ATTEN APS3005S teardown - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: hacklordsniper
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: October 20, 2011, 04:39:21 pm
content: .

author: ciccio
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: October 20, 2011, 06:20:35 pm
content: It's a problem of my semi-color-blind vision or all wires (E, B and C) to the output power transistors are the same color?Funny... I did this when I was very young, and had no money for two or more reels of wire.Apart this, I see a better-than-usual (for chinese standards) quality in this power supply.

author: 0xdeadbeef
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 20, 2011, 06:44:47 pm
content: Wow, this looks pretty disturbing

author: saturation
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 20, 2011, 07:40:34 pm
content: It doesn't look too bad, but other Chinese labels can do it better. See this thread, and the insides of my Mastech supply. Of course, consistent QA is anyone's guess but there are other dissections on the RCgroups forums for other models of Mastech supplies that are decent looking.https://www.eevblog.com/forum/index.php?topic=4349.0

author: hacklordsniper
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: October 21, 2011, 04:20:37 am
content: Quote from: ciccio on October 20, 2011, 06:20:35 pmThey are, i focused on one transistor connection because it had a cold solder joint which fell off. The tried to sand off the IC-s, but only tried because all is still visible. The PSU has a nice top frame connectors that makes it very robust compared to ones that don't have. And the fan is so loud you cant work with it. But its a nice power supply only needing few adjustments

author: peter_mcc
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: October 27, 2011, 11:42:08 pm
content: HiIn a review on Amazon The person said this supply gives the full 30V/5A to the output for a moment when it starts up. Have you seen that happen - it sounds like a deal killer (and electronics killer) to me!http://www.amazon.com/ATTEN-APS3005S-Regulated-Variable-Supply/dp/B0050FBSRYpeter

author: hacklordsniper
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: October 28, 2011, 03:25:44 am
content: I did not have a chance to use it yet since im rebuilding my lab, but i will test it.

author: McMonster
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: November 25, 2011, 05:47:46 am
content: Hi, have you tested this power supply and would you recommend it? I'm considering buying it myself and I'd like to read your opinion first.

author: hacklordsniper
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: November 25, 2011, 11:50:42 am
content: Quote from: McMonster on November 25, 2011, 05:47:46 amSorry still notJust as my lab was finished i did not like it and made a second overhaul. All is finished again except a bench which should arrive today but just now postponed for tuesday.I have probably 10 teardowns ready for posting as soon it finishes. I will test the power supply for mentioned problem. But however i can say no such cheap Chinese product will be perfect quality and performance out of the box. And this Atten has too loud fan (because virtually it does not have any heatsink so they compensate), really loud! I have probably 15 fans running in the lab all the time (upc-s, pc-s and various stuff) but this one is the loudest sounding like jumbo jet!

author: RonKZ650
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: November 30, 2011, 10:06:29 pm
content: Just for the record, I got this power supply and done some tests. First I set the output to 5vdc. Open circuit volts read 5.06v according to my meter. At turn on, still 5.06v. I hooked to a LED through a 270u resistor and the current draw was not enough to indicate on the Aten, but meter reads 11.2ma both at turn on and after. I then hooked to an old light bulb the Aten read .13A and the meter .135A. At turn on current measured .210A. I think normal for a bulb to draw more current at start up. Volts stayed right at 5v. I then set the Aten to 15v. Meter reads volts at 15.06v at both start up and after. I hooked this to a 15u resistor and the Aten indicated .92A drawn and the meter also .92A. Last I hooked up a LCDTV at 15V, Current draw was 2.81A on the Aten as well as the meter. Volts stayed right planted at 15V. Last complaint was the fan. It is not noisey on mine and only comes on when the machine is hot so not an issue. So to put it bluntly, the equipment works perfect and no worry of turn on surge. Lastly, I've been running 2.8A on the LCDTV for an hour now and the fan is not blowing hot air, so I'd say barring breakdown, this is a mighty fine buy for $80.

author: hacklordsniper
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: December 01, 2011, 03:50:30 am
content: Im not sure do you have this unit but there is no thermaly controlled fan inside, its always on

author: RonKZ650
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: December 01, 2011, 05:14:43 am
content: The fan is thermally controlled in mine or at least appears to be. I hooked it up for all my tests and the fan never ran until the 2.8A LCD TV test, then it ran the entire duration of that test. I disconnect the load and continue the 15v open circuit and after a couple minutes the fan stopped.

