High Voltage DC Benchtop Power Supply

[motyr]

Hi All,

I am looking for recommendation for the high voltage benchtop power supply.

It must have at least 600V DC but 1000V would be better, adjustable but not necessary from 0V and the maximum output current of 0.5A (1A will be better). Dual output (like 2x300 ... 2x500V) also acceptable, as long as I can connect them in series to get 2x600V ... 2x1000V.

Thanks

[kultakala]

Hi,
I dont know much about benchtop power supplies, but i guess you need a lot of money to get your mentioned specs.
Just looked because i was curious and found for example the BK Precision PVS10005 which delivers up to 1000V and 5 A, so it has 5KW.
Looks very nice but pricewise its in the medium 4 digit range

[bob91343]

If money is important, build your own.  If you only want one unit, you can modify an old power supply.  I have one that could do the job or at least come close.

If you want a bench top supply to provide a kilowatt you had better have a strong bench.

[jonpaul]

 Your application? Load? Regulation, PARD, current limit, protection requirements?

Are You  qualified to operate dangerous equipment that is LETHAL if a mistake occurs?


Check epay for used DEL or Spellman, also Lambda or Bertran HV supplies, expect very heavy rackmout linear.

Cheaper: series/paralled or modify several tube (valve) Heathkit 1970s IM-17 rated 0-400V and 150 mA each.
See QST, ARRL and others for ham radio TX plate supplies.

Jon

[Marco]

expect very heavy rackmout linear.

It doesn't need to be heavy or large if it's modern, a 1kW switching power supply isn't. HSPY has a relatively tiny 1000V/1A one, available on aliexpress and mentioned here :

https://www.eevblog.com/forum/testgear/hspy-power-supply/

PS. shit quality but going be hard to find anything in that price range, especially anything which won't give you a hernia.

[coromonadalix]

Still an 480$ usd investment for an    Hspy-1000-01 programmable power supply, 1000V 1A 

[Marco]

Something from a B brand like ITECH IT6517D will set you back 4 times that, second hand ancient boat anchor will probably cost that in shipping. New from A'ish brand like BK PVS10005 5k and upward ... Agilent probably double again.

[HalFoster]

Power Designs 2K10, 2K20 ** especially recommend these
Fluke 412A, 415B
HP has several models in their 65xx series

All the above are pretty easy to find and repair if necessary since full service manuals are available. Cost should be from $150 to 400 USD depending on the condition and warranty.

I have all these but have a Fluke 343A on the bench for frequent use.


Hal

[Marco]

Bit shy of an amp.

[Wrenches of Death]

I am looking for recommendation for the high voltage benchtop power supply.

I owned a pair of voltage and current regulated Kepco BHK series linear HV supplies for close to thirty years. I've got lots and lots of time on them performing "speriments"....

Be VERY careful farting around with supplies that can produce the voltage and current levels you're looking for. They are lethal as hell. Your first opps! can very well be your last.

I use only locking banana plugs and jacks or crimped and soldered eye terminals screwed down. No alligator clamps. All of my jumpers and leads are double insulated silicone and rated 5KV minimum when used with my the 2KV setup. If something pulls loose, it'll get you.

Starting with the power supplies unplugged, I connect what I need to connect, then plug in the supplies with the DC switches off and let the output tubes warm up for a few minutes. Then I'll hit the DC switch....

If something need to be "adjusted", I kill the AC power, unplug the supplies, shut off the switches on the PS and start over.  Touch NOTHING when it is powered up.

For real excitement, I have a few fifty pound neon sign transformers that are a real terror. They'll burn right through the 5KV silicone leads. :-)

BE SAFE and double check everything. Seriously!

WoD

[pdenisowski]

I'd just like to second what several others have said about safety:  our NGP800 power supply can generate up to 800W and it's very easy to create lethal voltages / currents. The attached picture (where I'm using an automotive battery tester as a 40A, ~20V load) is definitely NOT something you should try at home. 

[RoGeorge]

Beware of those banana plug to alligator wires, in case they were a cheap buy.

Saying that because those cables look like the ones I have, ordered from Aliexpress long ago, and mine are not using copper wires!  Therefore, anything about 1A starts to heat them.  At 3A, mine are almost hot enough to melt the isolation.  At 10A I guess those wires of mine would be a fire hazard, but I never tested them above 3A.

[pdenisowski]

Beware of those banana plug to alligator wires, in case they were a cheap buy.

Saying that because those cables look like the ones I have, ordered from Aliexpress long ago, and mine are not using copper wires!  Therefore, anything about 1A starts to heat them.  At 3A, mine are almost hot enough to melt the isolation.  At 10A I guess those wires of mine would be a fire hazard, but I never tested them above 3A.

I think I got those from Amazon, but they were definitely very, very cheap.  The automotive battery tester is only supposed to be used for a few seconds at a time (it has a spring-loaded switch so you have to hold it down to keep the circuit closed), but even that was enough to start heating them up.  After a few tests, they were uncomfortably hot, and after a few more tests, I noticed that a couple of channels suddenly reverted to constant voltage mode because the leads became ... permanently... open.  So in a sense it was actually safer for me to use cheap leads, since they stopped conducting before they caught fire

I left all of the leads in a metal bucket of water, outside, for a while before throwing them away. 

