Vintage Farnell TSV30/2 EC 0-30V 2A power supply - UK Vintage Radio Repair and Restoration Discussion Forum

Valve'n'vinyl · 17th Apr 2014, 2:12 am

Does anyone know if these are any good or not? To clarify, are they smooth, do they have issues or quirks ..or are they fine?

Radio Wrangler · 17th Apr 2014, 7:31 am

I know their later power supplies fairly well, but not one that early. As for quirks, it has an overcurrent trip rather than the now more common continuous limiter. For only a 60W PSU it has a transformer tapping switch to optimise efficiency. I suspect you'll find it uses Germanium power transistors. I've never seen wood on a Farnell PSU before.

If the electrolytics are OK, you can expect it to have good low ripple. If you use it to power something whose current demand fluctuates you may find the response a bit slow. It wasn't seen as an important parameter then.

It all depends what you want to do with it.

David

threeseven · 17th Apr 2014, 10:36 am

Well, well! It's a small world! Never thought I'd see another one of those apart from mine!
Your example is in marvelous condition though, mine is a bit battle weary! Haven't managed to test drive mine yet so I can't report on it's performance but being Farnell I can't imagine being anything but good.

ronbryan · 17th Apr 2014, 2:12 pm

We had several of those in the lab at work (in the '60s), singles and duals as I recall . Apart from the overcurrent trip, as mentioned by David, rather than constant current limiter, which made driving lamps a bit critical, the only problem I recall was that the terminals/binding posts had all stripped and would not tighten, so I replaced them with more modern 4mm types. I fixed them to the panel with araldite, as the original keyed cut-out was a little large for the replacements.

Ron

Valve'n'vinyl · 17th Apr 2014, 9:35 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by threeseven

Well, well! It's a small world! Never thought I'd see another one of those apart from mine!

Sadly , it is not mine I wish it was, I am quite surprised as I thought people would suck their teeth, wince

and make all sorts of tutting noises at the mention of such an old PSU . But up to now feedback seems to be good . It would be nice to lay my hands on one as I do not have a bench power supply at the moment . It is for radio (receiver) work ,so nothing demanding . I am sick of trying to take transistor voltages with a Yuasa battery that suddenly loses voltage then has to have a 12hr charge. I want a linear supply and this seemed to fit the bill. I will just have to keep an eye open on the popular auction site for one . @threeseven , You are lucky to have a nice unit , if you want rid, I may well be interested !

I wonder if they pop up regularly ?

emeritus · 18th Apr 2014, 1:50 am

I remember a Farnell advert of the late 1970's that featured a photo of an early L30 power supply with the caption "our biggest competitor": so many of the old ones were still giving sterling service that there was little incentive to buy new ones. We certainly had a good few at Plessey: the older models had plain screw terminals without a 4mm socket.

Valve'n'vinyl · 18th Apr 2014, 5:32 pm

That says it all ! HA! Well I will definitively keep an eye out for one , missed the last one only by days.

cmjones01 · 19th Apr 2014, 6:13 pm

You'll find that any of the Farnell power supplies will do the job, and the newer (1970s/1980s) ones will probably do it better than this one even if they don't look as pretty. Almost every electronics lab in the country had at least one in (that's only a mild exaggeration) so it shouldn't be hard to find one secondhand. I have an L30/2 and a 30V 5A one I can't remember the model number of, both a bit battle-scarred, both in daily use, both reliable. Recommended.

Chris

evingar · 19th Apr 2014, 7:20 pm

I have a B30/20 (30V 20 Amp) built like a brick outhouse - seriously heavy. I would wager though that it will still be going long after more modern (lighter weight) linear PSU's are in landfill.

threeseven · 19th Apr 2014, 7:33 pm

I have one of those, there was also the B30/10. These don't have any meters or current limit though.

MotorBikeLes · 20th Apr 2014, 9:29 am

I used to have the 30v 2 amp unit (forgot its number) which had a biggish tapped transformer. It was intended for "in panel", fixed voltage use. If using near 30V, use full Tx output, if down at say 5v, tap at halfway. I fitted an external adjuster and it served me one or two decades. I gave it to my son, but he probably never used it. Now I have a LS30-10. Fully adjustable for o/p voltage and o/p current limit. The little graph on the front indicates 2amp at 30v, and 10a amp at 6v.
very usefull for all manner of jobs, but recently it started playing up, with voltage display wandering about.
A strip down revealed a few elcos needing changing, and possibly a dry joint. I forget (even though it was only a couple of months ago), but it was all "obvious". It was full of black dust from the rubbishy thin black foam, but that was removed with the compressor, and since then it has been flawless once more.
Les.

Julesomega · 4th May 2014, 11:38 am

That TSV30/2 EC seems to use switched transformer taps plus a conventional regulator to keep the dissipation sensibly low at low OP voltages. A decade or so later Philips lab PSUs had thyristor pre-regulators to achieve the same control of dissipation eg PE1512 or PE1642.
From the same era the TSV 50-5 used a single voltage control by having a variac ganged to a pot to give full-range voltage control, as seen in the photos of one currently on offer. The cut-out relay is also visible. These must have been high-end supplies only for the best-funded labs!

