Source of psu for 18Volt Hackers, cheap and with free tool!

[GJR 11L]

Hi All,
I obtained a "Blackspur" branded multi-tool the other day, you know the sort of thing, like a Dremel only cheaper and perhaps better value as these things cost £14.99 only! The device came with lots of blades and collets for the fitting of other types of things but, and here's the good bit and the point of this posting; the device comes with a good quality 18 Volt psu, it's designed to provide up to a whole Ampere so is plenty hefty enough for the radio use and the only thing that you will need to do is fit an inline connector to enable the polarity to be swapped over for the Hackers with a DC input as they're centre pin -ive and the Blackspur psu is +ive.

I didn't bother as I use it inside my RP37 and simply made a loom to allow connection to that set's original terminals, but the best thing is that, even without additional smoothing measures, the thing creates no hum that I can detect, even at the low volumes that the set is used at during the night.

The kit including the (surprisingly good) multi-tool, loads of accessories and the all-important psu cost, like I said, £14.99! Model/type number is BB-MD100.

Go buy one, you know it makes sense!

(I have no commercial interest in the product, its manufacturer or any member of their family, nor have they given me money to plug their product and I don't suppose that Blackspur would have foreseen the thing being put to this use anyway)

[tvden]

Hi can you tell me who is stocking these, as I am interested in buying one many thanks

[Mike Phelan]

Den
In this part of the world you tend to see lots of this Far Eastern like Blackspur, Proline, Tison et al in markets, especially the Sunday variety. Wonder who imports them?

[GJR 11L]

Originally Posted by tvden

Hi can you tell me who is stocking these, as I am interested in buying one many thanks

This came from a small, local shop that sells everything on a "stack it high, flog it cheap" basis, but Blackspur stuff also comes from branches of Parkers Tools, the nearest one to here being 30 Miles to the South, at the Metrocentre.

[Nickthedentist]

That sounds like a good deal, John.

But if you want just a PSU, 200mA is more than ample, and CPC does a suitable regulated one for £8.50 + VAT: http://cpc.farnell.com/jsp/endecaSea...sp?SKU=PW00506

Nick.

[GJR 11L]

Originally Posted by Nickthedentist

That sounds like a good deal, John.

But if you want just a PSU, 200mA is more than ample, and CPC does a suitable regulated one for £8.50 + VAT: http://cpc.farnell.com/jsp/endecaSea...sp?SKU=PW00506

Nick.

True, however a 200mA one won't run my laptop and that, plus my portable Bluetooth printer both came here minus psu/charger so in my case it was worth having the thing. The tool's pretty good too, the collets can be used in a Dremel as well and the speed is variable up to 18,000 rpm, ideal for polishing those hinges on such as the RP25's rear door. More torque than the Dremel too, which would have stalled far sooner with the polishing mop fitted.

Accepted that the Farnell device is the ideal thing for the job though!

[paulsherwin]

There are lots of these Dremel copies around, and I've seen them as cheap as £7.99. I've got one and they work well enough.

Quite a few wall warts will provide the 18V for a radio. I always keep old wall warts and have a shoebox full of them in the loft A big unregulated 9V or 12V one will often supply around 18V offload and at typical listening levels.

HP inkjet printers and some others use a 30V wall wart (strictly speaking, a lump-in-the-cord). You can build a matchbox adapter with an LM317 to turn these into a regulated 18V supply.

Paul

[Nickthedentist]

Originally Posted by paulsherwin

I always keep old wall warts and have a shoebox full of them in the loft

A mere shoebox full, Paul? And it's light enough to go in the loft? You're obviously new to this game!

Personally, I've got three-quarters of a tea-chest full in the garage

Nick

[Phil G4SPZ]

Many laptop PSUs deliver 18-19 volts, and I've seen many of these supplies for sale very cheaply at Amateur Radio rallies.

Phil

[paulsherwin]

Originally Posted by G4SPZ

Many laptop PSUs deliver 18-19 volts, and I've seen many of these supplies for sale very cheaply at Amateur Radio rallies.

They are mostly switch mode though, so might be a bit noisy for radio use. Switch mode supplies are steadily replacing transformers in even very low current wall warts now - my last mobile phone charger was a tiny SMPS in a plug top. (It lasted about a week )

Paul

[dave walsh]

When I went to the Worthing Rally at Newhaven in 2005 you got a substantial WW just for attending [ie giveaway]. These were 17v so probaly would fit the bill on load. No idea what they were for or why 17v? Dave

[dave walsh]

If you've got acces to radiophile No 75 there is a picture of a Hacker Hunter with a "home brew" 18v PS which is actually made by Esther Ltd of Stevenage. Not exactlky readily available I know but it may be to someone! sorry can't do a picture. dave