Author Topic: Is this power supply suitable?  (Read 1636 times)

Offline Turbidaceous

  • Participant
  • **
  • Posts: 472
  • Likes: 6
  • Living in the UK
Is this power supply suitable?
« on: February 15, 2020, 02:14:05 AM »
I am looking for a constant current powersupply which won't break my bank. I have cancelled an order for an LED driver constant current because I thought the wild voltage range was a settable thing, but after looking into it a bit more, it seems it might be random as to what the voltage is, so I decided that might be a bad thing if you can't actually set what voltage you want from within the range.

So I have found this power supply: https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/30V-5A-10A-DC-Bench-Power-Supply-Precision-Dual-Digital-Adjustable-Grade-Test-UK/333261573933?hash=item4d97f00f2d%3Am%3AmxWO-KpC6b4WDifH6y_T7LQ&LH_BIN=1

Could you tell me if you think this would be suitable for a constant current power at 30 volts?

Offline SaltyCornflakes

  • Expert
  • Participant
  • ***
  • Posts: 495
  • Likes: 50
Re: Is this power supply suitable?
« Reply #1 on: February 15, 2020, 03:03:05 AM »
Difficult because cheap Chinese lab supplies may not be accurate on the low end of the scale. 10mA is its lowest setting, which may be too much for you. And you don't know if you're getting that exactly.

Also you may want less. I use 5mA and even that is too fast sometimes.

If you use it to deliver 10 mA, you won't be getting 30 V anyway. Ampere and volt depend on one other. That's why a constant current LED driver offers a V range. You don't set the V.

Offline Turbidaceous

  • Participant
  • **
  • Posts: 472
  • Likes: 6
  • Living in the UK
Re: Is this power supply suitable?
« Reply #2 on: February 15, 2020, 09:31:14 AM »
I have potentiometers. I am currently working with a wallwart 30v 500mAh powersupply. So as long as it is steady current I can use one of these inline to control as I normally do.

Offline cfnisbet

  • Administrator
  • Participant
  • *****
  • Posts: 2558
  • Likes: 184
Re: Is this power supply suitable?
« Reply #3 on: February 15, 2020, 08:03:14 PM »
I am looking for a constant current powersupply which won't break my bank. I have cancelled an order for an LED driver constant current because I thought the wild voltage range was a settable thing, but after looking into it a bit more, it seems it might be random as to what the voltage is, so I decided that might be a bad thing if you can't actually set what voltage you want from within the range.

So I have found this power supply: https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/30V-5A-10A-DC-Bench-Power-Supply-Precision-Dual-Digital-Adjustable-Grade-Test-UK/333261573933?hash=item4d97f00f2d%3Am%3AmxWO-KpC6b4WDifH6y_T7LQ&LH_BIN=1

Could you tell me if you think this would be suitable for a constant current power at 30 volts?
Yes, these do work, but you will need a large anode, as the PSU isn't really capable of putting out low amperages. You need a large anode with fairly wide spacing for one of these units, but I run one of these (amongst my other PSUs).

Offline edwire

  • Expert
  • Participant
  • ***
  • Posts: 120
  • Likes: 3
Chemistry is the melodies you can play on vibrating strings


Offline cfnisbet

  • Administrator
  • Participant
  • *****
  • Posts: 2558
  • Likes: 184
Re: Is this power supply suitable?
« Reply #6 on: March 31, 2020, 11:14:48 AM »
Yes, that seems excellent; buy two, get free shipping and you have a spare PSU. We would never get that sort of deal in the UK, though.

Offline edwire

  • Expert
  • Participant
  • ***
  • Posts: 120
  • Likes: 3
Re: Is this power supply suitable?
« Reply #7 on: April 02, 2020, 12:09:56 AM »
Yes, that seems excellent; buy two, get free shipping and you have a spare PSU. We would never get that sort of deal in the UK, though.

Yes, the price is a bargain but the site was registered on 20/02/03. Some of the product reviews dates show 2018 and 2019, this makes me wonder how they got those reviews?
« Last Edit: April 02, 2020, 01:08:29 AM by edwire »
Chemistry is the melodies you can play on vibrating strings

Offline Turbidaceous

  • Participant
  • **
  • Posts: 472
  • Likes: 6
  • Living in the UK
Re: Is this power supply suitable?
« Reply #8 on: April 02, 2020, 01:46:02 AM »
Easy if they have been around since 03.

Offline edwire

  • Expert
  • Participant
  • ***
  • Posts: 120
  • Likes: 3
Re: Is this power supply suitable?
« Reply #9 on: April 02, 2020, 08:16:54 PM »
Easy if they have been around since 03.


Sorry my bad, 20/02/03 ---> 02/03/20
Chemistry is the melodies you can play on vibrating strings

heartbeat91

  • Guest
Re: Is this power supply suitable?
« Reply #10 on: April 04, 2020, 05:08:02 AM »
The Popmaissale.come site seems a little sketchy (free "gmail" , webname only registered 2 months), but I placed an order. we'll see!???

Offline cfnisbet

  • Administrator
  • Participant
  • *****
  • Posts: 2558
  • Likes: 184
Re: Is this power supply suitable?
« Reply #11 on: April 04, 2020, 04:18:03 PM »
These are available from amazon and ebay too.

heartbeat91

  • Guest
Re: Is this power supply suitable?
« Reply #12 on: April 16, 2020, 05:20:28 PM »
The Popmaissale.come site seems a little sketchy (free "gmail" , webname only registered 2 months), but I placed an order. we'll see!???

update: my paypal was charged on 4/4 but the site still shows "processing" for order status. I went to paypal to get a refund and they requested that I give it more time due to covid19. I emailed popmaissale for status update on the 10th and no response.

DonSilvio

  • Guest
Re: Is this power supply suitable?
« Reply #13 on: April 29, 2020, 03:32:50 AM »
Hi,
I have a somewhat similar question. I bought a _very_ cheap 3digit power supply. Seems the kind that does not have a transformer inside. Simply it was the only one available right away. Anyway - I making 0.5lts with a 0.5ml sodium carbonate solution (1 molar) and 8mg karo. Use a 1oz silver nugget 80% dipped in the water, 0ppm tested water. Brand new multimeter set to 200m Amp range. My cathode is simply a copper wire - read somewhere here the thinner the better. So here is the debacle - I can't get the amperage above 1mA... The PSU reads 0.05ish Amps and voltage is at 30V, multimeter reads 01.4 on the 200m range. The anode cathode are placed just around a cm apart. more wire increased the amp a bit. The water turns gold in manner of minutes while I'm fidgeting with the PSU trying to set it up, there's even visible mist seen emanating from the silver, it turns black in no time.

What am I doing wrong? I have a feeling my multimeter might not be properly connected. At the moment PSU+ connected to fused 500mA + on meter. COM connected to PSU + at the copper wire that holds the suspended silver nugget.

Any help greatly appreciated
P.S. I have what seems to be a proper power supply on the way, KORAD. But would really love any feedback. Thanks.

Offline cfnisbet

  • Administrator
  • Participant
  • *****
  • Posts: 2558
  • Likes: 184
Re: Is this power supply suitable?
« Reply #14 on: April 29, 2020, 12:04:50 PM »
Your ranges are set wrong. Reset it to the 20mA range. from what you have said, it appears that your machine is working correctly, and was outputting 14mA at 30V or maybe less. This is pretty much perfect.