| Author |
Message |
    
Kid_vicious
Senior Member
Username: Kid_vicious
Post Number: 2247
Registered: 9-2004
| | Posted on Thursday, November 09, 2006 - 12:31 am: | 
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hi all,
im looking for suggestions for a future project.
im wondering which mobile amps will do 600-700 watts on AM. 600 PEP is the minimum, and i dont really care about doing more than 700 watts.
the amp must be SSB capable.
thanks for any and all help,
matt |
Chad
Senior Member
Username: Chad
Post Number: 1204
Registered: 11-2004
| | Posted on Thursday, November 09, 2006 - 10:52 am: |
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Build one...... Or is that the future project?  |
Airplane1
Advanced Member
Username: Airplane1
Post Number: 921
Registered: 5-2004
| | Posted on Thursday, November 09, 2006 - 11:09 am: |
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wow, but how much amp will it need to run that thing? |
Hotwire
Senior Member
Username: Hotwire
Post Number: 2002
Registered: 1-2005
| | Posted on Thursday, November 09, 2006 - 1:43 pm: |
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From my past expierence, if I wanted an SSB capable amp with more power than my Texas Star DX 500 V I would without a doubt go with the Texas Star! I get so many flowers on my SSB audio. Audio is clean power is clean! Best part about the DX 1600V that I like is that you do not need a driver box! Any single final or dual final radio will get er done!
So Matt, future project hey? I can hear those Vegas troublemakers crying now! ha ha ha |
Chad
Senior Member
Username: Chad
Post Number: 1205
Registered: 11-2004
| | Posted on Thursday, November 09, 2006 - 3:21 pm: |
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About 83 Amps..... at 12V Assuming the amp is 60% efficient, Common For Class AB. |
Hollowpoint445
Senior Member
Username: Hollowpoint445
Post Number: 1405
Registered: 6-2004
| | Posted on Thursday, November 09, 2006 - 8:52 pm: |
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The 500v data sheet I have says 75 amps max at 13.8v, so I would imagine the 1600 was considerably more.
Their web page doesn't give any specs for the DX1600. |
Kid_vicious
Senior Member
Username: Kid_vicious
Post Number: 2252
Registered: 9-2004
| | Posted on Thursday, November 09, 2006 - 10:56 pm: |
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thanks for the replys guys.
i am kind of looking for a design to "borrow" for my next amp project. ive already built one from a kit, so now i need to copy a good design and build one from scratch.
cant say im ready to do it yet, and will have a lot of work ahead of me, but first you need the idea, then the rest will evolve from there.
im thinking its about a year long project as my last amp took about three months to complete.
(very busy job, no i did not solder my thumbs together!LOL)
the reason i picked the 600 watt rating is because i want to gain an S unit over my current 150 watt mobile amp.
i stopped at 600 because i would need 1200 watts to get an extra 1/2 S unit after that.
i dont need to dead key 600 watts, i just need to get there reliably when i talk.
i figure about a 150 watt dead key would be great.
hotwire, i know you've posted this before, but what are you getting from your 500v on AM?
also looking at the 667.
BTW, does anyone know if texas star sells replacement PC boards? that would sure make things easier!
thanks again guys,
always appreciated,
matt |
Chad
Senior Member
Username: Chad
Post Number: 1208
Registered: 11-2004
| | Posted on Friday, November 10, 2006 - 9:26 am: |
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Is it really worth the electrical upgrades to the car required to gain 1 s-unit? Is someone a guitar plater This one goes to eee-lea-vaan!
You know man, there are sooo many efficent switch mode designs out there for other things... Like broadcast. I'm thinking... Efficiency... And it ain't gonna be cheap.
Chad |
Hotwire
Senior Member
Username: Hotwire
Post Number: 2005
Registered: 1-2005
| | Posted on Saturday, November 11, 2006 - 2:50 pm: |
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The way I have it set up in the mobile. Using my Astatic PDC 600 meter. In the AM mode. At amp full power I key around 120-125 and swing 480 to 500 PEP. Somewhere around 300-350 watts RMS position.
Kenny |
Kid_vicious
Senior Member
Username: Kid_vicious
Post Number: 2260
Registered: 9-2004
| | Posted on Monday, November 13, 2006 - 12:20 am: |
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nice spinal tap referrence chad.LOL
this would be going in my truck, and i have a 150 amp alternator in it already, so 85-90 amps isnt really a problem. (i dont think!)
kenny, do you know about how many amps your 500v draws?
matt |
Wildrat
Senior Member
Username: Wildrat
Post Number: 1121
Registered: 12-2003
| | Posted on Monday, November 13, 2006 - 6:35 pm: |
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build that amp I sent you pics of and just leave off the power supply.
WR |
Hotwire
Senior Member
Username: Hotwire
Post Number: 2018
Registered: 1-2005
| | Posted on Tuesday, November 14, 2006 - 12:04 pm: |
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Matt, Driving the amp with 38 watts PEP I am not 100% sure how much it pulls in the mobile. I used to run this same setup as a base. According to the meter on my power supply at full power AM mode I was pulling about 40 to 45 amps and with 38 watts PEP SSB I was peaking well over 50 amps.
The same setup mobile with amp at full blast I have no trouble with a 100 amp alternator. Lights will dim a little so I tend not to run highest power during night driving. Heck! I really hardley ever run full power period.