17th Apr 2014, 2:12 am	#1
Valve'n'vinyl Pentode Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Scarborough , North Riding of Yorkshire Posts: 202	Vintage Farnell TSV30/2 EC 0-30V 2A power supply Does anyone know if these are any good or not? To clarify, are they smooth, do they have issues or quirks ..or are they fine? Attached Thumbnails

17th Apr 2014, 7:31 am	#2
Radio Wrangler Moderator Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: Fife, Scotland, UK. Posts: 22,863	Re: Vintage Farnell TSV30/2 EC 0-30V 2A power supply I know their later power supplies fairly well, but not one that early. As for quirks, it has an overcurrent trip rather than the now more common continuous limiter. For only a 60W PSU it has a transformer tapping switch to optimise efficiency. I suspect you'll find it uses Germanium power transistors. I've never seen wood on a Farnell PSU before. If the electrolytics are OK, you can expect it to have good low ripple. If you use it to power something whose current demand fluctuates you may find the response a bit slow. It wasn't seen as an important parameter then. It all depends what you want to do with it. David __________________ Can't afford the volcanic island yet, but the plans for my monorail and the goons' uniforms are done

17th Apr 2014, 10:36 am	#3
threeseven Octode Join Date: May 2010 Location: Worcestershire, UK. Posts: 1,880	Re: Vintage Farnell TSV30/2 EC 0-30V 2A power supply Well, well! It's a small world! Never thought I'd see another one of those apart from mine! Your example is in marvelous condition though, mine is a bit battle weary! Haven't managed to test drive mine yet so I can't report on it's performance but being Farnell I can't imagine being anything but good. __________________ BVWS member

17th Apr 2014, 2:12 pm	#4
ronbryan Octode Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Guildford, Surrey, UK. Posts: 1,959	Re: Vintage Farnell TSV30/2 EC 0-30V 2A power supply We had several of those in the lab at work (in the '60s), singles and duals as I recall . Apart from the overcurrent trip, as mentioned by David, rather than constant current limiter, which made driving lamps a bit critical, the only problem I recall was that the terminals/binding posts had all stripped and would not tighten, so I replaced them with more modern 4mm types. I fixed them to the panel with araldite, as the original keyed cut-out was a little large for the replacements. Ron

18th Apr 2014, 1:50 am	#6
emeritus Dekatron Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: Brentwood, Essex, UK. Posts: 5,337	Re: Vintage Farnell TSV30/2 EC 0-30V 2A power supply I remember a Farnell advert of the late 1970's that featured a photo of an early L30 power supply with the caption "our biggest competitor": so many of the old ones were still giving sterling service that there was little incentive to buy new ones. We certainly had a good few at Plessey: the older models had plain screw terminals without a 4mm socket.

18th Apr 2014, 5:32 pm	#7
Valve'n'vinyl Pentode Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Scarborough , North Riding of Yorkshire Posts: 202	Re: Vintage Farnell TSV30/2 EC 0-30V 2A power supply That says it all ! HA! Well I will definitively keep an eye out for one , missed the last one only by days.

19th Apr 2014, 6:13 pm	#8
cmjones01 Nonode Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Warsaw, Poland and Cambridge, UK Posts: 2,677	Re: Vintage Farnell TSV30/2 EC 0-30V 2A power supply You'll find that any of the Farnell power supplies will do the job, and the newer (1970s/1980s) ones will probably do it better than this one even if they don't look as pretty. Almost every electronics lab in the country had at least one in (that's only a mild exaggeration) so it shouldn't be hard to find one secondhand. I have an L30/2 and a 30V 5A one I can't remember the model number of, both a bit battle-scarred, both in daily use, both reliable. Recommended. Chris __________________ What's going on in the workshop? http://martin-jones.com/

19th Apr 2014, 7:20 pm	#9
evingar Octode Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Newbury, Berkshire, UK. Posts: 1,770	Re: Vintage Farnell TSV30/2 EC 0-30V 2A power supply I have a B30/20 (30V 20 Amp) built like a brick outhouse - seriously heavy. I would wager though that it will still be going long after more modern (lighter weight) linear PSU's are in landfill. __________________ Chris

19th Apr 2014, 7:33 pm	#10
threeseven Octode Join Date: May 2010 Location: Worcestershire, UK. Posts: 1,880	Re: Vintage Farnell TSV30/2 EC 0-30V 2A power supply I have one of those, there was also the B30/10. These don't have any meters or current limit though. __________________ BVWS member

20th Apr 2014, 9:29 am	#11
MotorBikeLes Nonode Join Date: Dec 2012 Location: Kirk Michael, Isle of Man Posts: 2,350	Re: Vintage Farnell TSV30/2 EC 0-30V 2A power supply I used to have the 30v 2 amp unit (forgot its number) which had a biggish tapped transformer. It was intended for "in panel", fixed voltage use. If using near 30V, use full Tx output, if down at say 5v, tap at halfway. I fitted an external adjuster and it served me one or two decades. I gave it to my son, but he probably never used it. Now I have a LS30-10. Fully adjustable for o/p voltage and o/p current limit. The little graph on the front indicates 2amp at 30v, and 10a amp at 6v. very usefull for all manner of jobs, but recently it started playing up, with voltage display wandering about. A strip down revealed a few elcos needing changing, and possibly a dry joint. I forget (even though it was only a couple of months ago), but it was all "obvious". It was full of black dust from the rubbishy thin black foam, but that was removed with the compressor, and since then it has been flawless once more. Les.

4th May 2014, 11:38 am	#12
Julesomega Nonode Join Date: Dec 2012 Location: Stockport, Greater Manchester, UK. Posts: 2,102	Re: Vintage Farnell TSV30/2 EC 0-30V 2A power supply That TSV30/2 EC seems to use switched transformer taps plus a conventional regulator to keep the dissipation sensibly low at low OP voltages. A decade or so later Philips lab PSUs had thyristor pre-regulators to achieve the same control of dissipation eg PE1512 or PE1642. From the same era the TSV 50-5 used a single voltage control by having a variac ganged to a pot to give full-range voltage control, as seen in the photos of one currently on offer. The cut-out relay is also visible. These must have been high-end supplies only for the best-funded labs!