Need advice on whether or not to buy DPM-8608 programable power supply

I am looking for a programmable power supply that I can control with an arduino.

I have found lots of these power supplies for sale on amazon. (DPM-8605 DPM-8608)
They take a DC 10-75V input and output 0-60V, at a max of either 5A or 8A

They say that they can be programmed serially. After much searching I actually found
an operation manual and a communication protocol document.

They look good to me, but I am a little worried about the lack of good documentation.

So my main questions are:

Does anyone have any experience using these power supplies (DPM-8605) and specifically communicating with arduino over their TTL interface?

Can anyone recommend a good cheap programable power supply that can interface with arduino?

I am looking for 30-60V output, 5-10A, CC and CV mode and the ability to set these from arduino.

If anyone has any advice or recommendations, thanks.

DPM8600 Communication Protocol(customize).png793×3542 277 KB

DPM8600 User manual.png793×11133 1.69 MB

May I suggest that you provide clickable links to those manuals. The pictures are very hard to view on my device. The easier that you can make it on us the more and quicker help you are likely to get.

Have you read the how to use this forum-please read stickies (at the top of every topic page)?

I apologize about the difficult to read attachments.

After looking at many sites and many listings for this product, I finally found one that had some documentation:

This listing:

Has this link:

Which has 2 docx files you can download.

I tried to attach the docx files to the post, but they were rejected for being docx files.

I tried to convert them to pdf, but wps would not do that with the free version.

I was able to convert them to images, which I then attached.

Again, I apologize that they are difficult to read, I'm not sure what I can do to make it easier.

I can't recommend nor condemn the regulator cause i don't really know what you will use for. I can't see any reason why not to try it, either.

Which Arduino will you use?

You will need a power supply whose output voltage is at least 0.5V higher than the highest regulated voltage desired.

The communication seems straightforward. TTL serial.

What will I use it for?

I plan on using it for many different things. Charging different type of batteries with custom charging profiles. Testing 100W 33V LED's. Sitting on my bench in my lab to power different things. I already have a power supply than can do 17V 25A, I just want to play with one that I can program.

Yes I know I will need another DC supply on the input. If I do this I'll probably get something like a Meanwell LRS-350-48.

I have been experimenting with the UNO R3.

TTL serial seems straightforward enough, but the documentation that I can find does not mention the pin-out of the four pin communication connector.
It just shows a picture of a wire with some USB thing connecting to a laptop.
There are 4 terminals labeled 1-4 with no indication of how to connect it.

The lack of documentation and examples are the main thing stopping me from just buying it and seeing what I can do with it.

If I could find someone who has used it and figured out how to wire it up and send and receive data...

Or if I could just find some proper detailed documentation....

There are 4 terminals labeled 1-4 with no indication of how to connect it.

I found this picture. I think that the A> terminal is the TX, the B< is RX and the bottom is labeled GND. You would connect the Arduino RX to the unit's TX (A>), Arduino TX to the unit's RX (B<) and, of course, Arduino ground to GND.

I don't see where it says what the default baud rate is. Try 9600 to start and if you get gibberish back (or nothing) go higher step by step.

That is awesome! Thank you so much for finding that. The pictures that I saw had only labels 1-4.

I will probably bite the bullet and buy one and see what I can do with it.

Thanks again.

I will gladly help if you have trouble with the communication. I recommend that you look at the serial input basics tutorial for some good information on serial communication.

Just an update on this.

I finally received the DPM-8608 and I can communicate with it using the software serial library with an Arduino UNO.

I can set voltage, current, CC or CV mode, turn the output on/off.
I can read the currently set voltage and current as well as the measured current and voltage.

All in all I am quite happy with my purchase.
I am using a Meanwell LRS-350-48 to supply the input DC power.