DC power supply questions from a sort of newbie.

[krb]

Part of the reason I bought the P2 was to avoid the LiPo charger, DC power supply, cable mess. Yes, I'm sometimes lazy about my hobbies. Since then, I've realized that I probably want to be slightly deeper into this hobby. I'm going to need a LiPo for some sort of video receiver and monitor, I watched a guy fly/glide a pusher airplane and I that seems cheap/fun, and I feel like I'm inching closer to building (at least from kit) my next quad-copter.

All that was really a way of saying: I think I need a real DC power supply to go with the inevitable LiPo chargers. The question I have is whether to get a fixed DC or variable DC power supply. I used to have a cheap variable DC unit 5-6 years ago, but I stopped doing projects like that and so I sold it to a friend. I did find the variable voltage handy for things besides the project I bought it for, so I'm leaning that way. But, I don't think I really need a test bench quality power supply (Like a mastech), in fact I don't really think I need a variable current limit. What I'm imagining is something that lets me pick voltage in the range of about 5V-25V, and has a max output current somewhere around 10-20A. Looking at my needs, I think 200-300W would be fine.
If my load draws more current than my theoretical unit can handle, I'd expect the power supply to protect itself with a fuse or something, but I don't need to artificially dial in the current limit. Ideally this power supply costs less than an quality bench PS.

I guess what I'm asking you all is, does such a thing exist? Also, am I wrong for thinking it should? Have I overlooked something that makes this a stupid thing to want?

Thanks for any help.

 

[chopperflyer]

If you are going to charge 3 or 4 LiP0's at one time you would need a 12v main's charger around the 20amp rating. the best idea is look in your local model shop and see what they have. The unit's they will have are what the r/c car boy's use for track racing as they charge multi battery's at a time also do not forget that your charger will need to be balanced board as they charge. A variable power supply is great for any setting up want you to do on your the bench, you do not have to stop and change a battery, power is there all the time, set a low amp and the supply can cut out before any damage is done.

 

[krb]

Thanks for the reply, I understand what I need for R/C charging. What I'm asking is, I've had a variable voltage DC power supply in the past, I might like one again and it could also serve as my R/C charging power supply, but I'm not sure. When I went looking for them I didn't find any high current variable voltage power supplies, I found only really expensive really accurate variable voltage variable current limit test bench type things. I was wondering if anyone knew of a variable voltage supply or if they could tell me why I shouldn't use it.

(Update: I'm thinking about something like the Chargery S600: http://www.chargery.com/S600.asp, but I'd like the voltage range to go down to 5V and up to at least 24V).

 

[chopperflyer]

I do not know what part of the world you are in, as you can see from my info I am in the UK. I brought my variable from a electronic shop named Maplin's, in the USA it is the same as Radio Shack (if it is still going, it closed down in the UK), have a look in this type of shop, I think they are the best as they can help with anything you want, and easy for return's if anything go's wrong. Hope this is on the way to helping you, in the world of electronics nothing is cheap and easy to find unless you make it yourself.

 

[krb]

After some more looking, it looks like I really am looking for something like a Mastech HY3020E. There doesn't seem to be a much cheaper option that does just variable voltage. For now, I went with a regular fixed voltage power supply. Thanks for the replies.