author: hacklordsniper
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: December 01, 2011, 12:03:15 pm
content: Quote from: RonKZ650 on December 01, 2011, 05:14:43 amInteresting!Maybe its a new model? If you look at my unit the output transistors do not have almost any heatsink and this is why the fan runs all time of boeing 747 speedPlease share with us internal pictures so we can check it out

author: peter_mcc
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: December 01, 2011, 12:08:55 pm
content: I've noticed there is now a APS3005Si model - capable of 150W vs 90W for the APS3005S.peter

author: hacklordsniper
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: December 01, 2011, 12:35:45 pm
content: Quote from: peter_mcc on December 01, 2011, 12:08:55 pmYou need to love Chinese specs because that model is cooled by "Heat Disspiation?Strong breeze refrigeration" this could indicate the fann is all the time on but luckily they included the necessary protections "Multi-defensive function circuit monitoring all kinds of dangerous working conditions?ensure the device will not be burned down. " but what is suprising is the specs:Output Voltage?0-30V UNCALOutput Current?0-5A UNCALDoes the UNCAL stand for UNCALIBRATED, what?

author: McMonster
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: December 01, 2011, 05:23:44 pm
content: Thank you for all the feedback, I've decided to buy this power supply. It's been a pain in the ass not to have one for too long. I'm also thinking of building a second power supply myself to get negative voltages, or at least just a simple converter to attach to this one.

author: RonKZ650
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: December 01, 2011, 05:56:22 pm
content: I see the difference in mine with the thermally controoled fan. They added a KSD-01F 45 degree C thermostat to the heat sync on the right side.

author: hacklordsniper
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: December 01, 2011, 08:45:35 pm
content: I will open mine and see is it on my pcb, but looking the pics its not.maybe they just did not install it

author: ciccio
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: December 02, 2011, 06:39:06 pm
content: Quote from: hacklordsniper on December 01, 2011, 08:45:35 pmIn one of the photos in your first post (the fifth image) I see that they have shorted it with what seems a "zero ohm" resistor.I have a similar unit (I've posted a teardown some time ago) and I modified it installing a 60 °C bimetallic thermostat in series with the fan: now the unit is silent most of the time..Regards

author: McMonster
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: December 06, 2011, 05:34:28 pm
content: I finaly got my unit. It's noisy as hell, I didn't expect it to be more noisy than my Rigol, but this sounds like having 747's turbine on my bench. I'm considering modding it, but I don't like the idea of loosing 2 years warranty.

author: hacklordsniper
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: December 06, 2011, 06:02:43 pm
content: Quote from: McMonster on December 06, 2011, 05:34:28 pmOh really?

author: IanB
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 06, 2011, 06:34:29 pm
content: Quote from: McMonster on December 06, 2011, 05:34:28 pmI had a Dell computer that sounded like that. A combination of small high speed fan and restricted path for air flow. It was very annoying!

author: McMonster
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: December 06, 2011, 07:15:21 pm
content: I did a small comparison to a HP DL385 server machine with all fans inserted. The server wasquieter. I'm one step closer to voiding the warranty.

author: Unknown
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: December 06, 2011, 07:26:07 pm
content: Was the DL385 even quieter just after being turned on before its fan controller is active and when the fans are still running full speed? The DL385 fans are speed controlled, something that may not be the case in the Atten. Note that the high-speed fan may compensate for poor thermal design, so lowering or changing the air flow may reduce reliability and in the worst case even safety.

author: hacklordsniper
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: December 07, 2011, 07:16:45 am
content: The Atten discussed here as 2 transistors in output stage mounted on thin aluminium sheet. They virtually have no heatsink and this is why they need a high volume of cold air blowing on them all the time. Its just how they designed it.IT would be easy to remove that heatsink, install a quite better one and thermally control the fans and i scheduled to do this on mine for this weekend.

author: McMonster
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: December 07, 2011, 12:32:47 pm
content: Quote from: alm on December 06, 2011, 07:26:07 pmI only turned it on for a few seconds for comparison, but I know HP is still quieter with fans at full speed. I think I'll put some simple linear fan controller there as hacklordsniper mentioned and I guess it'll be fine.

author: hacklordsniper
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: December 07, 2011, 02:14:00 pm
content: Slowing your fan speed could cause your transistors to die