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coffeediver
Joined: 18 Dec 2010
Posts: 174
Location: Kiowa CO.
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 Link Posted: Sun Feb 06, 2011 3:40 am Post subject: Meter testing |
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Kal or any others building clones. Has anyone tested dc power output on dc power supplies with no load?
I had a friend test my power supply and I believe the issue had been the design of the Honeywell transformers. The little plastic/circuit type material board used to separate the case from the 12v connector has metal tabs coming up over the edge of the board and one of my spade connectors was contacting that and shorting the 12v to ground.
I purchased 2 new transformers from Radio Shack and took a electrical cord for something that no longer worked, cut the device loose, and wired the transformer directly to the cord using wire nuts. I then connected my dc power supply to the transformer and tested incoming power (13.6v) and then tested the dc power and got whatever. Using the potentiometer I adjusted it down to 8vdc.
It might me a good bit of knowledge that those of us who have built clones with the same pieces know what a value to set the dc power output to with no load to give us a starting place.
Barry
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Feurhund
Joined: 01 Feb 2011
Posts: 89
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| Link Posted: Sun Feb 06, 2011 2:33 pm Post subject: |
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This post just precipitously dropped my confidence level in my ability to build the control panel. I have no clue what it is describing. Hopefully when I get to that point the directions will inform me.
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rosenjm
Joined: 21 Dec 2010
Posts: 249
Location: Ballston Spa, NY
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| Link Posted: Sun Feb 06, 2011 2:41 pm Post subject: |
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I think he is asking about what output vlotage should the DC power supplies be set. The DC power supplies have a potentiometer to allow you to adjust the DC output voltage. The power supply takes 12V AC in from your transformers, rectifies it (makes it DC) and then dropes the voltage across a variable resistor. The DC output range is something like 3v DC - 27v DC. The meters need 5 v DC.
Kal discusses this on the build site. He recommends 4.5v DC.
http://theelectricbrewery.com/control-panel-part-2?page=9
I turned mine down (counter clockwise) before I turned it on the first time and then slowly increased the output until the LED brightness on the meters looks good.
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kal
Forum Administrator
Joined: 12 Dec 2010
Posts: 11123
Location: Ottawa, Canada
Drinking: Pub Ale, Electric Creamsicle, Mild, Pliny the Younger, Belgian Dark Strong, Weizen, Russian Imperial Stout, Black Butte Porter
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| Link Posted: Sun Feb 06, 2011 2:56 pm Post subject: Re: Meter testing |
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| coffeediver wrote: | | I had a friend test my power supply and I believe the issue had been the design of the Honeywell transformers. The little plastic/circuit type material board used to separate the case from the 12v connector has metal tabs coming up over the edge of the board and one of my spade connectors was contacting that and shorting the 12v to ground. |
There has to be a way to attach wires to the transformers. If spades don't work then you may have to just attach wires directly. Every transformer will be slightly different. You have to use whatever makes sense to not cause shorts.
| coffeediver wrote: | | It might me a good bit of knowledge that those of us who have built clones with the same pieces know what a value to set the dc power output to with no load to give us a starting place. |
This information is already in my instructions.
My meter wiring instructions say:
| Quote: | | Using an adjustable power supply lets us adjust the brightness of the meters to match the rest of our lights. The location of the adjustment potentiometer is indicated by the yellow arrows in the wiring diagram (see above). Turn both counterclockwise for 20-30 revolutions to make sure the output voltage is initially set very low before using them for the first time, then slowly increase the voltage until the meter brightness matches the 120V blue power light. If you have a multimeter handy, we find that setting them to around 4.5VDC output works best. |
See here: http://www.theelectricbrewery.com/control-panel-part-2?page=9
Kal
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