Poul-Henning wrote:
So I've been playing around with KICAD and come up with a design with three Traco TEN40WIR DC/DC converters (2x2411 + 2423) running off the +/- 10V rails, and I'm seriously tempted to try order a PCB just to try it out...
Are the Traco converter modules cheaper where you are than here in the US? It looks like the three converters would cost more than $360 here -- almost double what I paid for my most expensive 5370B. I recognize that you get a fair amount in the package, but the regulation and noise specs -- while OK -- are certainly not stellar.
An external fan blowing on the heatsink keeps my 5370s nice and cool, for about $10 each. The ones I use are 120v, clamp-on types sold for making a breeze at a workstation, and are extremely quiet. The heatsinks run barely warm to the touch.
Reducing line consumption by 50w would save about $3 per counter per month here, assuming 24/7 usage. Break-even on the cost of the converters would therefore be ten years, *if the counters were operated 24/7/365*. I sometimes take data for a few months straight, but very, very far from 24/7/365 on average. So for me, break-even would be more like 50 years. Even if you pay a lot more for electricity than we do here, it's still a very long time before you break even.
Speaking of fan noise -- you can't really get away with replacing the internal fan with one that moves less air, so it is hard to find a replacement that generates significantly less noise. If you find one, please share the make and model -- all 5370 owners would love to know.
Best regards, Charles _______________________________________________ time-nuts mailing list -- [email protected] To unsubscribe, go to https://www.febo.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/time-nuts and follow the instructions there.
