Transistor types in online power supply projects

[OldTechie]

While browsing on the web today, I came across a couple power supply projects that look interesting enough to build.
https://michaelgellis.tripod.com/power2.html and https://michaelgellis.tripod.com/power3.html
These are apparently quite old projects (copyright date is 1999), and I can't find an email for the author (Mike Ellis). Several of the transistors aren't identified on the schematics, and I'd like to find more information on them. I can guess at the types, and probably make the projects work, but I'd like to know what the author used in the original projects.
Has anyone built either of these power supplies, or have an email address for the author?

Thanks for any help you might have,
Dave M

 

[crutschow]

That supply was constructed in 1975 so it's design is a little long of tooth.
You could make a lot simpler 1.5A supply using a common LM317 voltage regulator and a few added parts.

 

[OldTechie]

Yes, I know that both projects are dated, but I like the idea of building a CVCS supply and a dual +/- tracking supply using stuff from my equally dated junkbox. I've seen projects using the 3-terminal regulators, but they just don't have the appeal that these two projects have.
Call me old fashioned if you want, but that's my story, and I'm sticking to it.

Thanks for the response,
Dave M

 

[dr pepper]

Looking at the pic, going off the age and some experience I'd say that the devices were bc107/bc177, and the device driving the base of the '3055 is a bfy51.

But dont take my word for it, thats just an educated guess.

I have built a couple or more with the veritable lm723 reg ic, modernised with a micrcontroller to display volts, amps, watts and heatsink temp.
The '723 is even older but makes a good psu.
Heres a thread I did a while back including a supply with low noise current limiting.

https://www.electro-tech-online.com/threads/adding-a-current-limit-led-to-my-lm723-bench-psu.131608/

 

[OldTechie]

Thanks for that... I was looking at a 2N3054 as the traditional driver transistor for the 2N3055s, but I don't have any of those in my parts bins. The BFY50/51 should be good to use in that position. I suspect that the other unidentified transistors could be 2N3904 and 2N3906 (in the CV/CC supply project).
In the other project (the dual tracking PSU), I suspect that good types for the NPNs are BD137 and the PNPs are BD138.
Yeah, the LM723 was, and still is, a versatile voltage regulator. Too bad the metal can version is out of production; they were used in many commercially made power supplies, and replacements are hard to find and can be expensive.

Cheers,
Dave M

 

[MikeMl]

Through-hole parts are going away very fast. Check DigiKey and Mouser. You will likely have to go the new-old-stock route. I never build at project unless I have a stock of replacement parts on hand.

 

[AnalogKid]

Junkbox projects are fun. Pawing around in a misc box, I found some 2N2480A dual transistors in 6-lead TO-5 cans. No idea why I have them, but I whipped up an all-discrete regulator that is pretty well-behaved.

ak