Benchtop Power Supply for under $100.

[FilterGuy]

If I did know of one, at a good price, I wouldn't be cobbling one together with power supplies and charge controllers!

I hear ya...... but I can always hope someone has found something I haven't found.

 

[SolarRat]

Me too! I feel like "I gotta be missing something simple?!" You'd think there'd be more demand for what we are looking for?

 

[MagicToolbox]

I don't have a good answer to point 3: Shut off when charging is complete. But I own and am very happy with a DPS5015 DC-DC power supply purchased from Aliexpress. they even have an available serial interface (Bluetooth or USB) to do remote monitoring. You still need a DC source to start from, but this device allows you to set the voltage and current limits very accurately. Dave Jones of the EEVBlog has reviewed these supplies very favorably. I plan to use this as a charge controller until I scrounge up the cash for an EpEver.

 

[Turd Furguson]

spend a few bucks more and get this programmable one:

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/400...chweb0_0,searchweb201602_5,searchweb201603_53

 

[FilterGuy]

spend a few bucks more and get this programmable one:

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/400...chweb0_0,searchweb201602_5,searchweb201603_53

Nice! Do you have one of these?

 

[Turd Furguson]

Nice! Do you have one of these?

Negative - I ordered but then a friend hooked me up with a proper lab grade supply; Less feature-rich than these but I couldn't refuse. So it will be another future impulse buy.

eevblog is a great resource.

 

[FilterGuy]

So it will be another future impulse buy.

I am having a hard time resisting the impulse right now.....

 

[Turd Furguson]

Sounds like you’re delaying the inevitable.

You could always consider the additional value add of a combined programmable charger and bench top supply.

So, it could be argued that you’re saving money.

 

[FilterGuy]

It sounds like you are as good at rationalizing bad decisions as I am!!

 

[Turd Furguson]

I’m a top negotiator against myself.

 

[ghostwriter66]

spend a few bucks more and get this programmable one:

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/400...chweb0_0,searchweb201602_5,searchweb201603_53

The SPEC sheet say it ONLY goes to 6A -- if you had anything over 50aH it would take forever to charge ... be OK to balance one cell at a time though ...

I still like this one .. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07Y5XVTQL/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 

[Michael B Caro]

I am using this one right now on some of the BYD 24v units I picked up from Battery Clearinghouse. I would like to push more amps than 10, but it is working fine other than that.

DC Power Supply Variable 30V 10A, 4-Digital LED Display, Precision Adjustable Regulated Switching Power Supply Digital with Alligator Leads US Power Cord : Amazon.com: Industrial & Scientific

DC Power Supply Variable 30V 10A, 4-Digital LED Display, Precision Adjustable Regulated Switching Power Supply Digital with Alligator Leads US Power Cord : Amazon.com: Industrial & Scientific

www.amazon.com

 

[Ampster]

I buy my stuff from this supplier, never been disappointed

Switch-Mode Power Supplies - Circuit Specialists

www.circuitspecialists.com

I have bought sever power supplies from them as well. No matter how careful I am I seem to break them every two years or so.

 

[Ampster]

I still like this one ..

Maybe I need to spend the extra buck on that one. It seems to have the over protection circuits that I need. My last one failed and still displays the OVP error message that I assume meant that I did something wrong.

 

[Barold]

I have bought sever power supplies from them as well. No matter how careful I am I seem to break them every two years or so.

I just started using a 15V 40 amp PS from circuit specialists. My observations: the voltage display is only to 1 decimal place so I can't fine tune the V. The device required a bit of fiddling - I am only using it at <20A right now to be on the safer side, and top balancing 4 280Ah cells that have been paralleled and were resting all at 3.28V for quite a long time.

 

[Ampster]

That is a nice one. They are heavy and expensive at that Amperage.
What i like about the display is that it clearly says the mode (note the CC in the display).

 

[BiduleOhm]

My observations: the voltage display is only to 1 decimal place so I can't fine tune the V.

Given the high current and the lack of remote sensing it's recommended to use a DMM right at the load anyway; so you can get the precision you want that way

 

[krby]

the voltage display is only to 1 decimal place so I can't fine tune the V.

I think you would have to spend quite a bit of money to get 0.01V resolution you could trust in a variable supply.

 

[asder]

Would this power supply or any of the models listed be viable for charging? How do you check the specification that CC or CV apply automatically? I have no clue who the original manufacturer gophert is, or which vendor would be reliable for a purchase. I just look at the vendor and see if they have done 100~300 orders, so they will have some understanding of shipping.

 

[krby]

In the description on that page you linked, I found the words:

Constant Voltage
...
Constant Current

IMO, if you aren't comfortable with adjustable benchtop supplies, using them as a charger isn't a great idea. If you happen to have one, know how to use it, it will work. But it isn't what it was built for. I guess the other reason would be if you need some odd voltage (or too high like 60V) not found in regular Lithium or R/C chargers.