Thread: electronic powder despinsers

Originally Posted by cambo

Line conditioners are something like this.....

Buy the Tripplite LR1000 1000 Watt Line Conditioner (LR1000) online at PBTech.co.nz

For something that is powered by a plug pack and internal electronic voltage regulation the line conditioner will do nothing. Typically the plug pack puts out 1.5x to 2x the voltage the device needs. We are talking equipment that is not realistically going to draw 15W. Spend your money more wisely.

Originally Posted by gadgetman

For something that is powered by a plug pack and internal electronic voltage regulation the line conditioner will do nothing. Typically the plug pack puts out 1.5x to 2x the voltage the device needs. We are talking equipment that is not realistically going to draw 15W. Spend your money more wisely.

I tried a UPS running in cold mode (AC off) but the electronic dispenser drew insufficient forward current for the UPS to stay on and it shut down after a set period. The line conditioner may do the same with insufficient fwd current to keep power transistors switched on.

Originally Posted by zimmer

I tried a UPS running in cold mode (AC off) but the electronic dispenser drew insufficient forward current for the UPS to stay on and it shut down after a set period. The line conditioner may do the same with insufficient fwd current to keep power transistors switched on.

It would simply be useless. There is zero benefit to be had. Most of the plug packs nowadays are switch mode power supplies and happily run for below 90V to above 260V. Check the advert Cambo put up and see what it is meant for. You are trying to solve a problem that does not exist.

Originally Posted by gadgetman

It would simply be useless. There is zero benefit to be had. Most of the plug packs nowadays are switch mode power supplies and happily run for below 90V to above 260V. Check the advert Cambo put up and see what it is meant for. You are trying to solve a problem that does not exist.

If you read my post I am not proposing either device as a solution, I am saying they just won't run a small load at any rate. The weak point of the whole set up is the Switched Mode PS. It is pointless interposing other devices before the SM PS. The ultimate solution is probably a regulated battery supply. This same topic was hounded to death on the Oz F Class forum recently but more focused on protecting expensive digital scales rather than dispensers.

Originally Posted by zimmer

If you read my post I am not proposing either device as a solution, I am saying they just won't run a small load at any rate. The weak point of the whole set up is the Switched Mode PS. It is pointless interposing other devices before the SM PS. The ultimate solution is probably a regulated battery supply. This same topic was hounded to death on the Oz F Class forum recently but more focused on protecting expensive digital scales rather than dispensers.

Actually a switch mode power supply is usually a lot better than the old transformer for voltage stability. It continuously adjusts output to compensate for load and input voltage so is very stable. Because they switch in the order of 40kHz it is easier to smooth out the resulting voltage requiring smaller components. They are not as reliable as a basic transformer but are very easy and cheap to replace. Either way the additional voltage regulation in the device will cope with either. Things that are likely to have a greater influence of repeatable accuracy will be temperature variations, draughts, vibrations/movement and static charge build up.

Originally Posted by gadgetman

Actually a switch mode power supply is usually a lot better than the old transformer for voltage stability. It continuously adjusts output to compensate for load and input voltage so is very stable. Because they switch in the order of 40kHz it is easier to smooth out the resulting voltage requiring smaller components. They are not as reliable as a basic transformer but are very easy and cheap to replace. Either way the additional voltage regulation in the device will cope with either. Things that are likely to have a greater influence of repeatable accuracy will be temperature variations, draughts, vibrations/movement and static charge build up.

Heh gadgetman thanks for the electronics lesson but for the last 30 years I have worked in heavy industry responsible for small DC drives thru to 10,000HP DC drives plus their other associated control systems. The older drives were all modular discrete components a lot of which I could fault find to component level, so I do know a transistor when I see one or how a very basic device like a SM PS works. Incidentally, on my Chargemaster I have gone back to using the original wire wound PS supplied with it after the super reliable SM PS partially failed.

Originally Posted by zimmer

Heh gadgetman thanks for the electronics lesson but for the last 30 years I have worked in heavy industry responsible for small DC drives thru to 10,000HP DC drives plus their other associated control systems. The older drives were all modular discrete components a lot of which I could fault find to component level, so I do know a transistor when I see one or how a very basic device like a SM PS works. Incidentally, on my Chargemaster I have gone back to using the original wire wound PS supplied with it after the super reliable SM PS partially failed.

As I said, SM isn't as reliable but they do regulate better and are cheap to replace.