Power Supply Question

[edwin247]

I am looking to purchase the LCD kit and I was wondering if it would just be easier to use a bench power supply so I could regulate the current or the voltage according to the needs of the parts to be anodized?

It seems like a lot of work is needed to properly use inexpensive car battery power supplies, when I have access to nice regulating constant voltage or constant current power supplies.

Any input would be helpful.

Thanks,
Edwin

[Fibergeek]

A Constant Current/Constant Voltage bench power supply is the easiest and best way to go. For anodizing, you will use it in Constant Current mode. Go for it.

[edwin247]

Good. Thanks for the reply. I have a large 1000watter that we don't use at work any longer. 0-100V 0-10A. It should work nice!!! It has an analog volt meter and an analog ammeter.

[Gabourie]

How is it going?
Well I have had a chance to do quite a bit of platting and thanks again for your suggestions on using the resistor to start the power supply. It even helps to start the unit in the flash copper with low current settings. I understand you get what you pay for, but, I wonder if I have a "special" unit or all of the "HY3020E" units like this? Does anyone else have to use a resistor to get their power supply to start? I have quite a selection of resistors now and I just don't seem to think this is what I should "need" to do. P.S. I am getting better at the math too, LOL.
Do you know of anyone else who has purchased one of these units ?
And are they encountering the same problem?

[Fibergeek]

What the resistor is fixing is inadequate Voltage Compliance in the power supply. For these Chinese power supplies (3A and 20A) I guessed the minimum voltage compliance to be 1V. Caswell is sending me one of each to measure the voltage compliance, and we will then know the exact number.

This has turned out not to be an issue when anodizing, the electrical conductance of anodizing electrolyte is nowhere near as conductive as a copper plating solution.

Better designed CC/CV power supplies will maintain their voltage compliance all the way down to zero Amps and zero Volts, but these cost more.

When I know the actual value by measuring the Chinese power supplies, I'll post it. We will then be able to arrive at one value and size resistor for each power supply and be done with it. This doesn't have to get complicated.

Again, this is a plating detail, this is a non-issue when anodizing.

[Gabourie]

I am not trying to make it complicated!
One volt is working. On the higher currents it is very important to use the formula as the resistor gets very hot. So yes 1 volt does work. I'll ask again, are other people having a similar problem? I also realize that this is the anodizing forum, and that the conductivity is different.
Thanks again for your help.