Just scored myself 5 (nearly) free powersupplies! - Electronic Circuits Projects Diagrams Free

jrz126 · 26th June 2008, 06:24 PM

They're cleaning out the one floor of my building at work. Its filled with a ton of old papers and a bunch of old test equipment. They went through and pulled all the other powersupplies from the test stands but they left this guy behind:

I think they left it because it doesnt have a keypad on it and didn't realize it was a powersupply.

It has 5 modules in it:
1 - 8V 16A
2 - 20V 7.5A
1 - 60V 2.5A
1 - 120V 1.25A

There is a special keyboard that can be used but I couldn't find it down there. So it looks like I will have to use the GPIB interface to control it. I also scored a GPIB card that I think will plug in to my PC at home so it shouldnt take much to get it up and running. I'll probably make a simple user interface that will mount in the 3 empty bays. That way I wouldnt have to have my PC on for my powersupply to work.

Here's the best part! Its only going to cost me $0.25 /lb to buy it. Thats the going rate for scrap electronics.

They also have an older machine down there for placing through-hole components. I'm pretty sure they are gonna scrap it as well (I'm hoping they will). We quit making our own PCBs when everything switched over to surface mount so its been sitting for 10+ years. It probably has 4-5 decent sized servo motors with built in rotary encoders, atleast 25 solenoid valves, and a ton of other fun stuff. I think the base would be a great starting point for a DIY CNC mill. I dont have enough space for it though

I'm gonna gut what I can if they do decide to scrap it.

picbits · 26th June 2008, 06:35 PM

Very nice

Been a long time since I got a bargain "anything"

HiTech · 26th June 2008, 08:23 PM

File the purchase receipt in a safe place, should an issuer ever arise over it. I've done that in the past when purchasing salvaged items from an employer. It's a business afterall.

Sceadwian · 27th June 2008, 02:42 AM

Hitechs advice sounds verryyy good. Looks like they could/will be VERY nice power supplies, and good luck on the pick and place machine, should be a lot of really high quality drive circuitry and components. Picking up scrap from work can turn into bad business for you if you don't have a receipt though. If you get the guys that are clearing it outs okay, make sure it follows up to accounting.

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26th June 2008, 06:24 PM	(permalink)
jrz126	Just scored myself 5 (nearly) free powersupplies! They're cleaning out the one floor of my building at work. Its filled with a ton of old papers and a bunch of old test equipment. They went through and pulled all the other powersupplies from the test stands but they left this guy behind: I think they left it because it doesnt have a keypad on it and didn't realize it was a powersupply. It has 5 modules in it: 1 - 8V 16A 2 - 20V 7.5A 1 - 60V 2.5A 1 - 120V 1.25A There is a special keyboard that can be used but I couldn't find it down there. So it looks like I will have to use the GPIB interface to control it. I also scored a GPIB card that I think will plug in to my PC at home so it shouldnt take much to get it up and running. I'll probably make a simple user interface that will mount in the 3 empty bays. That way I wouldnt have to have my PC on for my powersupply to work. Here's the best part! Its only going to cost me $0.25 /lb to buy it. Thats the going rate for scrap electronics. They also have an older machine down there for placing through-hole components. I'm pretty sure they are gonna scrap it as well (I'm hoping they will). We quit making our own PCBs when everything switched over to surface mount so its been sitting for 10+ years. It probably has 4-5 decent sized servo motors with built in rotary encoders, atleast 25 solenoid valves, and a ton of other fun stuff. I think the base would be a great starting point for a DIY CNC mill. I dont have enough space for it though I'm gonna gut what I can if they do decide to scrap it. __________________ Jeff Zimmerman To the optimist, the glass is half full. To the pessimist, the glass is half empty. To the engineer, the glass is twice as big as it needs to be.

26th June 2008, 06:35 PM	(permalink)
picbits	Very nice Been a long time since I got a bargain "anything"

26th June 2008, 08:23 PM	(permalink)
HiTech	File the purchase receipt in a safe place, should an issuer ever arise over it. I've done that in the past when purchasing salvaged items from an employer. It's a business afterall. __________________ Don't make me reach through this monitor to slap you a good one!

27th June 2008, 02:42 AM	(permalink)
Sceadwian	Hitechs advice sounds verryyy good. Looks like they could/will be VERY nice power supplies, and good luck on the pick and place machine, should be a lot of really high quality drive circuitry and components. Picking up scrap from work can turn into bad business for you if you don't have a receipt though. If you get the guys that are clearing it outs okay, make sure it follows up to accounting. __________________ "Because I be what I be. I would tell you what you want to know if I could, mum, but I be a cat, and no cat anywhere ever gave anyone a straight answer, har har." Last edited by Sceadwian; 27th June 2008 at 02:42 AM.