[Cubdriver]

Beware of those banana plug to alligator wires, in case they were a cheap buy.

Saying that because those cables look like the ones I have, ordered from Aliexpress long ago, and mine are not using copper wires!  Therefore, anything about 1A starts to heat them.  At 3A, mine are almost hot enough to melt the isolation.  At 10A I guess those wires of mine would be a fire hazard, but I never tested them above 3A.

I think I got those from Amazon, but they were definitely very, very cheap.  The automotive battery tester is only supposed to be used for a few seconds at a time (it has a spring-loaded switch so you have to hold it down to keep the circuit closed), but even that was enough to start heating them up.  After a few tests, they were uncomfortably hot, and after a few more tests, I noticed that a couple of channels suddenly reverted to constant voltage mode because the leads became ... permanently... open.  So in a sense it was actually safer for me to use cheap leads, since they stopped conducting before they caught fire

I left all of the leads in a metal bucket of water, outside, for a while before throwing them away.

Test leads that double as fuses - genius! /s

That is a hell of a sweet looking power supply, but I suspect waaaay out of my price range.  R&S makes some nice gear.   

-Pat

[pdenisowski]

That is a hell of a sweet looking power supply, but I suspect waaaay out of my price range.  R&S makes some nice gear.

The NGP is a very popular supply, but it isn’t really priced for hobbyists.

I recently developed a series of power supply technology and “how to” videos for each of the R&S power supplies, and now it’s kind of hard for me to go back to using my personally-owned supplies

[Cubdriver]

That is a hell of a sweet looking power supply, but I suspect waaaay out of my price range.  R&S makes some nice gear.

The NGP is a very popular supply, but it isn’t really priced for hobbyists.

I recently developed a series of power supply technology and “how to” videos for each of the R&S power supplies, and now it’s kind of hard for me to go back to using my personally-owned supplies

Haha - I’ll bet!  Like I suppose that first hit of crack must be, using pro-grade anything (electronics, cameras, tools…) quickly spoils you, and can foster costly addictions.  Unlike crack, though, at least the stuff we like only hurts our wallets.

-Pat

[_Wim_]

Unlike crack, though, at least the stuff we like only hurts our wallets.

With a 1000V 1A supply like the OP is requesting, that is open for discussion...

[Cubdriver]

Unlike crack, though, at least the stuff we like only hurts our wallets.

With a 1000V 1A supply like the OP is requesting, that is open for discussion...

Definitely a valid point.     And upon further reflection, some of my old HP stuff could also wreak havoc on my back and (in aggregate) the structural integrity of my house.

-Pat

[pdenisowski]

some of my old HP stuff could also wreak havoc on my back and (in aggregate) the structural integrity of my house.

When I worked for HP, some of the products I supported had a “two person lift” sticker on them, but only one handle ….

At that time, HP also made medical equipment, so if you had a heart attack lifting something, there was a good chance they’d hook you up to another HP product at the hospital.

[voltsandjolts]

https://elektroautomatik.com/

[HighVoltage]

https://www.fug-elektronik.de/

[Martin72]

Hi All,

I am looking for recommendation for the high voltage benchtop power supply.

It must have at least 600V DC but 1000V would be better, adjustable but not necessary from 0V and the maximum output current of 0.5A (1A will be better). Dual output (like 2x300 ... 2x500V) also acceptable, as long as I can connect them in series to get 2x600V ... 2x1000V.

Thanks

I was looking for a DC-supply for our testfield, to generate voltages up to 1500Vdc.
Until then we had to connect two or three supplies in series - Not really safe thing for human and machines...
Elektro-Automatic got superb hv-supplies, but with more current we need, therefore more power - And more money to spend for.
Finally I´ve found a suitable supply in the USA, from Magna Power:

https://magna-power.com/products/magnadc/sl

I´ve ordered 0-1500Vdc, 1 A - Perfect for our needs (testing/adjusting DC-Link supervision circuits).
And the price....
Appx. 2500$ only.
Will arrive next week.

Martin

[ci11]

Two well-known specialist brands in the field of HV power supplies - those that start at 1kV - are Spellman HV and Glassman HV in the USA. If tubes are preferred, Universal Voltronics would be another brand. if 600V is enough, Sorensen, AMREL, Ametek, TDK are also good bets.

All these brands make reliable units used in industrial, military and medical applications and are therefore rackmounted and very robustly built. Due to the dangers of high voltage, many have multiple interlocks built in as well as special connectors to deter unintentional use or accidents from untrained users. Many were customized and interlocks are difficult to defeat. For my tube tester build pictured below, I used Glassman and Amrel to supply up to 3kV to the plate and grids and a Rohde & Schwarz linear supply for the filament.

Spellman HV is still independent but Glassman HV was acquired by XP Power. Universal Voltronics was also acquired but I do not think they make HV power supplies anymore. There are good deals to be found from time to time on eBay especially if you know how to make them work properly.

[aronake]

I bought a HSPY 1000V 0.5A. Works very well for what I used it for. Some work on electronic tubes and recently had use for it to repair a 300 V DC to 18 + 9 + 5 V DC switched mode power supply module. Can recommend that.

I am extremely careful when using it. Not because of build quality, but that it easily can kill people!

[Ground_Loop]

How about one of these. 0-2500vdc, 0-250mA, voltage current and power limits. Several available on EBay now for under $100us.