12v power source

Sam D

Sam D

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Feb 27, 2006
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Petaluma, CA
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Sam D
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Petaluma (o69)
What's the cheapest/easiest way to create a power source for bench testing things like nav lights. Just get a 12v battery?
 
i believe a 9V regular battery will let you test things like nav lights
 
12V battery, or build one out of a surplus computer power supply.
 
Sam D said:
What's the cheapest/easiest way to create a power source for bench testing things like nav lights. Just get a 12v battery?
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Define cheap. If testing portable items use the battery on your vehicle or riding lawn mower. But if want a dedicated bench source a couple 6v lantern batteries, extra power adapters with required output, etc. Have used various methods over the years but if need to check any higher amperage items a more conventional battery would be better.
 
When it finally became time to power the main bus on my homebuilt I was scared to death to hook up the battery. I had no idea if the hundreds of wires i had installed were really done properly. I had visions of my entire panel turning into a smoking mess.

Someone suggested i use a simple 9 volt battery to test most of my systems. Not knowing much about electrical sustems i was kind of shocked that it worked through my main bus. I just alligator clipped the tiny battery to my battery cables and it worked like a charm. One benefit was that there was not enough power in the 9 volt to do serious damage to any of my systems.

Of course it depends on the load. If you're testing non-led strobes, for example, it probably wont work.
 
Thanks all. Just the kind of input I was looking for. Lots of good ideas here.
 
They have a variety of units depending on your requirements. I have used these switching power supplies for a long time to power amateur radio transmitters.CAD7E8F7-1CC9-49EE-A0DC-FD867DD9F1E5.png
 
On the models I have purchased, you can adjust the regulated output voltage between 5 to 15 volts dc.
 
I thought battery chargers were current sources, not voltage sources?
 
Also, good job testing lights before installing them.
 
Doug Reid said:
They have a variety of units depending on your requirements. I have used these switching power supplies for a long time to power amateur radio transmitters.View attachment 78007
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I bought the 10 amp model of this power supply to use on my bench. I've powered up various avionics with it, it works well. And, it'll be what I use to power up my instrument panel for the first time when I get it put together.
 
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