Who makes a high quality power supply?

[CharlesBlackstone]

I am looking for manufacturer of good power supplies, preferrably a US-
based company.

I bought a Chinese Mastech 30v 10a CVCC power supply. It was cheap,
and upon arrival I see why. I'm new to this stuff and the manual is
pretty useless.

I would like to find a similar HP, Tektronix, or other high quality
comparable type power supply, so I can try to find/buy/download a
manual for one. I bet an HP manual would clear up how to use these
things.

Thanks a lot.

 

[[email protected]]

I am looking for manufacturer of good power supplies, preferrably a US-
based company.

I bought a Chinese Mastech 30v 10a CVCC power supply. It was cheap,
and upon arrival I see why. I'm new to this stuff and the manual is
pretty useless.

I would like to find a similar HP, Tektronix, or other high quality
comparable type power supply, so I can try to find/buy/download a
manual for one. I bet an HP manual would clear up how to use these
things.

Thanks a lot.

Above mentioned should be good. Sencore makes high quality equipment
also.

 

[[email protected]]

I am looking for manufacturer of good power supplies, preferrably a US-
based company.

I bought a Chinese Mastech 30v 10a CVCC power supply. It was cheap,
and upon arrival I see why. I'm new to this stuff and the manual is
pretty useless.

I would like to find a similar HP, Tektronix, or other high quality
comparable type power supply, so I can try to find/buy/download a
manual for one. I bet an HP manual would clear up how to use these
things.

Thanks a lot.

If you are looking for a high end power supply I suggest lambda url:
http://www.lambda-gb.com/uk/index.htm
I have used them on various projects and found the supplies performed
quite reliably. They come in rack mount, din rail mount and direct
mount designs and several diffferent features such as programmability
are offered.

 

[Cees Keyer]

I am looking for manufacturer of good power supplies, preferrably a US-
based company.

I bought a Chinese Mastech 30v 10a CVCC power supply. It was cheap,
and upon arrival I see why. I'm new to this stuff and the manual is
pretty useless.

I would like to find a similar HP, Tektronix, or other high quality
comparable type power supply, so I can try to find/buy/download a
manual for one. I bet an HP manual would clear up how to use these
things.

Thanks a lot.

Delta powersupplies are very good, but i do not know of they are
avaialble inde US.
It is a dutch company
http://www.delta-elektronika.nl
http://www.delta-direct.co.uk/

Btw is not the same as the other delta power supply company
which is a Taiwan based company
http://www.delta.com.tw/

 

[James Sweet]

I think you're taking a fatalist attitude. I have to disagree with you on
a few points. Experimenters need a PS with constant current or current
limiting capabilities (in case the breadboarded circuit is miswired or
designed improperly). Metering is another necessity for experimenters.
Yes, the user can always use bench meters for that, but it's sure handy to
have those meters built into the PS. Keeps everything neat and easy to
monitor, and frees your bench meters for probing the circuit..
Also, as a general rule, I like linear supplies for analog experimenting.
Switchers can cause tremors in analog circuits that will drive you crazy
unless you are aware of the source. Dual tracking supplies are great for
analog circuits as well, since many designs need positive and negative
sources. Again, keeps everything neat and easy to monitor.
People aren't "crazy" for paying reasonable prices for good equipment.
The extra cost of a well featured power supply can easily pay for itself
by avoiding destruction of expensive components because the power supply
couldn't limit or control the output current. Good power supplies don't
become obsolete in a couple of years, as computers do. With proper use
and a little care, they can last for decades.

Someone once told me, "buy good tools and only cry once" and I've found that
to be consistantly true. Not once have I looked back and thought dang, I
should have spent less money on this tool, but many times I've grumbled that
I should have bit the bullet and splurged on a better one.

 

[Jamie]

A power supply is a power supply. The cheapest one will do. I have good
luck with $18.00 power supplies. They either work or they don't. People
who pay $150 or $200 for a power supply are crazy. I've bought the
cheapest for decades. It don't have to last 200 years, I won't live that
long and it will be obsolete in a couple years anyway.

That maybe true how ever, a well designed power supply has much better
protection in it to save your attached devices. crap power supplies
tend to have poor regulation, voltage not in spec and when something
goes wacky with them, they can take out the devices that are loaded on
them or, they can just shut down silently or burn up with smoke and
possibly flames.

Powers supplies are not perfect regardless of cost how ever, most of
the higher end ones tends to guaranty performance and protection of your
devices.

 

[Smitty Two]

Indeed - but the OP talked about a 30v 10A CVCC PS. Not that I know what
CVCC is - Google suggests it's the Cuckmere Valley Canoe Club. Perhaps
they use some form of electrolysis to reduce friction? ;-)

Constant Voltage Constant Current. AIUI, the OP isn't talking about a
computer power supply, or a benchtop piece of test equipment, but
something to build into a chassis of a custom piece of gear. We stick
with Lambda or Power One and have good results.

 

[Adrian C]

Constant Voltage Constant Current. AIUI, the OP isn't talking about a
computer power supply, or a benchtop piece of test equipment, but
something to build into a chassis of a custom piece of gear. We stick
with Lambda or Power One and have good results.

Correct regarding CV/CC but the OP is more than likely talking about a
variable bench supply He is also asking for help how to use it, and
may be looking for what the difference between voltage and current and
what an adjustable current limit (damm useful!), sense connectors and
ground lift/connect may be used for.

Such things will be glossed over in the average chinese manual as those
concepts are self explanatory for the engineer person specifying and
buying such a unit. HP's (and most US written) manuals may be a bit more
forthcoming?

His is probably like Mastech's <http://multimetercenter.com/hy3010Df.htm>

Anyway, My experience is with Thurlby (TTi) bench power supplies, don't
know if these made it much in the US direction - but popular here in the
UK for business and education use.

We need the OP back ...

 

[Smitty Two]

Correct regarding CV/CC but the OP is more than likely talking about a
variable bench supply He is also asking for help how to use it, and
may be looking for what the difference between voltage and current and
what an adjustable current limit (damm useful!), sense connectors and
ground lift/connect may be used for.

Such things will be glossed over in the average chinese manual as those
concepts are self explanatory for the engineer person specifying and
buying such a unit. HP's (and most US written) manuals may be a bit more
forthcoming?

His is probably like Mastech's <http://multimetercenter.com/hy3010Df.htm>

Anyway, My experience is with Thurlby (TTi) bench power supplies, don't
know if these made it much in the US direction - but popular here in the
UK for business and education use.

We need the OP back ...

He stumbled in here from Google (so I'm among many who only saw replies)
and probably can't find his way back.

 

[Adrian C]

Just curious what use a constant current constant voltage bench supply
would be? Or does it mean *either* constant voltage or constant current?

For bench supplies, it's either, so I put a slash in my answer between
CC/CV.

It's a supply where you wind up the voltage to what you want and then
you set the current limiter to what you consider a safe maximum to the
load circuit you are fooling with.

If the load demands more current than your limit, the supply will reduce
the voltage to maintain the great law of Ohm. So essentially it will be
delivering constant current (CC) to the load and flashing warning lights
which will tell the user something is wrong with the circuit.

(Though in some circumstances ignoring the warning may be useful for
things like charging nicad cells which should be charged using the
constant regulated current.)

If you have no current limiter in force, then the supply works in
constant voltage (CV) up to the point of smoke (or blown internal fuse
or some other limiter) for excessive current delivered.

The following explains using a supply from HP for the point of view of
an EE student.

Basics of Power Supplies -
Use of the HP E3631A Programmable Power Supply
<http://www.ese.upenn.edu/rca/instruments/HPpower/PS3631A.html>