DIY Aircraft Power Supply for GA - Build in 20 Minutes!

[CMMPilot]

Someone may have done this or something similar before, but I decided to film myself building my own Power Supply and uploaded it to YouTube. Check it out and let me know your thoughts. Please be nice....this is my first ever video attempt of this kind and I know it could be better. Constructive Criticism is welcome. Always willing to learn!

Chris

N231JY

 

 

[Greg Ellis]

That was very well done and very informative.  Thanks for posting.

[rickseeman]

I liked it. I'm wanting to build one too. One thing I haven't figured out yet is I see some connectors that are labeled Cessna and in a previous thread it said Mooney was different for some reason. And it explained but I haven't seen the thread lately. Thanks for posting.

[EricJ]

Nicely done!   I wish that power supply had been available when I built mine, as it's a better deal.   Amazon is now showing it for $130, so it's come down a bit since you priced it.

There were a couple editing mistakes but nothing huge.   I did cringe a bit when you were soldering with a torch with the work on a paper desk blotter, but that's just me. 

The voltage indicator in the jumper cables is a nice thing and can be used to check the output, especially when plugged in to the airplane.    A good pre-commissioning check is to make sure it's putting out at least 13.5 volts, and up to 14, especially if you want to use it to charge your battery and not just as a GPU.    It looks like it can be adjusted as high as 16.5V, so checking the output level is worthwhile.  Also, it appears to not have an on/off switch, which might be an issue for some people, or might mean that it needs to be unplugged when not in use.    One disadvantage of mounting it on the wall without an enclosure box is that there is no strain relief on the cable where it attaches to the power supply.   If somebody trips on the cable or bumps it, that stress can go to the connector in the power supply, which might not be good.

It says it's good for "all" batteries, including lithium, but I'd be a little hesitant to leave it hooked up to an aviation AGM battery long term as a smart charger.   There are some optimizations for those that may not be accomodated in this unit.   Concorde suggests using only the aviation smart chargers on their batteries.

For a GPU for doing avionics updates or a recharge or something, though, this is an excellent solution.

[CMMPilot]

On 1/3/2023 at 11:31 AM, EricJ said:

There were a couple editing mistakes but nothing huge.   I did cringe a bit when you were soldering with a torch with the work on a paper desk blotter, but that's just me. 

The voltage indicator in the jumper cables is a nice thing and can be used to check the output, especially when plugged in to the airplane.    A good pre-commissioning check is to make sure it's putting out at least 13.5 volts, and up to 14, especially if you want to use it to charge your battery and not just as a GPU.    It looks like it can be adjusted as high as 16.5V, so checking the output level is worthwhile.  Also, it appears to not have an on/off switch, which might be an issue for some people, or might mean that it needs to be unplugged when not in use.    One disadvantage of mounting it on the wall without an enclosure box is that there is no strain relief on the cable where it attaches to the power supply.   If somebody trips on the cable or bumps it, that stress can go to the connector in the power supply, which might not be good.

Eric, 

Thanks for the Constructive Feedback, I did have a Fire Extinguisher close by, but definitely see your point! (and agree)

I ended up mounting the Power Supply on a Board and then mounting that board onto the wall with Bolts, rather than screws. That was the quick and dirty version to get it done, before we went to dinner...  I did add a strain relief to the cable on the board for your exact reasons. (Great minds think alike)   Unfortunately it does not have a power on/off switch, so I just unplug it when not in use. It would be easy to add a switch if I changed my mind. 

This unit comes with 2 modes: (selectable on the side of the unit)

Charging Mode which will vary the voltage output related to the draw. (13.2V Storage Mode / 13.6V Normal Mode / 14.6V Boost Mode)

Fixed Voltage Mode which is just that. You can adjust the output voltage by turning a small dial on the side, from 13V-16.5V. It will continuously provide the voltage selected.

Not certain which is the best for me, so I set it for Fixed Voltage at 13.6V to run my Avionics, as I don't intend to leave it connected as a battery tender.

Chris

[Fly Boomer]

On 1/3/2023 at 7:33 AM, CMMPilot said:

Constructive Criticism is welcome. Always willing to learn!

I'm just getting around to building this.  Do you have any PIREPS on yours after using it for a couple of months?  Anything you changed, or wish you had done differently?

[CMMPilot]

No real Pirep on this one. Everything works as designed. I do wish the unit had an ON/Off Switch, but it's probably a good idea to unplug it when not in use anyway. Only mod was I mounted a piece of wood to the metal wall, as an insulator, then re-mounted the unit to the wood. Very happy with this simple build.