Tuesday 31 July 2018

HP ESP120 Power supply

I have 2 HP ESP120 Power supplys and one of them I use on my 2m amplifier in the upstairs shack.
This only because I do not have 3 phase outlet in that shack for a Delta SM70-45 power supply which I use for the 70cm EME amplifier.
Have made some study of how others are enabling the ESP120 and I am a bit puzzled how they do.
The most used way seems to be published by N4GA where he advice to short out 3 pins without any description of their functionality.
I read the only datasheet I could find on a similar power supply that looked like a drop in replacement for the HP supply.
This shows that when connecting these three pins together you short out Power on, PSKILL and the present pins.

PSON is the remote control input connector.
PSKILL is a emergency kill pin that switch the PS off if it looses connection to the 5V rtn.
Present pin is an indicator for the system to show that a PS is inserted in that slot.

Connecting these pins do not seems correct and I am actually surprised it works but it does.
Only reason I can se is that if the Present pin have an internal path to ground.
In my mind I would connect the PSKILL to the 5V rtn constantly and switch the PSON to 5V rtn to enabel the PS output and I tested to do so and it worked perfectly.

The reason for all this was that I wanted to remotely control the PS from the amplifier and when connecting the Power on switch of the amplifier between the PSON to 5V rtn it works great.

I have occasionally seen some noise from the PS on 2m. but I placed capacitors on the output connections to PS outer cover and also placed a copper braid screen around the two 10 mm Square cables to the amplifier and grounded that in the outer housing as well.
This seems to fix the worst noise but its important to ensure the cables are routed in a specific way to totally get rid of any noise.
This is most likely caused by the fact the 2m antenna is placed only 4 meters above the shack where the PS is located.

Got a half promise that a friend with an excavator will come this or next week to fill the whole for the concrete base and to dig down the anchor points for a 22m mast I have laying to use for tropo and a HF beam.

4 comments:

  1. Hi

    Did you get your remote switch working? I was trying to understand where you added the switch.

    73, Mike va3mw

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  2. Hi Mike and sorry for the delay.
    Did not see your comment until now.
    I remote the output of the PS by a switch between the PSON, D3 and the 5V rtn A to D, 2.
    When short here the PS is on and open its off.
    This will switch on and off the 50V output from the PS but the mains still needs to be switched on first.
    I hope this answer will get to you eventually and its useful for you or drop me an email if anything is unclear. sm7ths@live.se

    // Sverker

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  3. Hi SM7THs, I have recently built a supply using 2 of these in parallel. Very fun project lol I was hoping to just use the switch but quickly figured out putting the swithc in with the 3 pins shorted just cut off the output with the Fans still spinning. Man I wish it had a remote off for the whole deal. A modification could be done internally with what is there or via adding a relay inside the supply with the mains. Wonder if you would even have room for such a relay lol wow.

    I just put a 100A 600v Relay in line and switched both on that way and left the 3 pins shorted on both units.

    ADDED 2 Common Mode Chokes using 10AWG Solid Copper for the output DC and it is now quite as can be.

    You can't build a cheaper supply using these units man. I need to buy all I can get my hands on. Just wish they were not as long as they are lol.

    KJ4GK Thomas

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  4. Hi Tomas.
    It should be possible to switch the whole PS off more or less as the fans are 12V DC ones.
    Some type of regulated auxiliary DC voltage is present inside that could be tampered with but I have not investigated that further as I have a main switch on the AC line.
    I have lowered the voltage to the fans and hid the PS behind the bench so the noice is not disturbing.
    The duty cycle for my 2m activity is very low compared the the 3kW available from the PS that its still safe.

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