For many years i have just hooked up shoddy power supplys from output pins on ardunios, battery packs, usb chargers etc. And its time i purchased a "propper" desk top supply. I have been reading around on line and I know i want one that can deliever between 0 - 30 Volts and 0-5amps.
I just wondered if any one has some sugestions of ones they have used, are happy with and are reliable. HAve seen plenty of reviews but thinking always good to get some first hand recomendation. So many to chose from these days and with no electronic shops close by I cant go look at any so have to buy on line and go by the reviews.
Or any "got ya's" to watch out for when buying a power supply I would also be greatful for.
Also looking for a new multi meter if any one has recomendation for a well build one that will last. again would be greatful.
I am still using an HP power supply that picked up at a ham radio flea market 30 or 40 years ago. And my meter is a Simpson 260 that I bought 50 years ago.
OK, do have a cheap DMM for quick readings. I think I spent less than $15 for it. New.
The biggest problem I have with the cheap DMM are the useless test probes that came with it. I have tried buying other probes but they are equally as useless as using solid core wires. Fortunately, I can use the quality test probes that came with the Simpson.
I have a bench top power supply that is MOSTLY ok, but it seems to have a capacitor downstream of the “constant current” part that is big enough to kill LEDs. That might be worth watching out for.
I recently bought a "ZK-4KX" buck/boost module for around £8 on Aliexpress.
Admittedly I have not used it a lot yet, but first impressions are it seems surprisingly good.
I use a lot of Fluke, Keithley and HP digital meters, mostly bench. I purchased them for next to nothing on eBay and rebuilt them, I have access to the calibrators etc needed to calibrate them so they all worked great and are still being calibrated on a regular schedule with no problems with any of them. I connected the Ohm meter of one of the flukes across the line and it just looked at me like it was saying what are you doing dummy! That was years ago and it still is in calibration. Most supplies will kill LEDs. If I am that close I place an electronic load in series with the power supply and no more blown LEDs.