Your 150 amp alternator will be perfect! Oh! Also once I popped in an Optima Red Top battery it made a major improvement on performance!
kenny
cef491 |
Kid_vicious
Senior Member
Username: Kid_vicious
Post Number: 2265
Registered: 9-2004
| | Posted on Tuesday, November 14, 2006 - 8:45 pm: |
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thanks hotwire,
i just got a pyramid PS 52kx off of the auction site.
if i remember correctly you have one of these.
does the internal cooling fan slow down when you key up on yours?
trying to find out if all is well with mine.
i have it hooked up to my KL300p right now, which is only drawing about 17 amps at full PEP according to the power supply's meter.
i didnt think that would be a big enough load on the supply to slow down the fan.
thanks for any insights into the workings of this beast.
man is it heavy! i had to carry it almost 1/4 mile. (picture the guys in the strongman competition carrying the big rock)LOL
matt |
Airplane1
Advanced Member
Username: Airplane1
Post Number: 923
Registered: 5-2004
| | Posted on Wednesday, November 15, 2006 - 8:11 am: |
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I have the PS42 and the fan does not slow when keying, I had a KL500 mobile hooked up. |
Chad
Senior Member
Username: Chad
Post Number: 1215
Registered: 11-2004
| | Posted on Wednesday, November 15, 2006 - 9:02 am: |
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I had one for a while.... Had to replace the filter caps. Others have experienced the same problem.
Pyramid is not the pinnacle of quality but their power supplies are "diamonds in the rough" I know folks who replace the filter caps with nice Panasonc computer grade ones on day one
Chad |
Hotwire
Senior Member
Username: Hotwire
Post Number: 2026
Registered: 1-2005
| | Posted on Wednesday, November 15, 2006 - 1:19 pm: |
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Matt, Yeah your right I run a DX5oov with the pyramid PS52kx. Under normal operation the fan does not slow down. If I really crank up the amp and listen really close I might be able to hear a very very slight reduction of rpm's. The PS 52kx will supply everything that amp needs in the AM mode. Now SSB on the other hand....The PS 52kx has enough power to give the TS 500 about 75 or 80 percent of maximum PEP on sideband. Cranking out 500+ PEP on SSB is gonna trip the PS 52kx off and on. I actually use half of the power the amp has for SSB with no trouble from the Pyramid.
The PS 52 is a great power supply! I own 2 of them. One is 10 years old and still works like new. Sure some hams don't like them for powering their rigs that cost several thousand dollars. I don't blame them! Pyramid lacks in componet protection compared to, say Astron. There are better higher priced power supplys out there. For the price, and I for one can say QAULITY, you can't beat a Pyramid for powering just regular ol devices like cb's,amps, stereos, whatever. Actually I myself would not be afraid to run a high end HF rig on a Pyramid. They just have a good track record with me. Any power supply can fail be it an Astron, Samlex,Tripp Lite, Lexon, customs, to many to list. Stuff happens like that.
I discovered to get the best performance you can from any power supply is to have a dedicated 110 volt circiut. I also use 6 gauge hook up wire to the amp.
In the past while using SSB it was funny to see the house lights dim with my modulation!
One more thing. I like to use a good AC surge protector. It's just a little bit of added comfort. hope this helps
Kenny
cef491 |
Kid_vicious
Senior Member
Username: Kid_vicious
Post Number: 2272
Registered: 9-2004
| | Posted on Wednesday, November 15, 2006 - 7:19 pm: |
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well, im kind of bummed that mine does slow down.
its very noticable, and happens at just 17 amps of draw.
i still have a chance to return the supply for an exchange, but if it works like they all do then i dont want to bother with all that.
i wish i had a way to test how many amps this supply will deliver, but i dont have an amp big enough to really put it to the test.
it could definitely be the outlet i plugged it into that is the problem.
i will have to try hooking up my big 22,000uF cap to it and see if that helps.
right now it has 5 10,000uF caps in it.
matt |
Airplane1
Advanced Member
Username: Airplane1
Post Number: 924
Registered: 5-2004
| | Posted on Thursday, November 16, 2006 - 7:17 am: |
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What does changing the caps do?
Can these power supplies be adjusted to put out a bit more volts? |
Hotwire
Senior Member
Username: Hotwire
Post Number: 2029
Registered: 1-2005
| | Posted on Thursday, November 16, 2006 - 1:11 pm: |
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Matt, Oh yeah man! If I was not using a dedicated outlet my fan would slow down also. At just 17 amps you should not really notice it unless the voltage from the outlet is low from other appliances draining it.
I have heard of using a big capacitor to help with peaks but never really thought it would help much and worry about damaging the power supply.
Airplane,A bigger cap would hold a bigger charge. The car stereo guys use caps to supplement the huge surge of power needed when those big bass woofers go BOOM!
About the voltage on the Pyramid supplys. Both of my Pyramid PS52kx supplys have a potentiometer that controls voltage from 12 to 15 volts. One of them actually goes a bit past 16 volts according to an external volt meter. Its potentiometer has been replaced so maybe thats why. Personally I would not want to go higher in volts than what the supply is supposed to do. They build the power supplys in a way to keep the cost down. Generic parts and componets that are rated only for what the supply was intended for. Eventually they would wear out. I'm sure you can go in and rebuild the power supplys with heavy duty parts but I doubt if its worth the time and money.
The Pyramid power supplys are great devices and last for years if used correctly. They will take a big dump if you abuse them very long.
kenny
cef491 |
Kid_vicious
Senior Member
Username: Kid_vicious
Post Number: 2274
Registered: 9-2004
| | Posted on Thursday, November 16, 2006 - 10:37 pm: |
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hotwire,
the reason i like the idea of using a big cap is because our voice peaks are very much like a big bass hit on a car stereo amp.
you want all the juice you can get ready for quick variances in your voice.
these are just my opinions and i dont know enough to say what the effect on the power supply is.
i have been using one on my 10 amp supply for a while now and its working fine.
dont have much time to mess with it these days, lots of home projects to do.
later,
matt |
