Melgar - 26-5-2010 at 07:41
I just got a power supply from a lab at my university where they were getting rid of it:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=20047...
It was missing a fuse and the power cord needed replacing, but once I fixed that it worked fine. 
It can output in either constant current or constant voltage mode, and seems to contain a lot of interesting features.
That eBay auction also links to a user manual that says everything it's capable of. But now I'm wondering whether I should sell it or try to come up
with some use for it.
Mildronate - 26-5-2010 at 11:03
better use it
Lambda-Eyde - 26-5-2010 at 11:24
It may come in handy if you're interested in electrolysis.
Contrabasso - 26-5-2010 at 13:18
Have to say that at 120v and 2.5A max there is little use for that in electrolysis. I'd either look for another use or look for something like 10v
100a for an electrolysis PSU, especially if you can get one with all the protection features.
Mr. Wizard - 27-5-2010 at 13:37
I would have to agree that the power supply would be of little use for electrolysis. The limiting current is 2.5 amp, which is not much for any sort
of electrolysis other than a demonstration or some very small plating job. You need a beefy unit that can deliver some AMPs. Another downside is the
rather high voltage that could give you a nasty surprise. Having a variable voltage is nice, but 120 DC is a dangerous. I've seen wall warts that
could deliver 2.5 amps at 15 volts for 99 cents at yard sales
Consider trading or selling it to somebody for a higher amperage model. HP gear is rather good, and in demand. I suspect you could get enough for it
to get a better unit. How many amps do you need for you electrolysis or plating project? That knowledge will guide you best. It's always easier to
bring amperage down rather than force more out of the wrong unit. I attend many ham radio swap meets in my area, and hefty DC power supplies are
cheaper than that would sell for. BTW if it has the special HP plug, don't lose it, as they are very difficult to find.
chief - 28-5-2010 at 01:31
Could be used for multi-cell-electolysis ... 40 cells, each at 2 A, still means as much conversion as with 1 cell and 80 A ...
The ideal purpose would be to drive some circuit with power-limitation: Some oscillator with a high-voltage-coil or something else that could run away
and eiter burn or go short-circuited ...
Also the manual states about the remote programmind something with Ohms per voltage or amperage ...:
==> That could be used to convert a resistance to either a current or voltage, for whatever purpose ...
Probably there is more than 1 possible thing to do that has a high nonlinearity ... : This device would be ideal to put a constant power or current
into anything such ...
===============
But anyhow 120 V and 2.5 A are not too interesting parameters, except for building electronic circuits maybe ...
==============
Maybe there are electrolyses possible wioth low-conducting electrolytes, eg. organic solvents with the little salt they often only dissolve ...
==> Here maybe someone would dissolve NaCl in acetone and try if any chlor-acetone could be made ...
==> ... the constant-current-feature would allow to handle this ..., the device would automatically regulate the voltage to a high-enough value to
permit the current or low enough to avoid shorting ... ; this would be _very_ difficult with any "standard" supply ...
Who knows: Maybe at 300 [Cels] even paraffines would dissolve somewhat salts and electrolyses would be possible ...
==> ALso probably a little=researched territory, since for any technical-scale conversions the efficiencies would be too low because of the high
needed voltages ... but for the amateur new doors might open ...
quicksilver - 28-5-2010 at 06:15
I agree w/ chief: - there are just too many really wonderfully flexible power supplies for the same or less money that this one would really not get
you much unless you needed a current limiting mains voltage supply & that could be accomplished for one tenth the cost.
I bought a switching supply that offered two 12Vdc @ 30-70A & one 5Vdc @ 150A cooled by 4 fan tunnel cooling (Lamda) for the same price,
For less than 1/2 the cost, I bought a 5Vdc @ 30A Lamda supply that is possibly the best electrolysis supply I have worked with.
For that matter you could simply buy (two) 1200W or a 1000w computer supply's and always use it for double duty. If you're going to spend around $100,
you could get some really fantastic units.
This HP rack-mount, while a really nice PS, is designed for desk testing or design in an arena that utilizes main's voltage.
[Edited on 28-5-2010 by quicksilver]
chief - 28-5-2010 at 07:38
But anyhow the mentioned organic electrolysys could be interesting, to someone who knew how to avoid the dangers ...
==> The fact that the current may be regulated while the voltag could reach 120 V would allow to electrolyze weak-conducting solutions of salts
within organic liquids ... ; who knows which syntheses might be possible that way ...
Maybe electrolyzing a nitrate-salt within some organic could lead directly to a way of nitration, eg., ... or as mentioned dissolving spurious NaCl in
acetone and electrolyzing it could lead to chlor-acetone ... etc. ...