Isolated Power Supply

[finebyfine]

Reposting from the old wish list format: https://forum.pedalpcb.com/threads/isolated-power-supply.583/

I've been looking into making one a lot the past month, and really the only thing holding me back against making a geofex spyder with a weber transformer (https://www.tedweber.com/wpdlxfmr-2/) is that I can't come up with a way to enclose it in a way that I'd be happy with (hum reduction is only worth it if it looks pretty!!!)

 

[xefned]

What kind of enclosure do you envision using?

And … do you want something that uses all 9 secondaries?

 

[finebyfine]

What kind of enclosure do you envision using?

And … do you want something that uses all 9 secondaries?

In a perfect world it would be one I could get printed from Tayda.

I’ve recently pivoted to playing around with an isolator box in a 1590A using isolated DC-DC converters for each output. The converters should have arrived today .

If these play out at all it might open up the ability of using a smaller transformer with only one secondary which can be found half the height of the Weber one. Would mean a 1590DD would be in play.

 

[xefned]

Thanks for sharing. I have one of those Weber transformers and I'm always stuck trying to find an enclosure that will house it, plus a board long enough to use each tap. The height / width dilemma suggests only an enormous box will work.

Alternately, I designed my own over-engineered regulated power supply board that will do six channels and I stuck in a smaller box with a bunch of 9v transformers harvested from older wall warts. It's actually been working well for several years so I haven't done anything with the Weber.

 

[finebyfine]

Thanks for sharing. I have one of those Weber transformers and I'm always stuck trying to find an enclosure that will house it, plus a board long enough to use each tap. The height / width dilemma suggests only an enormous box will work.

Alternately, I designed my own over-engineered regulated power supply board that will do six channels and I stuck in a smaller box with a bunch of 9v transformers harvested from older wall warts. It's actually been working well for several years so I haven't done anything with the Weber.

That sounds awesome. I had been searching on ebay for 9v phone charger lots to do something similar recently before learning about dc-dc converters which are SMALL

 

[xefned]

Cool. I'll be interested in hearing how it works out.
I always heard that DC-to-DC converters would "add noise." But that seems to be what every major manufacturer of pedal supplies uses so technology must have improved since the days when that "adds noise" warning got introduced.

Good luck!

 

[giovanni]

Non isolated converters would definitely add noise (ground loops to be specific) but nowadays we have isolated ones, which have a transformer embedded into the component itself.

 

[finebyfine]

Non isolated converters would definitely add noise (ground loops to be specific) but nowadays we have isolated ones, which have a transformer embedded into the component itself.

The 5 isolated dv-dc converters I ordered from Digikey last week showed up today, very very very excited to see that package waiting for me after work

Edit: I knew they were gonna be small but criminy



Edit 2: and we have isolated grounds for like $4.50 worth of components

 

[Caldo71]

For the record I would give my left nut for a ready-to-go PCB for this concept.

 

[xefned]

I would give my right. So then you'd have a complete extra set, FinexFine.

 

[Caldo71]

I would give my right. So then you'd have a complete extra set, FinexFine.

Well, @PedalPCB would, should that be useful.

 

[xefned]

Reposting from the old wish list format: https://forum.pedalpcb.com/threads/isolated-power-supply.583/

I've been looking into making one a lot the past month, and really the only thing holding me back against making a geofex spyder with a weber transformer (https://www.tedweber.com/wpdlxfmr-2/) is that I can't come up with a way to enclose it in a way that I'd be happy with (hum reduction is only worth it if it looks pretty!!!)

BTW, if anyone discovers the ideal enclosure for the unwieldy Weber transformer, I have a circuit board design that I've been using since 2012. But I only implemented 5 of the 9 secondaries because my enclosure was too small.

Someone on DIYSB suggested the Hammond 1411WU, but it's sheet metal and I hate those thin walls. They drill poorly and end up looking janky.

 

[ADAOCE]

BTW, if anyone discovers the ideal enclosure for the unwieldy Weber transformer, I have a circuit board design that I've been using since 2012. But I only implemented 5 of the 9 secondaries because my enclosure was too small.

Someone on DIYSB suggested the Hammond 1411WU, but it's sheet metal and I hate those thin walls. They drill poorly and end up looking janky.

This is a 1411 and I totally get what you mean about the sheet metal feel. Cast aluminum is obviously better but I just went really slow used a drill press so I didn’t have to use a center punch

 

[xefned]

Wow, that is *really* beautiful work! Nicely done.

My stuff doesn't look that good, but you've given me something to aspire to.

I've noticed there's a world of difference between the really cheap enclosures that have 30 mil thick walls and sturdier ones with 45 mil thick walls. The one on the right I don't even want to use.

 

[xefned]

I'm debating if it's worth having a small batch of PCBs made for the Weber WPDLXFMR-1. I suspect there's not much interest, but one has to wonder, what happened to all the Weber transformers they sold??

 

[ADAOCE]

Wow, that is *really* beautiful work! Nicely done.

My stuff doesn't look that good, but you've given me something to aspire to.

I've noticed there's a world of difference between the really cheap enclosures that have 30 mil thick walls and sturdier ones with 45 mil thick walls. The one on the right I don't even want to use.

View attachment 21995

Thanks man! The Hammond enclosures are all quality

 

[Big Monk]

I’d be interested is something like the Strymon units rather than a transformer based isolated supply.

 

[xefned]

I’d be interested is something like the Strymon units rather than a transformer based isolated supply.

That's the vibe I'm picking up on which way the world is heading. Smaller, cheaper, more efficient.

In fact, I'm not even sure isolated secondaries make any difference. I can't find any commercial product that does that. Even the VooDoo labs—whose marketing material seems to imply that—has one giant single transformer secondary with separate regulators for each output.

I revisited my PCB layout, which is now 10 years old. It's overkill. Once you add up the cost of an enclosure (at least $20,) the multi-tap transformer (another $30,) and 9 bridge rectifiers, 9 regulators, 9 trimpots, 9 jacks, IEC input, fuse, etc. etc. you're nearing the cost of a premium commercial unit.

I just watched a rig doctor video at Sweetwater where he warns of the added noise you can get from using a linear power supply and strongly advises folks to use one of the newer switchmode supplies. I feel like I've stepped into the twilight zone, I'm being punked, or I haven't kept up with technology. The latter seems most likely. It hurts a little bit.