DIY bench top power supply

[Vox45]

After procrastinating for a couple of months (and putting the final touch to my power distribution box v2.0) I started working on my AC/DC bench top power supply last night

The idea was to build a power distribution box at the scope and from there get the power from a battery in the field or from a power supply when an electrical outlet is availlable. In order to be able to switch from one setup to the other I bought 3 of those cables (1x croc / 1x extension / 1x Eyelet terminal) The cables are fused and (according to the brochure) "Rugged, watertight connector for extreme environments"

I've fitted one end of the 10' extension cable with a speakon connector that plugs into the power panel, the other hand will be either croc when I am in the field with a battery or a male connector that will go into the benchtop when I am near an electrical outlet.

Bench top power supply v1.0

1x Mean Well switching power supply

1x Eyelet Terminal Connector

1x Multimètre numérique DC 6.5-100V 50A

1x DIY housing for electronic abs plastic enclosure

1x 10A 250V Inlet Module Plug Fuse Switch Male Power Socket

[Vox45]

I used a free software called front panel designer to lay out the components and then print it out to size and use it as a cutout guide.

[Vox45]

first test to see if everything will sit properly in the case....looks good

and from the outside

Yeah baby

I just need to drill another hole over the cigar plug connector for the female NOCO cable. As I wil be sitting near the bench top the 12V cigar plug will be used to power my laptop and the NOCO cable will connect to the 10ft male NOCO cable that connects to the power distribution box at the scope. Those connections are weather proof and both cables are fused.

Now to the wiring part !

[Vox45]

So I finally got around finishing my bench PSU... I've been busy working on moving away from windows on to Linux (Raspberry PI3 with INDI and Kstars/Ekos)

It took me an afternoon to complete the wiring job and I am quite pleased with the result ... I did make a big booboo on the aesthetic side but I'm sure I'll find a way to fix it.

Now here is the "stupid mistake" part... I glued some of the connector as I did not have the needed screws in hand... Some of the glue spilled onto the plastic case so I decided to clean it with actone... not a good idea!!

I am thinking of painting it with some spray paint (modelling paint ?) Any suggestion to fix this will be appreciated !

Beside that, It's working fine I get 13.5v (around 12.8v at the mount with the voltage drop) I can power my laptop using the cig plug and the whole power panel from the NOCO lead.

[Vox45]

Quick update on this thread. Here is the finished look and a demonstration of the power panel in action using my DIY bench power supply and a laptop running Linux and INDI Kstars/Ekos

 

 

[Mick J]

Very nice Vox, lovin the volt/amp meter thing.   Perhaps stick a sheet of something on the front panel, did look better before.

[Vox45]

9 minutes ago, Mick J said:

Very nice Vox, lovin the volt/amp meter thing.   Perhaps stick a sheet of something on the front panel, did look better before.

thanks

Yes that was a stupid mistake....

Good idea ! Perhaps a vinyl sheet like this could do the trick