure what to get. Given that i'm more a scavenger type
than a buy new type of person, i'm not really in a position to advise
him. He gave me some lame excuse as to why he doesnt use newsgroups but
I think it's just lazyness. Hence why i'm asking on his behalf.

He's got a budget of about 300 euro's, and wants something that can do
variable voltage up to 30v @ 5A or better. He's living in france so
needs something that will run off the 230v@50Hz mains and wants
something that will be reliable and last.

Any suggestions? advice on what's good or in your experience
makes/suppliers to avoid? We've seen a few unbranded ones that have good
specs at nice prices, and look fairly rugged.. are these good to go for?

Let me know if you need any more info.

Regards,
Mark



Kepco is a good brand, and they are made in USA. We used Kepco's at my old
workplace and I bought one for home as well.

I put PC pow supplies in series , and added output limit circuits and

they are so inexpensive . Here in US we do 450 watt for $17 ..

Limit circuit is cool cause PS allready has a circuit to limit static
volts !






Mark Fortune wrote:
Hi all,

A friend of mine (yes I really do have one) is after a bench power
supply, but isnt sure what to get. Given that i'm more a scavenger type
than a buy new type of person, i'm not really in a position to advise
him. He gave me some lame excuse as to why he doesnt use newsgroups but
I think it's just lazyness. Hence why i'm asking on his behalf.

He's got a budget of about 300 euro's, and wants something that can do
variable voltage up to 30v @ 5A or better. He's living in france so
needs something that will run off the 230v@50Hz mains and wants
something that will be reliable and last.

Any suggestions? advice on what's good or in your experience
makes/suppliers to avoid? We've seen a few unbranded ones that have good
specs at nice prices, and look fairly rugged.. are these good to go for?

Let me know if you need any more info.

Regards,
Mark