Help me get the right power supply

[GunRunner1 0]

I need a 16 cn. Power supply. Is lightning a concern?

I bought a 8 cn. power supply but it has 1 small fuse in it.

can I get one that has a resetable breaker in it?

Also can you tell me a good sourse for the power supply.

 

How should I protect my DVR and Monitor I have them connected to a power strip is that ok?

 

Thanks,

[GunRunner1 0]

Or should I build my own power supply.

If so please give info on where to get parts and maybe a drawing.

If I didn't mention it I need it be 24 Vac.

 

I would like to be able to adjust the voltage a little, some of my camera's are 300' away.

Thanks,

[rory 0]

check out the Altronix Distributed Power Supplies.

 

Also, a strip is not protection, Surge Protection or not, you need something with Voltage Regulation, either a Voltage Regulator, or a UPS with Built in Voltage Regulation.

[GunRunner1 0]

I checked out those power supply's you mentioned, but no prices were posted. what should I expect to pay for a 16 cn. unit.

[rory 0]

Check out the advertisers banners, one of them sells Altronix and lists Retail pricing.

 

But first you need to know how many Amps you will need. Total the cameras required MAmps or Amps and go a little higher, then that is what you need.

 

Do you know off hand how much each camera requires? That will effect the price on the Power supply as they come in various versions.

[GunRunner1 0]

ya. I found them from180 to 250.

That more than I can spend right now. I'm uing it at my residense and I've already spent too much. I'll have to wait on that.

 

Thanks for yur time!

[scorpion 0]

Are you going to build your own?

[GunRunner1 0]

I will if i can fid the right parts. and how to do or a drawind.

[scorpion 0]

If you want to build your own power supply you will need a transformer, an AC to DC converter such as a bridge rectifier, you will need some kind of filter to remove any AC ripple, and you will need a regulator that will keep the voltage at the level you desire, and you may want a large capacitor to store electricity, so that you have a reserve when your system pulls more electricity, such as when your IR cameras all turn on after dusk.

 

You will need to decide if you are going to use "wire wrap board" to put all of your parts on to it. Wire wrap board is a board with a whole bunch of holes in it. You place the parts of your circuit in to the holes, and then you can use a wire wrap method, or you can solder the parts together. If you are using ICs, you can use an IC holder on the board, and solder it in, and you do not have to worry about damaging the IC from too much heat from the soldering iron, and destroying the IC.

 

You can make a custom PC board. This board has copper over the whole board. You will use a stick on product that will create the lands, or the roadmap for all of your connections. Once you have designed your layout you can transfer this design using those stick on products. You will then place the PC board in to a PLASTIC PAN, (NEVER AN ALUMINUM FOIL PAN), and then you put an etching solution in to the pan. This solution will eat away the exposed copper, leaving the stick on products that represent your circuit. When you have removed all of the excess copper you will pull the board out, and clean it off to stop the etching process. Here is a tip. Find an old record turntable. Place it on the speed that makes the turntable spin the slowest. Put your pan on the turntable, and this will help agitate the liquid giving you a uniform etching process on the board. If the pan sits static then some areas will not etch as fast as other spots. If you use the static method use a wooden spoon to stir it.

 

Once you have cleaned your board, then you can remove the stick on products. Now you will need to drill small holes for your parts. Insert your parts in to the holes, and solder your parts together. Test your power supply before you use it on anything. I test my power supply with a device that allows me to control the AC voltage from the wall. I want to know how my power supply will react at 95 volts AC (brown out), and I want to know how my power supply will work at 130 volts AC (long term spike). If it cannot work in this environment then the power supply is no good to me. If parts blow at 130 volts AC then you will need to use parts rated at this voltage, and not just any part will do out of a bin.

 

In your design you will want to use light bulbs, or LEDs to signal to you that everything is ok, or that something is wrong. You will want to have a green light to let you know that the incoming AC is working. You will want to have a green light on the output of the power supply to let you know that you have voltage out. You can design circuits to detect faults that will light up red bulbs, or LEDs to signal to you that something is wrong.

 

Try this link here:

 

http://www.electronics-tutorials.com/basics/power-supp-hi-regulated.htm

 

Scroll down to the bottom, and you will see a schematic of a power supply. Do some research, and find a circuit on the internet that is close to the design that you want.

