Is this a better idea for my Variable Bench Power supply?

[Sidecar Bob]

Some of you may remember this project that I started in 2022 https://maker.pro/forums/projectlogs/bench-power-supply-upgrade.193/
And the very long discussion about it https://maker.pro/forums/threads/bench-power-supply-upgrade.296479/

I have finally returned to the project. As I posted in the discussion thread I tested the replacement ICs I bought and plugged 3 of them in and it still does not work.

I recently found this video about building a variable bench power supply with a commonly available LTC3780 buck/boost module powered by a switching power supply very similar to the one I am trying to use.
The more I think about it the more I think that an LTC3780 module would produce a better supply than the "red kit" could.
I have almost convinced myself to scrap the kit and order an LTC3780 module.
What do you think?

 

[Sidecar Bob]

My big doubt about the LTC3780 was that all of the bench power supply builds I could find that used it are from 6-8 years ago with nothing recent, which means that either all that needed to be said had been or something better came long that everyone started using (& talking about) instead.
I did more research today and figured out that it is better and easier to use a buck/boost converter module that is designed to be a variable power supply.
So I have ordered an SK60 module.

 

[SAMyMAS]

I built me one with RD6012W. There are its updated versions up to 30A. Please refer to the store.

 

[Sidecar Bob]

Wow, that's an expensive way to do it. The module I bought cost under $11 Canadian.
BTW, it is here but between the time I ordered it and when it arrived our basement flooded and we're still dealing with that so the project is on hold again.

https://maker.pro/forums/threads/bench-power-supply-upgrade.296479/page-6#post-1861685

 

[davenn]

Wow, that's an expensive way to do it. The module I bought cost under $11 Canadian.

yeah, more that your $11 one but it does so so much more than what you have planned. It is full of features and voltage/current capabilities
But for the price, it's great value for money

Just depends on what you need

 

[Sidecar Bob]

This project started with me finding the infamous "red board" variable power supply kit while shopping for something else. I finally had a proper place to do electronics again, my ancient Heathkit variable power supply had not worked for years and and I figured some sort of variable supply would be useful. I thought that building the kit and mounting it in the Heathkit's case would be an inexpensive way to accomplish that and to get back into building things from kits at the same time.
Until I realized that the kit required a 24V 3A transformer and I discovered just how expensive they are. And that powering it from a switching power supply wasn't going to be simple.

In the 4 years since I bought that kit I have learned a lot and I have built a few simple kits that actually worked (unlike the red board kit that came with fake ICs) and I've done a few other projects and during that time I've managed with an assortment of wall wart power supplies, all of which is to say that if the red board kit had worked it would have been a huge improvement over both the Heathkit and the assorted fixed voltage supplies and the SK60 will be better than that so I'm sure I'll be happy with it and I'll probably never use some of its features, let alone the ones the RDL series have.
I am just a retired guy who likes to tinker, after all......

 

[Delta Prime]

I am just a retired guy who likes to tinker, after all......

Thank you for your contributions. You tinker better than most….

 

[Sidecar Bob]

I don't know why but that made me think about the first lesson in our grade 11 Electronics class in 1969. "Boys" the teacher said "always look for the simplest thing. You don't know how many times someone pays $5 for the TV repairman to come and plug their set back in."
I sometimes wonder what he would think about how complex electronic equipment has become these days. And how seldom any of it is actually repaired, partly because it is more reliable but largely because when it does eventually fail it is usually more expensive to repair than to replace.

 

[poormystic]

...and the design lifetime for consumer products was once 2 years, but even that was in the olden days.

 

[Sidecar Bob]

I don't recall anything with a design life that short except maybe stuff from the dollar store (or 5 & dime in the old days).

It seems to me that the average life expectancy of a TV set today is about the same as it was in the '50s & '60s BUT in those days you expected to have it repaired a couple of times per year and eventually get a new set when the picture tube failed and replacing it would cost as much as a new set while today what fails is usually something deep inside some IC and having someone figure out what the problem is would cost more than a new set.
In both cases the state of the art would have advanced so the new set would be better than the old one anyway......

 

[poormystic]

I just got an email notification that this thread had a new reply - that's not the case but someone looking after the forum might want to know about the mistaken notification

 

[Harald Kapp]

that's not the case

@poormystic : There has been a reply, so the message you received was correct. But I deleted the reply in question as Spam. That's why you don't see it.

 

[poormystic]

yes another necrotic reanimation. zombies will be next - I'm glad you are good at putting these things to rest

 

[Sidecar Bob]

I'm on several forums for motorcycles, woodworking/home improvements &c and I'm even a moderator on a couple of them. It isn't uncommon to get a notification and find that a moderator got there first and deleted a spam post (I've even been that mod).

I'm glad you are good at putting these things to rest

Having seen some of what goes on behind the scenes on forums I heartily second that

BTW, if you are interested in why my project is still stalled, hevans1944 woke me up by asking so I have posted an update about what's going on in my life in the Project Discussion Log

https://www.electronics-lab.com/forums/threads/bench-power-supply-upgrade.296479/page-6#post-1861685