Power supplies choices?

I chose to buy a transformer in stead of a wall wart as I could integrated that in the euro rack case.

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But seriously kids, if you donā€™t understand why that power supply needs to be wired in parallel, study basic electrical knowledge.

Wiring this power supply in series wonā€™t hurt you (though your modules may malfunction) but a little education on how current and voltage work would make you much better at avoiding potential problems.

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Iā€™m a carpenter not a sparky cut me a breakšŸ¤£

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Iā€™m a bitnik and I know how to chop bits. Lets help each other.

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If you think Iā€™m dumb today you shoulda talked to me last week haha. No but for real I am just learning electrical theory and I appreciate yā€™all and your knowledge

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Welcome to this forum, @CTorp.

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I am slightly enviromentally damaged in that regard(my dad is hardware engineer). I would use convential plugin Power supply for making electronics, my mind is a lot more sound and clear of knowing if I screw up, it is not on the power supply, in which could be quite lethal, because I step my babysteps into electronics and therefore not knowlegdeable enough about it. A good Electronic lab have at least a few of these anyway, so not using them as much as possible is dumb.
Alternatively old PC power supplies is easily scavengered from the cabinets, and they are one of the things in computer least likely to break down(Always test them anyway), so you can get lucky and get a really good supply for free, or really cheap. It depends on skill level, but also insurance, my insurance would not cover a home made diy supply.

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Iā€™ve got a PC power supply spare, I thought these were too electrically noisy for some reason I canā€™t remember. Just staring to plan my first modular, so a power supply is a good start I think!

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Yeah, theyā€™re noisy, but you can add filtering. However, the negative rail is typically pretty anemic.

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Thanks for the tip sir! Iā€™ll be starting small, as itā€™s my first try at a modular. I want a 100% home built one though.

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Nothing wrong with starting with one and then replacing if/when you need something beefier.

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I just had a crazy thought, is there any reason why you canā€™t just put a small isolated supply module in every module and just provide the rack as a whole with something like +12 volts?

No reason you canā€™t, but it seems to me one of the benefits of a modular system is that you donā€™t have to do that :slight_smile:

Itā€™ll still be modular, just able to be powered by a big old car battery or lithium pack. If one dc - dc converter goes down, itā€™ll only affect one module. I think thatā€™s my telecom background coming through, only then it was all powered from -48 volts. :slight_smile: May experiment though.

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Feel free to use a PC power supply, i hear those work but as mentioned, noisy. Not a huge prob for me cause im not after being perfect the first time.

If you want to consider a purpose built one, may i suggest giving the below thread a read?

Sam has made a good video showing this thing being built, and many here love it (me too). I included links to Tayda for the BOM, which is a store that usually has pretty low cost parts.

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Does anyone have a source for a barrel jack alternative bigger then 2.1mm x 5.5mm DC Connector Male Plug And Female Panel Mount Socket?

I have 2.1mm jacks on my panels providing DC voltage too circuit bent stuff and pedals. But right now I have a front panel With my AC using a isolated 2.1mm Jack. I have it color coded, But I would like too make it drunk proof. Thanks everyone.

Sam uses balanced xlr sockets which would mess with my head but I think labels and perhaps a socket cover would be the simplest way to go.

Hipsters might go for powercon or speakcon but then you risk plugging in mains or power amps if drunk enough and in the wrong place :woozy_face:

XT60, maybe, or some other RC connector? (theyā€™re a bit more ā€œpermanentā€ but could work if you donā€™t plan to replug it all the time)

Iā€™d say itā€™s mostly a cost issue (DC/DC converters cost nothing in a telecom context, but is likely to dominate the module BOM for most DIY synth stuff). Plus tradition ā€“ if all the other modules use Ā±12 V, you might as well use it too (at least most people have abandoned the separate 5 V rail).

Thereā€™s also the purists who donā€™t like the high-frequency ripple you get from switching supplies, which is e.g. why Doepfer uses Ā±15 V converters + linear regulators in their supplies.

But nothing stops you from experimenting, of course. Iā€™d probably keep the converter on a separate PCB so you can swap out the converters (e.g. to 110 VDC ones if you need to play on a train :stuck_out_tongue_winking_eye:, or eurorack connectors if you decide to go that route) and also share supplies where appropriate.

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Iā€™ll have to get my oscilloscope out and have a good look at the various different power supply options. Am getting there with my work spaces wonā€™t be in a position to do anything for a month or so. Got a box of small isolated power supply modules Iā€™ll get out and rig up to the scopeā€¦ good point on the BOM, but Iā€™ll look at it module by module.