Power Supply for Chargers

[major]

I found an interesting power supply which I bought and tested out over the weekend. It appears top quality and was only $14.99 plus shipping. So I thought I'd post it up in case you are in the market for one. It is intended for xbox I guess. It claims 500W, but I suppose you could realistically only use the 12V outputs (2) which are 15A each. So what's that; 360W? I had hoped the two outputs were isolated but they are not. All the outputs appear to share the common (negative). It did appear that you could parallel the two 12V outputs. At least it didn't fault when I did it. But I am unsure how it would behave (current share) at high loads when paralleled. I did run a single 12V at about 14A for an hour or so and it holds close to 12V and stays cool. It uses copper heat tubes (interesting) and is quite quiet. A heavy unit so I doubt you'd want to carry it on your bike, but for the garage or lab, it works for me. Anyway, I have no stake in it, but here it is. http://www.mcmelectronics.com/product/58-15535 BTW, it worked well with BC168 at 2A per cell times 6 cells.

 

[tome]

Newegg doesn't have it, but has better pics of it: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817167016

I am using a re-purposed modified HP ESP135 (12V @ 47A) that is working out great. I got two of them for $27 shipped. Otherwise I might be interested.
Tom

 

[DAND214]

Thanks, bought 3 so no shipping. don't know what I'm gonna do with them. Come in handy whem my 30amp unit craps out.

Dan

 

[izeman]

+1 for server ps as well. i just converted an HP/compaq DL580 on. 800w max, and it's 55a at the 12v line. so more than enough to power 2 of my 3 chargers at the same time.
i got it for 12.- and 5.- shipping. replaced the 120mm fan, and now it's super quiet as well.
http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1170784
you can't beat the price and quality. my 540w hobbyking ps which never got close to 350w output is now put somewhere where i don't have to look at it

 

[major]

Thanks, bought 3 so no shipping. don't know what I'm gonna do with them. Come in handy whem my 30amp unit craps out.

Dan

You have to short the PS ON pin to a GRND pin to turn it on. http://www.gegeek.com/documents/E0D469AD3590C6C9B932A04992DAF84F7C1B28CB.html Easy to do and you don't have to open the chassis. It is supplied with nice wire set. I simply made adapters with 6 pin Molex connector to 2 power poles.

 

[major]

Tonight I made a parallel adapter to hook two 12V outputs together into my Thunder 1220 charger. Each 12V output is rated at 15A, so 180W. I set the charger for 6A on a 12S battery. The charger is rated at 300W. Battery voltage on charge was 44.55V. Actual charge current was 5.20A. Readings from the Thunder 1220 display. Also it read 12.27V input (from the PS). A clamp-on meter read 22.36A input to the charger (from the PS). So that figures to 274W from the PS indicating that the two 12V supply ports do parallel. The readout display on the PS read 214W and 59 degrees C. I noticed when testing before the watt reading was considerably low compared to my volt and amp meters.

I think that I'm seeing the limit of the Thunder 1220 and not the power supply. Maybe the charger could go a bit higher if the PS voltage was higher (closer to 15V). But overall I like this power supply. Real nice quality. No modifications required. Just a couple of adapter cables. And for $14.99.

BTW, I had been using a power supply I inherited from a project study which fell though. It is a 1 kW RV supply/charger. Nice unit. Puts out all I can handle at 13.7V. Fused at 75A. When I needed a second supply I looked up the cost of it. $200. Yikes!

 

[Hillhater]

Excellent unit Major and exceptional value..
..but sadly MCM now show it as a "Discontinued" item.
so i guess we will have to find alternative sources ! :?

PS:-- maybe you could link the 3.3 or 5v (30A) line in series with the 12v side ,..to power your charger at 15 -18 v ?

 

[major]

Too bad. They said limited quantities. And I checked. All the outputs share the common from what I could tell.