Power Supplies: Linear vs. Switching????

[drdx]

Hola all. Hey, shopping for a power supply here, looking at a 35 amp or so in an astron, maybe a 50. I see that they have a line of small, lightweight switching power supplies out, and they sill have the big heavy linear supplies as before. Has anyone used one of the new switching supplies? The traditional bigger linear models are still out there and are a little more money, so I'm guessing there has to be some benefit. I like the look of the small lightweight switching supply, but what are you sacrificing by going with one of those over a big heavy linear one???? I have the money and the shack space, so what's the best choice? -drdx

[379 stringbean]

Thats all my tech has been using on his bench for a while now,cause there so much cheaper.He picked up a 100 amper for like 250 on e bay.Brand new.Cant beat that!!When my astron 50 takes a shat,thats what Im gonna get.He thinks there better too cause they hold up to there rated capacity continuous rather than dropping under a load.And you can bumpem up to 15 volts too.Hope this helped ya out.If you want more info ,PM me and Ill give names , but Ill have to talk to my tech to gettem from him.

[jjk9]

I have several of the "linear" type supplies (Pyramid 52, 30, etc...) and 2 "switching" type; a Pyramid 20amp and an Iota 55amp... Currently looking to pick up another 55-75amp model that will be an Iota without a doubt! They are not the prettiest thing you will see, but the performance (in my humble experience) is second to none... along with the price. The Pyrm 52 will not run a TX500 for very long without shutting down; the Iota never made a whimper. Dead silent even with the fan on. Just my .02 ......

[PONY EXPRESS]

[Please login or register to view this link]

Switching are noise traps

I had this info listed earlier but that was after the before the switchover on router

[beebuzzbee]

Here read all about it

[Please login or register to view this link]

[Foxhunter]

Hola all. Hey, shopping for a power supply here, looking at a 35 amp or so in an astron, maybe a 50. I see that they have a line of small, lightweight switching power supplies out, and they sill have the big heavy linear supplies as before. Has anyone used one of the new switching supplies? The traditional bigger linear models are still out there and are a little more money, so I'm guessing there has to be some benefit. I like the look of the small lightweight switching supply, but what are you sacrificing by going with one of those over a big heavy linear one???? I have the money and the shack space, so what's the best choice? -drdx

Just a quick shout to Dr---I wondered if you by any chance wanted to read a breakdown on the "new generation of switching power supplies" vs. the "transformer-type", a very good article was published in this month's: May 2008 CQ Magazine, pg. 74 on the "How It Works" article entitled "Those Neat Switching Power Supplies" by the highly respected Dave Ingram K4TWJ. Just a thought.

[Please login or register to view this link] OR [Please login or register to view this link]