A power supply is an inevitable part of every Electronics Bench. Not only is it ubiquitous on the Lab bench, but it is also a common project for beginners in the field of Electronics.
A linear regulator or switching regulator design is commonly found as a project in classrooms ang hobby labs. With the availability of linear regulator ICs and buck/boost converter modules, the creation of your own power supply is an exercise more of component integration and less on the theory of how they work, which makes them ideal for beginners as their is a low barrier for entry and you get a useful tool at the end.
The featured module here is the Ruideng DPS5005 power supply module. it’s a buck converter with programmable power supply functions built-in and common features on proper bench power supplies (constant current mode, software integration, etc.).
It’s rated for a maximum of 250W (50V maximum voltage output and 5A maximum current output) which is way more than enough for most hobby needs. The module only needs to be powered by another DC source which could be your own transformer with full bridge rectifier, or in many other people’s convenience, a spare power brick like those in laptop chargers (which is also why I like this module as even a beginner can find these wall warts quite easily and they don’t need to mess around with mains voltage from the wall).
The main reason I like this module is for a relatively low cost, it provides all the necessary features one expects from a full bench power supply. I needed a power supply that has a current limiting feature (which is a necessity to prevent accidents on circuits) and all the other bells and whistles were a good bonus (presets, a good UI, etc.).
The module also comes with what the manufacturer calls “communication boards” which allow the power supply to connect to a computer with the accompanying software via Bluetooth or USB, which comes in handy in the future for data logging. Granted, I haven’t used these features as much but I think they’ll be useful in the future.
The build process was very straightforward, I also got the aluminum case for it (which is a bit overpriced, but I liked the convenience and it does make the power supply a bit more substantial).
The case comes with a fan and some rudimentary accessories (a power switch, input and output sockets, rubber feet). If you’re crafty enough to provide your own case (as most makers probably would do), these are all parts that can be collated on your own.
Assembling the unit only requires some soldering and it’s good to go.
The communication board can be either the bluetooth capable one or the USB one. It also has its respective place in the case
Once everything is assembled, the case is quite empty really, this is because the case can also take in their bigger, higher power boards. The case’s size also means that you can add more in the case such as batteries to effectively create a portable power supply.
Plugging in the power supply to the spare power brick I had, I tested out the unit.
Success, it works and I tested out the current limiting feature by shorting the output leads. All in all, a very satisfying piece of kit and is worthy of the many recommendations it’s been given in the community. A good addition to the home electronics bench.
Over the Corner 