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Power supply recommendation wanted

 

I would appreciate any recommendations for a decent current-limited power supply. I’d prefer to stick with brands of known quality, but would appreciate any suggestions you might offer.?


Denny N2ETZ?
(formerly WY2A)
 

开云体育

For what purpose?

rig high power, rig low power, test bench PS? ??

On 8/31/23 7:59 AM, Denny WY2A via groups.io wrote:

I would appreciate any recommendations for a decent current-limited power supply. I’d prefer to stick with brands of known quality, but would appreciate any suggestions you might offer.?


Denny N2ETZ?
(formerly WY2A)
 

Sorry Dave. I should have been more specific. I want a test bench power supply for construction and testing of QRP radios like the QMX.?
 

Hi Denny,
I personally use this one:?

It has a switch which turns off output power (I was surprised to see this was not a common feature on this type of PSU) which is much better than having to unplug connectors or having to remove the input power just to turn off output.

Len? G6YZB

On Thu, 31 Aug 2023 at 13:24, Denny WY2A via <d.atkinson=[email protected]> wrote:
Sorry Dave. I should have been more specific. I want a test bench power supply for construction and testing of QRP radios like the QMX.?

 

Denny,

The following are not "Name Brand" that I have purchased and am very happy with the performance:

For a linear supply, I have the following:


For higher current requirements, I use a switching supply that I have not noticed any switching noise (note - I live in a very RF noisy area, so this may not be the same if you are in a low noise area):


Most of the time, I use the?IKococater switching supply.

73
Evan
AC9TU
 

开云体育

I worked many years for HP/Agilent, so you can guess my suggestion!! Fortunately, it's just a power supply, so not priced crazy. You can also find cheap (garbage) but workable imported jobs on Amazon....but, 'ya get what 'ya pay for!

Look for a nice, working, HP 6216A on ebay. And, note that it is a part of a series (621XA)...various voltages and currents. They stack, you'll want to get others in the series. They are tiny, analog meter and adjustable voltage and current limit. My favorite for watching what an unknown circuit is doing.

A generation newer and more advanced is another rock-solid job, the HP/Agilent E3615A. Digital reading of current and voltage. Up to 20 volts/2 or 3 amps (forget which).

Again, there are junky ones out there, but if you want to be sure of valid voltage/current indications, and DC that is assured of no spikes, ripple, noise, AC components etc....The HP Agilent ones are king!!

They are ALWAYS on ebay. But you have to shop. Some are crazy priced, some are kicked around, cracked, beat up junk.? But...there are beautiful ones out there as well!!!

I have lots of other HP.Agilent power supplies, as well as a few B&K ones, but those are the two model numbers that I would bee-line in on, if I had none!

Good Hunting!!

......Dave? KD2E

On 8/31/23 8:24 AM, Denny WY2A via groups.io wrote:

Sorry Dave. I should have been more specific. I want a test bench power supply for construction and testing of QRP radios like the QMX.?

 

If you're looking for more info on those HP and Agilent power supplies, it's now on the Keysight website. Agilent, which was originally spun off from HP when the parent company chose to focus on its computer business, spun off the general purpose test equipment business to concentrate on the medical market and a few other related vertical markets. Keysight is now the company that's most like the original Hewlett-Packard; they make oscilloscopes, spectrum analyzers, logic analyzers, power supplies, signal generators, multimeters, LCR meters, and other things like that.


On Thu, Aug 31, 2023 at 8:45?AM Dave Edwards <kd2e@...> wrote:

I worked many years for HP/Agilent, so you can guess my suggestion!! Fortunately, it's just a power supply, so not priced crazy. You can also find cheap (garbage) but workable imported jobs on Amazon....but, 'ya get what 'ya pay for!

Look for a nice, working, HP 6216A on ebay. And, note that it is a part of a series (621XA)...various voltages and currents. They stack, you'll want to get others in the series. They are tiny, analog meter and adjustable voltage and current limit. My favorite for watching what an unknown circuit is doing.

A generation newer and more advanced is another rock-solid job, the HP/Agilent E3615A. Digital reading of current and voltage. Up to 20 volts/2 or 3 amps (forget which).

Again, there are junky ones out there, but if you want to be sure of valid voltage/current indications, and DC that is assured of no spikes, ripple, noise, AC components etc....The HP Agilent ones are king!!

They are ALWAYS on ebay. But you have to shop. Some are crazy priced, some are kicked around, cracked, beat up junk.? But...there are beautiful ones out there as well!!!

I have lots of other HP.Agilent power supplies, as well as a few B&K ones, but those are the two model numbers that I would bee-line in on, if I had none!

Good Hunting!!

......Dave? KD2E

On 8/31/23 8:24 AM, Denny WY2A via wrote:
Sorry Dave. I should have been more specific. I want a test bench power supply for construction and testing of QRP radios like the QMX.?

 

On 31 Aug 2023 at 8:56, Shirley Dulcey KE1L wrote:

Keysight is now the company that's most like the
original Hewlett-Packard
who picks these oddball spinoff company names?

imo, HP THREW AWAY their entire fabulous
brand name and market confidence when they
rebranded to 'Agilent' ...
 

I have the same "Korad" supply. It's been going strong for several years now. The supply limits voltage across its output transistor by switching between several taps on its supply transformer using a relay. I have had to replace that relay one time, I believe an inductive spike killed it. But it has otherwise been performing fine. I've used it for everything from powering electronics to electroplating and anodizing.
 

Little trivia note....

HP paid the same company for dreaming up "Agilent" that

Bell labs paid to dream up "Lucent"?? Comparing the two, not surprising!!

There are many items, like an expensive 3468 DVM, where you might find the exact same

item with either HP, Agilent, OR Keysight on the front!!

But of the two power supplies I had mentioned previously, one is either HP or Agilent, and the

other is just HP....neither would be Keysight.

....Dave? KD2E

On 8/31/23 12:42 PM, Jim W2JC wrote:
On 31 Aug 2023 at 8:56, Shirley Dulcey KE1L wrote:

Keysight is now the company that's most like the
original Hewlett-Packard
who picks these oddball spinoff company names?

imo, HP THREW AWAY their entire fabulous
brand name and market confidence when they
rebranded to 'Agilent' ...
 

Dave, I was checking the auction site, and you weren’t kidding. Quite a range and some ambitious pricing. I’ll keep looking.?

…and I’ll keep your contact information for the time I build up the courage to repair the power supply of my HP 1741A scope.?


Denny
 

开云体育

All my co-workers were issued 1740 or 1741A scopes. I was working on higher frequency stuff, so I lucked out with a 275Mhz 1726A scope..with the LED display riding on top. Loved that scope, and was able to keep it after I left HP/Agilent...but time marches on, and scopes got smaller. Sold it for a much smaller Tektronix scope a few years ago!

....Dave

On 8/31/23 6:47 PM, Denny WY2A via groups.io wrote:

Dave, I was checking the auction site, and you weren’t kidding. Quite a range and some ambitious pricing. I’ll keep looking.?

…and I’ll keep your contact information for the time I build up the courage to repair the power supply of my HP 1741A scope.?


Denny

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