Power banks?

[bobbass4k]

Not [i]strictly[/i] an effect, but effect related. Anywho, how do people rate [url="http://www.maplin.co.uk/module.aspx?moduleno=31292"]these[/url] power banks from maplins? I've seen quite a few in the pedalboatd porn thread. The 6 connections will be enough for me, but are they any good? To be honest £20 for a power brick seems a lot to me, but it's pretty much the cheapest i can find, AND it's from maplins, quite possibly my favourite ubiquitous chain store.

cheers

Edited September 20, 2008 by bobbass4k

[bass_ferret]

Its cheap enough but very bulky compared to some of the more expensive competition. If you get a wall wart with enough juice like the EBS you can daisy chain off that. I need 12v as well so I am gonna have to spend a ton on something like a T-rex fuel tank.

[Silent Fly]

[quote name='bobbass4k' post='287804' date='Sep 20 2008, 02:22 AM']Not [i]strictly[/i] an effect, but effect related. Anywho, how do people rate [url="http://www.maplin.co.uk/module.aspx?moduleno=31292"]these[/url] power banks from maplins? I've seen quite a few in the pedalboatd porn thread. The 6 connections will be enough for me, but are they any good? To be honest £20 for a power brick seems a lot to me, but it's pretty much the cheapest i can find, AND it's from maplins, quite possibly my favourite ubiquitous chain store.

cheers[/quote]

A while ago I repaired a Dunlop DC-Brick. It was a good opportunity to examine the electronics of this box and check if the claim that "The DC Brick is the most reliable and consistent way to power your effects board" was true.

The circuit analysis showed a simple filtering that almost certainly cuts some noise but I wouldn’t call it (I quote) "the most reliable and consistent way to power your effects board".

The DC-Brick’s "FCLC (Foldback Current Limiting Circuit)” that, according to Dunlop, "provides ultimate protection against power shorts and overloads", is a just a resistor. A resistor that on the 18V outputs, fries if they go in short circuit. An interesting implementation of the “ultimate protection”.

For the price they sell it, I was expecting something better. I don’t know, may be I am too demanding...

I never tried the Maplin Power Bank or examined its circuit but I would be surprised if it doesn’t perform as well as the Dunlop DC-Brick.

[ahpook]

i've got one of those soundlab power banks and it works a treat...gigged it loads of time with no problems.

it is a bit bulky, but not overly so.

[SJA]

I've got the previous version of the Maplin power bank which had a different case, but the exact same spec.
it was a bit noisy- I changed the regulator chip in mine which reduced the noise a bit.

[ahpook]

[quote name='SJA' post='287908' date='Sep 20 2008, 11:26 AM']I've got the previous version of the Maplin power bank which had a different case, but the exact same spec.
it was a bit noisy- I changed the regulator chip in mine which reduced the noise a bit.[/quote]

the newer one must be an improvement...the soundlab is the quietest psu i've got...a [i]lot[/i] guieter than my switched-mode thinger.

what chip did you upgrade to ?

[Dubs]

Yeah I've got one of those. Bulky. Not flashy; Does what it says on the tin. Just a bit of a pain in the arse cos it's bulky. In all honesty the leads it comes with aren't really long enough for what i need it for. I'd offer to sell you mine but realistically it's not worth enough to bother selling it 2nd hand and it's a useful backup to have anyway.

[LowBlow]

Those bricks are just daisy chains in a box which take up space on your board. I've got one of [url="http://www.effectpowersupplies.com/9v-dc-regulated-power-supply-with-integrated-6-way-daisy-chain-2-p.asp"]these[/url] which is tiny. Had no problems with noise or anything.

[dannybuoy]

The Dunlop is as you say just a daisy chain brick. Each pedal shares the same ground connection so you can get ground loops causing noise and sometimes you'll get a pedal with a positive ground that willl just not work with it. More expensive ones like the Voodoo Lab Pedal Power and BBE Supa Charger have isolated outputs (each one takes a seperate output coil from the main transformer). Not sure if this Maplins one has isolated outputs, it doesn't say. But it's only got 450mA on tap, you'd be better off getting something a bit meatier if you have a lot of pedals, or any power hungry digital ones.

[Dubs]

[quote name='LowBlow' post='288498' date='Sep 21 2008, 01:05 PM']Those bricks are just daisy chains in a box which take up space on your board. I've got one of [url="http://www.effectpowersupplies.com/9v-dc-regulated-power-supply-with-integrated-6-way-daisy-chain-2-p.asp"]these[/url] which is tiny. Had no problems with noise or anything.[/quote]

ahh man - good link I was trying to find that site for ages cos i forgot what it was called, but yeah that's the one that I use.

[Silent Fly]

[quote name='dannybuoy' post='288569' date='Sep 21 2008, 04:01 PM']The Dunlop is as you say just a daisy chain brick. [...][/quote]

This is not what I saw when I opened the DC-Brick.

The Dunlop DC-Brick implements a separate filter for every 9V output. It is not a sophisticated filter or something that I would call "the most reliable and consistent way to power your effects board" but it is not a daisy chain in a box either.

Having said that, it is just one step way from a daisy chain

It does have a common ground for all 9V the outputs which doesn't not work with negative-ground pedals or pedals like some EHX.

[escholl]

i've got one of [url="http://www.johnnyshredfreak.com/store/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=8&products_id=12&zenid=c65775eb8170836ceceb4cedf3b1a6ff"]these[/url], works really very well...some others on here have got them as well. never had any noise or smps filtering problems, is smaller than the maplin one, and can supply easily supply 1500ma of current.

[EBS_freak]

[quote name='escholl' post='288697' date='Sep 21 2008, 07:28 PM']i've got one of [url="http://www.johnnyshredfreak.com/store/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=8&products_id=12&zenid=c65775eb8170836ceceb4cedf3b1a6ff"]these[/url], works really very well...some others on here have got them as well. never had any noise or smps filtering problems, is smaller than the maplin one, and can supply easily supply 1500ma of current.[/quote]

+1 x3

[SJA]

[quote name='ahpook' post='287944' date='Sep 20 2008, 12:34 PM']the newer one must be an improvement...the soundlab is the quietest psu i've got...a [i]lot[/i] guieter than my switched-mode thinger.

what chip did you upgrade to ?[/quote]

LM317T

[bobbass4k]

Just thought i should bring some closure to the thread, i eventually ordered one of [url="http://www.johnnyshredfreak.com/store/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=8&products_id=12&zenid=41e3810df33df184edfca67a83c5a144"]these[/url] and a daisy chain. For the time being it'll only be used for my soon-to-arrive giga-delay, crybaby bass and cherry pop, i'll just run my whammy off a seperate socket.

Thanks for the help people!

[phil_the_bassist]

[quote name='benwhiteuk' post='288589' date='Sep 21 2008, 04:27 PM']ahh man - good link I was trying to find that site for ages cos i forgot what it was called, but yeah that's the one that I use.[/quote]

+1, I've been looking for a site I can get supplies for all my pedals (mostly boss type 9v, but I've got a couple of EHX, DOD, Morley etc that take random powersources!)

Cheers!