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Powersupply Testing

I have a electronic load powersupply tester and was wondering how you go about setting it up? For a computer powersupply how would you set it. Do you set the resistance and for how much? How do you figure this out. Just measure the inputs on the computer? Does that give you a correct value? I need to set a 5 volt, 12 volt and 3.3 volt. Also do you set the amps or watts? So if it says 5 volts 12 amps. I just need to figure the resistance? and then set it for 12 amps? do I need to set the watts? Not much in the manual. They assume people know what they are doing. Also,

I have this powersupply that sometimes doesn't come on and sometimes does. If it isn't the solder joints how do you track this down? Anything in particular thing that determines what turns on the PS. It has a red LED and it will work a few times then not work. I take it to my bench and it comes on after turning the power on and off and waiting.

Thanks Uriah

Reply to
Uriah
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Hi Uriah, you wrote;

That sounds like it might be a switching power supply? I think these need a load. I'm not an expert here, its just a guess. Get additional feedback/info from persons more knowledgable than I before taking any of my advice.

I bought a $10 surplus computer power supply and to get it to work I had to put a small load on it first, before turning it on at the pushbutton switch. I used two 6vdc incandescent light bulbs in parallel hooked up to the 5v pin out. Here is the google cache for my particular unit:

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saxum g.n.

Reply to
Grostle News

Hi Uriah, you asked:

I don't know how to set up your tester. But if you have a power supply with unknown pinouts that you wish to identify you might find a wire color code key on the Internet.To do this:

Find the name of the company and the product number on any label of the PS. Put them into google for a search. It is best to use the manufacturer's name and product number instead of a retailer's stock number, but that sometimes works also. It might take a little time to go through your search results to find what you need, if it's there.

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saxum g.n.

Reply to
Grostle News

Found this article about PC power supply testing:

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saxum g.n.

Reply to
Grostle News

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