$30 DIY 60A Amateur Radio Power Supply
Save Money and DIY a power supply for your 100w radio
Operating from home with a QRO amateur (100W) radio such as an ICOM, Yaesu, or Elecraft requires a high amperage power supply. Save money and use a HP (Model: HSTNS-PL18) power supply which will give you around 60 amps @ 12VDC. This can be done for as little as $15 and a little soldering.
Tools
Pliers, soldering iron, solder
Skill Level
Easy
Parts
HP HSTNS PL18 Power Supply: These are readily available on eBay
.
3-Prong IEC Power Supply Universal Cable Cord: Look for a one from a major computer company such as Dell, IBM, etc. Also check the wattage the cable is rated for as higher wattage = more allowable amperage. Some of the cheap no-name cables use thinner wire which isn’t doing you any favours when pushing a lot of current through them. I used a IBM power cable that I bought ($7.00) off of eBay.
About 4″ of #10 wire, Yellow ring connectors, and Anderson Power Pole Connectors.
Directions
1. Remove the power plug from the HP power supply (if needed).
2. Solder a piece of wire between pads 1 & 4. When the AC power is plugged in, and pads 1 & 4 are connected, the unit will turn on.
*NOTE: Some people have reported that the wire connection isn’t necessary so try it out before soldering as it might save you some time.
3. Looking down from the top of the unit, and with the power on, verify with a volt meter the positive and negative pads. I labeled mine to prevent any incorrect wiring/polarity.
4. With power removed from unit, drill a hole on each side of the power output. Crimp a ring terminal on each wire and attach using a bolt and nut.
5. On the end of the wires, attach your choice of power connector. I like to use Anderson Power Poles for connection continuity.
6. 3D print the enclosure. My print time on a Prusa i3 MK3S+ was around 4 hours.
7. Remove the small screw on the side of the HP power supply enclosure and discard.
8. Install the cover and install a 3mm x 6mm screw to hold the cover in place. Depending on how tight your cover fits to the power supply you may not need the screw.
9. Test output at the power poles. Verify proper voltage (12VDC) and polarity.
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