HP 6206B power supply, pass or buy !

[guizmo1967]

I have an a opportunity to buy one for $10 in good shape esthetically but not working.

I have some knowledges, I'm not a professional but I think I can repair it ! Would you pass or buy !

Thank you !

[nctnico]

Pass. Old boatanchor, probably lots of worn parts that need replacing and the specs aren't steller. You'll likely spend more on parts than buying a Korad PSU.

[coppercone2]

I like this power supply. I replaced the caps and 1 transistor and its been working for a long time. Its perfect to run a MCU, TTL, or small electroplating and LED's. I also varnished the transformer on mine and greased the potentiometers.

Its a bit annoying to work on but I think its a nice supply. You get pretty fine adjustment because the range is so small, and you won't burn out too many parts by accident. Its very nice to adjust if the potentiometers are good.

As always, more supplies is better then better supplies if you do complicated things, i.e. isolation circuits or multi rail circuits.


Alot of modern op-amp circuits, MCU, and even small FPGA are happy with it. The 0-5V op amp craze for instance. At 3 amps you get quite a bit of juice for those types of circuits.


Usually they are filthy though, so you need to wash it good and dry it out.


$10 is a excellent deal for it.


Specifics that might help you
1) transistors in back on the heat sink are the first thing that usually breaks in harrisons
2) the solder joints around the PCB mounted transformer (rivets) can go intermittent open circuit and drive you insane if you don't figure out that they might be the problem
3) if it makes noise in your house, its often not the transformer but the SLCC disk capacitors on the supply. The caps are fine, just the power grid sucks nowadays... you can replace them with metal film and its quiet, but the filtering won't be as broad band theoretically. I often wondered if I should put say the 100nF foil and then a 1nF SLCC in parallel with it. The single layer caps are very broad band (into the GHz), other then lead resistance. I read they can perform to many GHz if you use them SMT style (remove leads and solder them like a coin standing upright). I believe this is still used for microwave coupling caps.
4) careful tuning, I have seen the current jump way up on the current limiting potentiometer.


If they went with a thicker PCB on this unit for the transformer, or improve the brackets, this thing would be even better.


I will actually go and use this supply if I need 5V or 3.3V... its actually my first choice for that. Every power supply after this one is just bells and whistles 

[edavid]

I like this power supply. I replaced the caps and 1 transistor and its been working for a long time. Its perfect to run a MCU, TTL, or small electroplating and LED's. I also varnished the transformer on mine and greased the potentiometers.

OP is asking about the HP 6206B, 0-60V 0.5A and 0-30V 1A dual range.

You are confusing it with the HP 6203A/B 0-7.5V 3A model.

OP, what I don't like about this model is the lack of adjustable current limit.  However, it's worth $10 if you don't have anything else that goes up to 60V.

[coppercone2]

oh yeah thats much less useful. 60V @ 1 amp on a single channel can be a useful supply but its rare to need that IMO.

Charging capacitors for leakage maybe is a commoner lab use. Or transistor testing. A fair amount of transistor are between 0-60 volts if you want to verify the data sheet

If it was more, like 100V, then that would be great even without current limit. But 60V is like meh, I have not ran into too many things that I would be happy I had a 60V single channel low current power supply for. But for testing component, you REALLY want the current limit anyway.

I would leave it for someone that happens to need a 60V power supply, I don't think you will run into a use... save your money for current limit lol


With 100V low current at least you could test a neon tube or possibly power a AC/DC converter for testing. 60V is too low for that.

[Smokey]

you had me at $10.. but I'm a sucker for a power supply.  See hoarding thread...

[coppercone2]

you had me at $10.. but I'm a sucker for a power supply.  See hoarding thread...

what you gonna use 60V 1A for ? If you had two it might be interesting. But one?

Only thing I can think of is for characterizing DC/DC converters maybe with wide input range. But unless you have a immediate need, I am sure something better will come up.................

[J-R]

$1, $5, $10, what's the difference, you're just paying the seller to smile at you a little more during the transaction.

The value of this device seems to be in the knowledge and skill gained by fixing it. Gives the brain something to do...

[coppercone2]

I guess your the seller?

[guizmo1967]

The real specs are 0-60V 0.5A / 0-30V 1A

I already have a power supply, it's a Korad KA300SP 0-30V / 5A

What interested me,was the 0-60V but at only 0.5A, after reading your replies, I'm gonna pass even at $10 !

Thank you all !