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cougercruiser
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This power supply has a smaller footprint, same output and doesn't hit the bank hard.
combining power bricks
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Except it is pure garbage...
A MeanWell or similar power supply has high quality rectifier bridge with a name brand voltage regulator, sufficient filtering capacitors for ripple, chokes for ripple, harmonics and RFI and thermal protection and a heatsink.
That little wall wart likely has no voltage regulation and is simply a free wheeling transformer with a few diodes and possibly a single filter capacitor.
The quality device outputs its rated current and voltage and will last a lifetime and not burn up your equipment.
The $10 wall wart will output a voltage proportional to its current draw and input voltage, creates tons of RFI and is more than likely overrated by a large factor.
This.
The random assortment of VowelConsonant supplies on Amazon are basically all bottom barrel detritus, with a few exceptions. The specs they advertise are wishful (2A, but good luck sustaining that, without 500mV ripple, and for years before failure), the specs they don't advertise are even worse, and they're likely not at all compliant with the regulations out there (EMI, safety).
There are an assortment of power supplies out there which are proven industrial supplies - they're going to be at minimum 2-3x the cost, but they will work. Meanwell, Delta, TDK Lambda come to mind, but this list is not exhaustive. (Have had good luck with CUI, Phihong before) There are a lot of manufacturers out there, just going off a mainstream brand requires doing your own testing. No one wants to overpay for a power brick, but sourcing a good one is hard because everyone tries to make one. Actually certifying a product with one requires lots of teeth gnashing as well to meet EMI, and then you hope you can hit your price point. Even name brand aquarium equipment will give you a "just barely passing" brick, for cost reasons.
Look for supplies sold through electronics distributors (Sager, DigiKey, Mouser) which are generally going to meet a quality bar and meet specs, because those are the supplies that get actually tested with products. Avoid the consumer channels (Amazon especially), the quality is erratic.
While its a bad test, if the power supply weighs basically nothing, its trash bin worthy. I've had power cords be well under any reasonable spec before, because copper is actually expensive. Same goes for the transformer, chokes, capacitors, etc in the supply.
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BTW this goes for your iphone and other devices too...
The "overpriced" Apple power bricks (even the small cubes) are high quality power supplies and in context, not overpriced. The Amazon and China knock offs are the same (simple freewheel transformer, diode, capacitor) junk that can (and will) easily damage your devices. Not all USB power ports are created equal, you def get what you pay for.
The "overpriced" Apple power bricks (even the small cubes) are high quality power supplies and in context, not overpriced. The Amazon and China knock offs are the same (simple freewheel transformer, diode, capacitor) junk that can (and will) easily damage your devices. Not all USB power ports are created equal, you def get what you pay for.
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cougercruiser
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Thanks guys. Guess I’m stuck with my power bricks and will need to organize them to be presentable
E
Best to spend $29 for 200w, 8.33A
Lrs-200-24.
For $20 plus shipping this 150w, 6.25A ps should do
Best to spend $29 for 200w, 8.33A
Lrs-200-24.
YOYOYOReefer
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Why not just use 12 and 24 volt battery’s and direct wire? Not seeing the point. hook up ac and solar charger and auto transfer switch and have more amps on tap than any of these ac to dc converters.
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Cost for quality equipment. Far exceeds the cost of a simple power supply.
YOYOYOReefer
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10-4. It just seems mighty complicated compared to just direct wiring to a battery.
Well, you do need to charge the battery, which may necessitate an AC to DC converter during low solar production.
Batteries also have voltage ranges which may not be tolerated by some equipment - this isn’t a car where things are designed to operate from 8-18V with transients to 28V, which is almost a +/- 40% range.
Using lead acids, you’re charging at 14.2V (28.4V), and can run down to 11V (22V) which is probably going to make the low/high voltage cutout happen. So you do need a secondary DC/DC since the equipment isn’t designed to handle this.
Using batteries is a great idea, but it’s still lots of power conversion blocks. I want to do this project on a 48V 15S LiFePO4 system but haven’t set it up yet, and for me it’s trying to directly use solar energy as much as possible from an environmental standpoint, since the cost is barely break even after 5 years.
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cougercruiser
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I just got done watching the video below on how to set one of these MeanWell power supplies. Let me know if I am understanding this correctly. I see 9 terminal screws on the LRS-200. There are 3 terminals for live, negative and neutral input (3 total). Leaving 6 terminals remaining. Each output device requires a positive and a negative. Does that mean the LRS-200 is capable of supplying power to only 3 devices?
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That makes no sense in any context whatsoever. A battery and an ac/dc power supply are the same with regard to having to be wired to the devices. The battery however, need to also have a charger as well. So more stuff to find a place for and wire. More complicated and more expense.
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More than one device can share a set of terminals.
Left side is for the ac cord.
You can put more than one light on one of the 2 dc outs. Afaict the 2 are for convenience only.
¢
Well a bit more....
Can I hook up more than one device per terminal on a power supply?
First post! My question is straightforward, and NOT a duplicate post. This is meat & potatoes here, less on theory, more on practical application. I know you are all more knowledgeable than I ...
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cougercruiser
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This helps a lot! Thanks!Left side is for the ac cord.
You can put more than one light on one of the 2 dc outs. Afaict the 2 are for convenience only.
¢
Well a bit more....
Can I hook up more than one device per terminal on a power supply?
First post! My question is straightforward, and NOT a duplicate post. This is meat & potatoes here, less on theory, more on practical application. I know you are all more knowledgeable than I ...electronics.stackexchange.com
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cougercruiser
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Does anyone know where you can buy the male DC wires that support 24v?
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Mouser, Digi-Key, Jameco, Allied, etc.
Amazon likely has them too.
There are several different sizes and styles so you need to measure the existing plugs. You also want to make sure that you get polarity correct. The will be a symbol on the power brick and/or device.
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cougercruiser
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So a polarity symbol is printed on the brick indicating which type of plug is needed but it doesn't tell you the size of the coaxial power connector. Electricians must be capable of reading hieroglyphics.Mouser, Digi-Key, Jameco, Allied, etc.
Amazon likely has them too.
There are several different sizes and styles so you need to measure the existing plugs. You also want to make sure that you get polarity correct. The will be a symbol on the power brick and/or device.
Do you think the local Lowes or Home Depot might have the coaxil power connectors that I can match to?
Also, just for those of you reading this who are newbs to anything electrical like myself, the thickness of the wire "American Wire Gauge" (AWG); the larger the number, the smaller the wire diameter and thickness. Be sure to match your wire thickness (AWG) when connecting your MeanWell power supply to a terminal strip. Took me a while to understand this.
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Most electricians don’t known much about electronics…
No - and radio shack is long gone.
The connectors are easy enough to measure. Outer diameter, inner diameter and barbell length.
Get yourself a cheap set of digital calipers, they come in handy.
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cougercruiser
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Thanks for your help
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