Base Station Power Recommendations

[Colton25]

Is it typically acceptable to use a basic wall outlet for most power supplies, I'm thinking around 35 amps at the most for the supply. Is it a better idea to have a dedicated circuit for a supply like this to come straight from the meter panel? In my home every room is on its own circuit and each room has 4-5 outlets. I'm just thinking about everything else plus a moderate sized supply would this be pushing the limit?


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[FKimble]

My 30amp PS has a 6.3 amp fuse label for the AC input. Just remember DC out amps is a lot more than AC input amps.

 

[Colton25]

I'm confused, what has a 6.3 amp fuse? At the meter panel?


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[mmckenna]

Your power supply will have an AC input fuse or circuit breaker (or at least it should)
Looking at that fuse/breaker size should give you an idea of what your power supply is capable of drawing at full load.

Unless you have a whole lot of other high current loads in your room, this isn't likely an issue. Most modern power supplies are pretty efficient.

Unlikely a dedicated 120 volt AC circuit is necessary. It'd be expensive and excessive.

If you were building out a purpose built "radio room" where you expected to have a lot of transmitting gear, it might make sense to install at minimum a dedicated 20 amp 120 volt AC circuit for your gear. If you were ever going to get into amateur radio and thought you might want to run a large HF amplifier, you'd probably want to look at adding a 20 amp 220 volt AC circuit for that.

 

[Colton25]

Ok so just to simplify for me, the room with a 20amp breaker is sufficient for a 35amp supply from Astron. Obviously this would include the normal items of a room such as tv, computer, ect.


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[SteveC0625]

Ok so just to simplify for me, the room with a 20amp breaker is sufficient for a 35amp supply from Astron. Obviously this would include the normal items of a room such as tv, computer, ect.


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Yes, that is correct.

The 35 amp rating of your power supply is at 12vdc and is not directly related to the 20 amp 110vac circuit in your room. Basically, it's apples and oranges. As previously mentioned, the actual current draw of the power supply should on a label or in the specs for the power supply

 

[Colton25]

Awesome thanks for the quick answers!!


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[cmdrwill]

I'm thinking around 35 amps at the most for the supply.
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What are you running that you need 35 Amps?

 

[Colton25]

I have some scanners, a Tk-7180/8180H and i hope to get a Tk-790H soon.

What are you running that you need 35 Amps?

 

[n5ims]

A couple things to remember.

* A typical 35 amp 13.8 power supply will only deliver about 25 amps continuously. The 35 amp number is peak draw, typically for a maximum of only a few seconds. The peak draw would be for the additional current required for startup, not the amount of current a device would generally pull once everything has stabilized.

* The 35 amp rating would be on the 13.8 vdc side. On the 120 vac side (where you plug it into the wall) there would be no where near 35 amps being pulled. Remember ohm's law - E = I * R and P = I * E. The voltage matters! Since the AC input voltage is about 10 times the DC output voltage, the current would be about a tenth on the AC side than it would be on the DC side. Now, this assumes (falsely) that the power supply is 100% efficient. A 35 amp DC current wouldn't translate to 3.5 amp AC current, since it may only be 50% efficient, 7 amps on the AC side is probably more likely.

 

[Colton25]

Thank you that clears things up for me.


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[cmdrwill]

I have some scanners, a Tk-7180/8180H and i hope to get a Tk-790H soon.

And you are going to transmit on all of them at once....

 

[mrweather]

And you are going to transmit on all of them at once....

True, but that TK-790H will be a bit of pig on transmit.

 

[Colton25]

No I would never transmit on all at once.

And you are going to transmit on all of them at once....

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