Which High Current 20A+ Variable Bench Power Supply  - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / testgear

author: JayDee
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: September 08, 2015, 10:30:51 am
content: Hi Guys,Looking for a sensible priced 'Reasonable' quality high Amperage power supply.20A or greaterVariable Output Voltage between 6V to max.Ability to set current limit before applying output power.Switch mode or Linear ??EA ELEKTRO-AUTOMATIK EA-PS 3016-20B 16V/20A GBP£330+VATDigimess SM3040 30V /40A GBP£329 (not sure you can preset the current on these...hmm)Digimess HY3020 30V / 20A GBP£229Any other ideas?

author: HighVoltage
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 08, 2015, 11:08:52 am
content: Look at the older HP power supplies, they are sometimes cheap on ebay and very reliable.They come in all different sizes and for different voltage and current ratings.Here are two, I am using all the time.

author: tszaboo
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 08, 2015, 03:48:43 pm
content: Deltahttp://www.delta-elektronika.nl

author: JayDee
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: September 08, 2015, 05:06:11 pm
content: yeah...scanning ebay already.Detla stuff looks very nice; I'll ask, but suspect its a touch above my price bracket!cheers though.

author: Vgkid
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 08, 2015, 07:50:09 pm
content: Look into the Lambda models as well.

author: nctnico
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 09, 2015, 12:18:06 am
content: That EA PSU seems to be limited to 160W (=10A at 16V)I'm also not so sure about the Digimess power supplies. 30V at 40A is 1200W and that seems a bit much for that amount of money. Can't find the max. power of those though.

author: tszaboo
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 09, 2015, 08:26:04 am
content: Quote from: nctnico on September 09, 2015, 12:18:06 amNot that you mentioned it, it has regular banana outputs for 40A? Not that is something you dont see every day.

author: Vgkid
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 09, 2015, 08:32:20 am
content: QUESTIONWhy do you need such a high power adjustable power supply. You would greatly increase your choices by using a lower powered adjustable power supply, and a high current fixed power supply.

author: TopLoser
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: September 09, 2015, 08:35:31 am
content: Quote from: NANDBlog on September 09, 2015, 08:26:04 amThey are labelled as:"Monitoring Terminals 3A MAX"Big connectors on the rear.

author: kony
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: September 09, 2015, 09:08:10 am
content: +1 for Delta! I've seen them in numerous ATE setups and used them in lab at previous employer as well. Lovely pieces of kit - if you can score them at reasonable price from ebay, do it.

author: HighVoltage
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 09, 2015, 09:34:11 am
content: Yes, the front terminals of the older HP power supplies are for monitoring or a maximum of 3A.Here are some pictures of the back, with the real connection.

author: HighVoltage
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 09, 2015, 09:53:01 am
content: Agilent also makes some real deal new power supplies.Actually, they are all made by TDK Lambda, but they are Agilent /Keysight branded.I just finished a project where I needed to charge up some single Maxwell Super Capacitors with 100A up to 2.7VThis Agilent N5741A was perfect for it.Even connecting two of the Maxwell Super Capacitors in series and charging them up to 5.4V at 100A constant current was something really cool to watch. The current did not even fluctuated 0.1A.Here are some pictures of my N5741A. Notice the huge wire connections in the back with real M8 size screws.And this one has GPIB, LXI and USB

author: TopLoser
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: September 09, 2015, 10:13:36 am
content: That N5741A looks familiar!

author: tszaboo
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 09, 2015, 11:16:05 am
content: Quote from: TopLoser on September 09, 2015, 08:35:31 amOK. Terrible Farnell datasheet is terrible.

author: HighVoltage
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 09, 2015, 11:35:33 am
content: Quote from: TopLoser on September 09, 2015, 10:13:36 amJup, that one is in my lab with tanks to you.At first I did not know what to do with it but suddenly there was the perfect application.

author: mos6502
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: September 09, 2015, 11:55:05 am
content: A 100A PSU with ethernet? Oh, the things a hacker could do with thatBut seriously, are there any security features? Does it talk SSL/SSH? Does it even require a password?

author: JayDee
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: September 09, 2015, 03:46:48 pm
content: Woah Guys..the Lambda, Agilent, Delta are real nice kit but unless something comes up on ebay.. that'll be well over a £1000GBP.It might not be Lab grade but the basic EA kit seems to be the route to go for mid range.I was involved in a project earlier this year running 30 or more of the 40A 16V units and our crew only blew two upLithium car batteries plugged in the wrong way around !! doh.. made the mechanic jump though