 

About Fuses:

 

http://www.fuseone.com/fuseology.aspx

 

Fuse specifications:

 

http://electronic-components.globalspec.com/Specifications/Electrical_Electronic_Components/Electrical_Distribution_Protection_Equipment/Fuses

 

Fuse block:

 

http://www.radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2062258&cp=2032058.2032234.2032302&parentPage=family

 

Power supply capacitor selection info:

 

http://home.insightbb.com/~stephenwmoore/Electronics/Power_Supply_Capacitors.htm

 

Look up this for the output of your power supply.

50V Aluminum Electrolytic Capacitors

 

More info:

 

http://home.eunet.cz/rysanek/sup_en.html

 

You should be able to find most parts at an electronics store.

 

Let me know how your project comes out!

 

Good luck!

[cachecreekcctv 0]

I just noticed your posting here. If you get a chance, you can PM me for information on how to build your own Power Supplies, both 24vac and 12vdc. I build my own all the time, and I can send you some pictures of them, and what to look for. Most of my projects are DIN mount, even my fuse holders. Just don't buy "junk" parts. Look for Regulated Power Supplies. I use mostly Sola and Allen Bradley, but often times use Siemens. My background is Industrial Electrical and Mechanical, so I know the big manufacturers of electrical equipment. I buy electrical parts on Ebay all the time, you just have to know your equipment and the seller, in order to get some really good deals on top quality parts. Your DVR and Monitor should be protected by a UPS system. Go to Tigerdirect.com and see the different versions. APC is by far the best, and they are also sold at outlets such as Circuit City, Best Buy, etc. I am not in the sales business, so you won't get any sales pitch from me.

[scorpion 0]

You should be a saleman. Your gear is rock solid, and very impressive. You should "tag" up with a CCTV distributor, and make some money on the side selling specialty power supplys!!

 

You NEED to sell your DVR in a nema 4 enclosure to us distributors/installers. I love the brass air intake, and air outlets! Water proof to the max!! Rock solid!

 

I have home owner associations that always wants champaign, on a beer budget. YOUR enclosure with a DVR would be great for a lot of these places!!!

 

Take care cachecreekcctv!!

[cachecreekcctv 0]

I am just not a good "salesman" at all. I hate selling things. My garage is full of power supplies, transformers, Hoffman panels, relays, DIN rail, VFD's, RTD's, Signal generators, recycle timers, Allen Bradley switches, Motor starters, etc. you name it, I have it on my shelves. A friend of mine reminds me all the time, that I promised him years ago, that when I die, he gets to "rifle" through my garage for 1 hour before anyone else. I even have several direct burial Fiber Optic housings I was going to use , but never did. All that besides my 3 welders, Plasma Cutter, 100 gallon air compressor. Did I ever send you a picture of my Stainless Steel trailer I built 3 years ago?

[kensplace 0]

Take extreme care if building your own if your not used to making electrical circuits, or dealing with high voltages.

 

Make a mistake in the design or build of a mains psu and you could kill yourself, or someone else, blow up equipment or set the place on fire.

 

PCB tracks to close or to thin could cause problems, insufficent earthing, mains shorting to the casing, wiring overheating, etc etc lots of potential gotchas that may not let you live to try a second time (although I believe if you are in the USA or somewhere that uses 110v its not quite as lethal as in the UK on 240v, but still quite risky I would guess)

 

Other than that warning, its fun to build power supplies, and handy to be able to do so, just in case you need something unusual you cant find of the shelf, or cheap enough.

[rory 0]

Well you still need to find the PSU box and the PSU itself .. which is pretty much a no go down here .. its cheaper just to buy the ready built unit, as $200 is nothing compared to my time in $$ per hour it would take to get the parts and build one.

 

Just buy an OEM one if you cant afford the Altronix, at least it is better than making it yourself.

[cachecreekcctv 0]

Everything electrical in the USA, that is used in electrical design/installation has to be UL Listed. Not "UL Tested", but "UL Listed". Every fuse I install is rated for 300volts, nothing less. My transformers and DC power supplies are used everyday in Industrial applications. When I build a power supply there is nothing that is made in China inside that panel, or I wouldn't use it. Nothing against any country, but you are correct about the "gotchas" when doing electical installations, even something as small as 12vdc. I don't use anything but Bussman fuses, no PTC's, nothing else. My DIN mount fuse holders can change a fuse in seconds. Allen Bradley quality materials. Most people have no idea about how to calculate short circuit currents (RMS), and that will cause a lot of problems in electrical design. Bottom line, always use quality materials, and you will rest easy.