Looking for an A/C power supply
- Thread starter Blindguy
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mikepdx
Member
?
Well, is 15A sufficient for your transceiver based on the specs?
If so, then it's "appropriate".
If not...
Review the specs for your radio.
Determine maximum current drain.
Then shop for a DC power supply based on that.
Good luck.
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Yeah, this confuses me too.
Every DC power supply I've seen in the last 20+ years has a 3-prong plug on it. Why would anyone need "an earth ground"?
No, a 15A supply isn't appropriate. A 22A or better supply is recommended for any HF rig capable of 100w output.
Some supplies I recommend:
Alinco DM-330MVT
Astron SS-30(M)
MFJ-4245
Astron RS-30(M)
Kenwood makes (made?) two power supplies that are recommended for the TS-2000: the Kenwood PS-60 and the Kenwood KPS-15... both are 23 amp supplies. The latter is a switching power supply and less expensive.
I have a number of Lamda switching power supplies that I've been using for several years and they work great. The smaller ones are 22A and the one that I'm using now is 53A. They're all wired with 3 prong plugs. I power mutiple radios with the 53A one and have never had a problem. Something like that should be fine for your application.
Hi thanks, if I am reading the manual correctly I believe th specs call for a 25 amp power supply.
thanks
Frank
thanks
Frank
Hi thanks for the recommendations. When I spoke about earth ground what I meant was that there is a ground lug in the center of the back of the rig that should be connected to a ground (presumably to reduce RFI). Do any of those supplies have a lug where I can attach a wire to the lug on the rear of the transceiver?
Frank
Frank
Thanks, which one of those two would be preferred assuming I can still find either one?
thanks
Frank
thanks
Frank
The KPS-15 is a switching power supply... may generate RFI. I don't know... read the reviews on eHam.net or elsewhere. I have no experience with it. It would be unusual for a power supply intended for use with a radio to generate RFI, but then again... find out from someone who has one. The PS60 is a heavyweight, old school transformer power supply... and costs about 4x as much as the KPS-15. Again, eHam.net may be helpful with advice from owners. I just verified that the major amateur radio dealers still sell both of them, so they are apparently current, shipping product. And as others have pointed out, nothing says you must use a Kenwood power supply. But these are Kenwood-recommended for your Kenwood radio, FWIW.
I've never used the grounding lug on a rig to tie it to a DC PS. If anything, that could cause more problems than it solves. That may haven been something you did back in the 60s and 70s when radios were run directly off of AC power. Modern 100w rigs run on DC power now.
I've also never used the grounding lug on a radio for RFI suppression, either. In fact, I've never used the grounding lug at all. I run either coax fed antennas with proper radial systems, or balanced antennas like dipoles fed with ladder line.
IMO, RFI in a radio shack has more to do with using antennas of poor design, poor implementation, compromised design (end feds, in particular), or antennas that are simply too close to the operation position (which goes along with the poor implementation part).
N4KVE
Member
While new switching supplies are convenient because of their light weight, some many generate noise on the HF bands. Since the TS2000 is not a portable radio, I suggest the supply pictured below. Sure they're heavy, but they last forever. Many people have them in their shack, & they have been running 24/7 for decades without a single problem. You can't go wrong with this supply.
https://www.google.com/search?q=ast...G8zwgKjUM:&usg=__786zdq2s9Gq4KBPqybei9E3U7lM=
https://www.google.com/search?q=ast...G8zwgKjUM:&usg=__786zdq2s9Gq4KBPqybei9E3U7lM=
mitbr
Active Member
I have had an Astron power supply for 30 years on 24/7 never had a problem.
My advice buy the Astron and don't worry about it for 50 years.
Tim
My advice buy the Astron and don't worry about it for 50 years.
Tim
My Astron R35 arrived today. If I can ask a favor of my fellow RR members. I am visually impaired, so I can't see the labels on the two terminals on this supply. Is the top terminal positive and the lower negative or is it vice versa? thanks
Frank
Frank
K7MEM
Member
I may depend on which model you have but attached is a image of the rear of a Astron RS35M. In the image it shows that the upper terminal is negative and the lower terminal is positive. They might also have different color labels, like in the image. Red for positive, black for negative. If you have a different model, let us know, and we can look for a closer image.
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mitbr
Active Member
This is pretty important because if you get it wrong what you hook up to it goes poof.
Astron has a number of versions even within each model.My best advice is have a person who can see which is which on your supply tell you. I would NOT rely on the internet for this.
Tim
prcguy
Member
I would recommend having a friend permanently install a few short power cables with Anderson Power Pole connectors on the power supply then install some on your radio power cable. Then you can easily disconnect and reconnect with no fear of hooking something up backwards and you can connect other gear with the same connectors.
It might be a good idea to cover the exposed output studs on the back of the supply to avoid accidentally shorting them out.
prcguy
It might be a good idea to cover the exposed output studs on the back of the supply to avoid accidentally shorting them out.
prcguy
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