Power Supply For Multiple Stamps

John Burrow

I have 3 BS2Ps used for control and automation of my railroad, and I'm about to instal the 4th. And there will probably be more in the future....

None of the Stamps are driving anything larger than a reed relay. Most are just sending and recieving messages via SERIN and SEROUT.

I'd like to get rid of the assortment of wall warts I'm currently using, and replace them all with a single power supply.

Can anyone suggest a commercially available power supply? Or can I use a spare PC power supply some how?

Thanks, John Burrow

San Diego

$WMc%

Mr.Burrow

I would look at computer power supply's.Mainly surplus ones like Model# MAP110-S148 from allelectronics.
The best think about these supply's are they Have multi voltage outputs 5v,-5v,12v,-12v, Etc. And their CHEAP!!!
A new 550 Watt supply can be found for as little as $30.00, A new one in the surplus market will run about $10.00
This Will power all 3 of Your BS2 through the Vin pin and just about every thing else You have on the Model Railroad.
I'd keep the·Locomotives on there own power supply's

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Post Edited ($WMc%) : 1/8/2009 1:11:57 AM GMT

Mike Green

There is one major "got ya" with using computer power supplies. They need a minimum load one the +5V supply to regulate properly. If you just attach the BS2s to it, the output voltage may rise to where the BS2s can be damaged. Usually the spec for the power supply lists the minimum current load. The easiest way to provide for that is to wire an appropriate power resistor between the +5V output and ground. We're not talking about a huge amount of power. It's probably a couple of watts.

$WMc%

Mr.Green

I specified the VIN pin for this reason and I have had good luck with it. But it may have been just that "LUCK". The use of a regulating load like a small lamp or resister is a good fail safe. Thanks for pointing this out as I missed it in My post reply!!! I still think these supply's are the easiest and cheapest way to go.

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remmi870

i use old computer power supplies all the time, i have about 6 or 7 laying around, cheap, and powerfull, (most can do around 20amp regulated @12v, they key is you need to jumper the correct wire on the "motherboard" connector(normaly 20-24 pins) and i know its the only green wire in the middle of the connector that you need to jumper to a black ground wire. This should give you a substantial amount of power, and since you dont need to have a full 12v to run the stamps (considering they run at lower voltages) you could run long distances and still have power to run other things. However a word of advice, almost every computer power supply that i have run across uses the ground/nutral of your ac home supply as a earth ground also so if you try to connect all your grounds together or if you accidently connect a ground to your train supply voltage, you may get a short, and you will need to reset the power supply.