Hobby Power Supply: Spring 2016

 

 

As I began to work with more circuits and electronics, I decided it was time to get a dedicated power supply for testing my various projects.  I had a several old computer power supplies left over, so I designed a box to contain all the power needs I required.  The criteria: on/off switch, 120V outlets, 12V DC outlets, dedicated 12V DC banana plugs, and adjustable 2-12V banana plugs. The adjustable voltage came from a regulator I ended up not using on a previous project.

 

The max current on the DC system is 8A, which is more than enough for most of my work, and so far it's worked beautifully for testing my micro-controller systems, motors, and much more.  The casing was laser cut and then stained out of some scrap wood, and I grounded the whole system inside to prevent sparks during a surge. Although it hasn't overheated yet, I left space for a fan to push air out of the holes in the casing wall, so I can add this if heat ever becomes an issue.