Here’s a combination of two important electronics workbench tools into a single, cleanly-assembled unit. [uGen] created a DC power supply complete with a plug for the popular TS100 soldering iron, and it looks great! Most of the main components are familiar offerings, like a LM2596 DC to DC buck converter board and a DPS3003 adjustable DC power supply unit (we previously covered a DIY power supply based around the similar DPS5005.) The enclosure is an economical, featureless desktop instrument case whose panels were carefully cut to fit the necessary components. There’s one limitation to the combo: the unit uses a switch to either power an attached TS100 iron, or act as a general DC power supply. It cannot do both at once. So long as one doesn’t mind that limitation, it’s a nice bundle made from very affordable components.
It’s easy for something to look like a hack job, but to look clean and professional involves thoughtful measurement, planning, and assembly. Fortunately, [uGen] has supplied all the drawings and bill of materials for the project so there’s no need to start from scratch. Also, don’t forget that if the capabilities of the DPS power supply units leave you wanting a bit more, there is alternative firmware in the form of OpenDPS; it even offers a remote control feature by adding an ESP8266.
Yes, doesn’t it look lovely! Where’s yours? Don’t be frightened! Are you worried somebody will be condescending and snarky if you share your project?
I like this project and others like it, and look forward to more people sharing what they can do with off-the-shelf modules to suit their needs. Each iteration is different and everybody has a different set of tools and skills: that’s what makes these projects interesting and worth covering.
If I understood correctly, it uses the voltage se in the PSU part of it to power the soldering iron.
But that requires the user to set the correct voltage for the iron.
A better approach wouldn´t be powering the iron from the main psu, as that is always at a fixed voltage ? What voltage does those ts100 irons need ?
It can use 12 to 24V. But best used at 22-24V because then it has the highest power.
You can set voltage limits on the power supply to keep from burning it by accident.
I think he did it that way so he can see how much the iron draws. I have a small meter module in my 3d printed TS-100 base just for that. Very little practical use but sure is fun to look at.
Having to turn off the soldering iron to use the power supply would be incredibly annoying.
But then so would having to turn off the power supply and wait for the iron to heat up.
This is actually a safety interlock feature that prevents you from soldering something while it’s turned on.
The type of user who requires the protection of such an interlock is the type of user that also wouldn’t know which end of a soldering iron to hold, and shouldn’t be near one.
Also the same sort of user who would forget to set the power supply to the correct voltage for the iron before flipping the switch. Programmable preset or not, that annoyance would make this disappear off my bench doublequick.
Some people are intelligent but clumsy, I have many times, worked on something powered by mistake.
I would appreciate a feature like that. To spite the fact that I am an Automation Systems Integrator for a large automation firm, I still f-up on the daily because I cant focus on one thing at a time.
To be honest I often use a pen grip on my iron, and we all know how that goes.
The type of user who requires such protection is human. You’re not immune from accidents regardless of how intelligent you are.
+1
If you give the iron 22V to 24V it heats up in 11s. But I still would not accept such a limitation or built it like that. I would accept a power limitation, so that you can not use full power of he PSU if the TS100 is running. but this switching back and forth and changing the voltage setting is not OK.
Yet when I express exactly the same 2 sentiments…poof!
I do not think the either or (power supply or iron) situation is not in itself a bad thing, at work I have watched many start soldering on a powered circuit to much amusement, and at home I am always yanking wires either at the device side or the power side to solder something … then wonder why its not working with the positive lead dangling
Soldering on a circuit that is powered on isn’t that bad. You just must be aware of the fact that your iron is connected to ground (or weakly connected to ground through a 1M Ohm resistor). As long as your circuit is not referenced to ground there is no problem. For instance in a battery powered circuit. Though you must only do this if you are aware of the effects of your iron touching the powered circuit…
But it is certainly good practice to power off your circuit before working on it!
Looks a bit like a smaller Version of what i build some time ago:
http://der-frickler.net/_media/modellbau/sonstiges/bench_power.jpg
Step-Up to 24v to power the TS100 and power supply from a laptop power supply or a 3-4S lipo battery,
Regulated banana outlets for the power supply, 24V on XT60 for the TS-100
Power switch and USB-Ports for Phone charging and working light on top
Works great on the bench as well as on the flying field ;_)
Great build! Do you have moire info on it? Did you use a RJ45 plug for the TS100?!
Sorry.
Yet another website that requires you to “join the community” and log in.
Fail.
@Y Knot,
Really? I can see and download all the project content on the OpenBuilds site, including the comments. Yeah, maybe if I want to comment myself I would need to make an account then login to the OpenBuilds site, which is reasonable IMO. So where is this “join the community” problem you are talking about?