From the look of it sitting on his bench, you’d never guess that [3nz01]’s power supply was actually a couple of el-cheapo modules from eBay, but now we all know the dirty truth.
Re-using or re-purposing an enclosure can be a great way to get a project done faster and get on to the next one. In [3nz01]’s case (tee-hee!), it was an old clock with a broken and annoying buzzer that needed to go. The clock was a nice piece of wood, but that Plexiglas front panel just wasn’t cutting it. That’s why it’s good to have a tailor for a father — a suitable piece of ultrasuede wrapped around the plexi makes the build look swank.
Admittedly, there’s not much to this hack except for putting some cheap and cheerful parts into a nice, used, case. But that’s a good reminder to take a little pride in some of the tools that you use on a daily basis. Don’t the objects taking up prime real estate on your bench deserve better? Keep that in mind the next time you’re browsing the junk store.
If you need some inspiration for ridiculous cases to house your bench-top power supply in, you need not leave the warm and cozy confines of the Hackaday multiverse. Here’s a rival wooden case where no shortcuts were taken. If your desktop power supply needs to be rugged, and you’ve got an army surplus store around the corner, consider an ammo box. This power supply is not bigger than a breadbox. The power supply is a perennial favorite: indulge yourself in a Hackaday search.
This build was done by GreatScott! some time ago https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wI-KYRdmx-E
My LTC3780 complete unit turned up last week got it for $10 from ebay china.
That is a ridiculously good look bench top.
I have a similar setup but I must say I never got around to using it. I just don’t bench top much anymore.
similar but mine is in a grey plastic/aluminium case.
One thing this project is missing: Nixie tubes for display. The PSU would then have more a retro feel to it.
Apart from that, Not bad.
New test equipment fashion. Is that picture really showing 120mA being pushed through a generic T1-3/4 LED? Yikes.
Is he off by a decimal point, or can that LED really handle the current?
I think a zero is missing.
I don’t think so, at 3.46V it may well draw 120mA, the usual voltage should be around 2.1V.
“can that LED really handle the current?” For a while. For small values of “while”.
It’s like the the Peek Music Power Output (PMPO) rating of speakers.
Sure this tiny little speaker can handle 250 Watts … for 4.3 nanoseconds.
Well it’s pretty high, but it match with the voltage (3,46V for red LED is also a lot)
If you put 3,46V on a red LED you may easily force 120mA through it. Although this kind of test leads have some resistance of their own. But with around 1 Ohm of course not enough to count as current limiting resistor for a small red LED. :-)
“Admittedly, there’s not much to this hack except for putting some cheap and cheerful parts into a nice, used, case.” Of course beauty lies in the eyes of the beholder, but im not sure if thats some kind of joke i didnt get. Thats one of the ugliest cases used ive ever seen. Every cookiebox used as a enclosure is more beautiful than this. I just dont get it.
+1
Love it! Kinda like mixing an old school guitar amp and a power supply.
The clock guts on the other hand he gave to his kid to mount in a pencil box to take to school. It was a real bummer when he discovered that his plan had already been done.