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Power supply for 100-110 watt VHF MCS2000

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RadioChief55

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I'm looking for some direction on a power supply for my 100-110 watt VHF MCS2000. I have a 15 amp power supply now and only putting out 22.4 watts. I hooked it up to my jeep and I was putting out 99-8 watts. Will a 30 amp 13.8 VDC work or will I need a 40 or even a 50 amp power supply? Thanks
 

belvdr

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You should only be drawing about 8 amps at 13.8 VDC. I ran a 100W transceiver on a 25 amp JetStream with no issues.

You’ll likely want something better than this for a longer duty cycle.
 

KevinC

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You should only be drawing about 8 amps at 13.8 VDC. I ran a 100W transceiver on a 28 amp JetStream with no issues.

I would think it would depend on how efficient his amplifier is. It looks like your math is assuming 100% efficiency, which I doubt it has.
 

MTS2000des

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15 amps isn't enough for a high power MCS, you need a power supply with something that can provide 27 amps or more. See the specifications for high power MCS2000s here:
MCS2000 service manual

VHF draw at rated power 27 amps
UHF draw at rated power 31 amps

Keep in mind too, that power supplies have different duty cycles. "ICS" intermittent current means for short periods of loading at rated current.
Continuous current draw ratings may be lower.
 

belvdr

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I would think it would depend on how efficient his amplifier is. It looks like your math is assuming 100% efficiency, which I doubt it has.
Agreed but even at 50% it’s 16 amps. I would imagine just about any power supply is better than that.
 

mmckenna

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Agreed but even at 50% it’s 16 amps. I would imagine just about any power supply is better than that.

No. You can't use RF watts ÷ volts to get the current consumption for a radio.
We ran MCS-2000 110 watt VHF radios in our PD cars for years. You'd be looking at something in the 30 amp range. I forget what size fuse they shipped with, I think it was 30.

I'm surprised your radio even works running it off a 15 amp power supply. No doubt it's starving for more power.
 

belvdr

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No. You can't use RF watts ÷ volts to get the current consumption for a radio.
We ran MCS-2000 110 watt VHF radios in our PD cars for years. You'd be looking at something in the 30 amp range. I forget what size fuse they shipped with, I think it was 30.

I'm surprised your radio even works running it off a 15 amp power supply. No doubt it's starving for more power.
That is what I get for replying just after waking from a nap. Thanks for the reminder.
 

FFPM571

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No. You can't use RF watts ÷ volts to get the current consumption for a radio.
We ran MCS-2000 110 watt VHF radios in our PD cars for years. You'd be looking at something in the 30 amp range. I forget what size fuse they shipped with, I think it was 30.

I'm surprised your radio even works running it off a 15 amp power supply. No doubt it's starving for more power.
MCS High power radios came with a 40a from the factory
 

KK6ZTE

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Is your antenna good? I've seen "low output" caused by poor antenna match reducing the radio output.
 

a417

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I'm surprised your radio even works running it off a 15 amp power supply. No doubt it's starving for more power.

It would be, an Astron RS-50 is what used to drive my MCS2000. On the bench w/ transmit disabled you can use a smaller one, but if you push the button...you want 50a
 

belvdr

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I wouldn’t trust anything made by Pyramid. Everything I’ve seen from them is poor quality.
 

a417

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Would a car battery with a float charger on it work? I'm not going to be talking on the radio very much if at all. But I want to have the capability to if need be.
A car battery would work, but you can't expect a float charger to help when you start running it flat. You'd also have to wait a lengthy time before your battery recovered if you really put a hurting on it.

I also have to agree with @belvdr on that p/s. I don't need what is probably a switch mode power supply buried inside a switch mode power supply for a phone charger, i'm sure its well isolated and noise free. :ROFLMAO: (y)
 

RadioChief55

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For all my radios at home I run a MSF5000 power supply. Best 12v source ever and plenty of amps.
I may have one of them, or something close, I have some older Moto repeater and transmitters. I have to see what the power supply is. I didn't think it was 12vdc.
 
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