Supply power for electronic circuits

[pavkovlr]

Hello, this is my first post here on Electronics Point!

I'm in an engineering program in University and in an electronics course we built various electronic circuits (RLC circuits, diode applications, differential amplifiers etc.) I purchased the necessary electronic components kit for the course and I want to be able to do these experiments from home. What options do I have for providing power to circuits? In the lab we had DC power supplies and AC signal generators.

Any kind of information is welcome! Thank you

Lukas

 

[(*steve*)]

It depends on the voltage required (and how accurate it needs to be, and the current required.

You could use batteries, power supplies for things like laptops, and chargers for phones, etc.

The major issue is that none of these have current limiting (or at least variable current limiting) nor as good protection from faults in your circuit as a bench power supply.

You could also make your own power supply. If your voltage and current requirements are modest, it is quite achievable.

 

[jackorocko]

This is one of the easiest ways to get a power supply with short circuit protection. You can pull cheap 350W atx power supplies from old computers. A computer repair shop might have one (used pulled from a dead PC) they would sell you for little of nothing.

 

[(*steve*)]

Good point, but not variable current limiting. So the power supply might survive, but not your circuit...

Still, people have done good things with these. It's very likely you can find one $free.