Hi Folks
Those that have followed my love of Linear and hate of SMPS should consider a few things...
First thing is I deal with rubbish SMPS every day of my life....the Chinese designed? basic CRT SMPS...2sc3807, Chopper Transistor (could be anything),
around 3 1N4148 Diodes, a Zener, a few Caps and a few other resistors here and there...basic crappy SMPS is what I deal with daily. Designed to be fixed but not to last...if they did it properly...I would be free and flying. Not fixing the same stuff day after day.
So, I hate SMPS?. Yes I do. Except well designed SMPS that I truly envy...
SMPS supplies that in a
sealed little plastic box can be so damn reliable. Even after 8 Years in my Lappie. Common, @90W for my Acer 5680 this little box that feeds it is still good to go.
Caps are not popping. Sealed and has been through multiple power surges and brownouts in 8 Years....just keeps doing it's job.
So reliable but also well designed. I don't work for Delta Electronics that make these...but I will acknowledge them every time. They know their stuff..
Onto me. Linear man.
My thoughts have changed. If you work with rubbish SMPS all day long..you tend to hate them....the proper ones last. Linear PSU's are wonderful and reliable and don't radiate EMI. I believe Toroidals and Linear will be around for the hi fi fundis..
Battery charging is another matter. Different horses, different courses.
I wanted to re start my 2004 project with crap going on here now..
In 2004 a 160Va Toroidal rated @ 220Vac in and 15V out @ around 6A cost me R300.
The same thing Today will cost me around R700 to R800...
I can buy a three stage charger now...SMPS....gives 20.85 A, continious rating 12.5 Amps...three Year Warranty included. It can think and do stuff to keep a SLA happy..
Three Year Warranty...but they also talk about 115 K Hours MTBF....115 K hours = maybe 13 Years running 24/7/365.
I cannot build a Linear charger for anywhere near that kind of price or reliability...and the SMPS puts out minimum 3X more Current than the best Linear I could do with the same money
Link here:
Serious re think about SMPS for me.