Safety in a big, heavy package.
The assembled supply was tested and found to operate as expected. It has been used many times since and proven to be reliable partner. The front of the completed unit:
Figure 15. Front view of the completed supply.
The 4A breakers and access outlet are located in the center. The 10A breakers and access outlet are at right. Labels were added later after acquiring a suitable label printer. Operation is simple: the switch on the far left is turned on, and about one second later, the relay cycle has completed and the front outlets are available for use. The breakers can then be closed in to enable either outlet block.
For the actual outlets, I used the rectangular "Decorator" style units that have become popular in recent years. The rectangular face is just easier to accommodate when cutting a hole. At some point I considered adding a large panic button that would force a disconnect, but that seems like adding overkill to overkill.
The rear side houses the IEC inlet, the system protection breaker, and the fan grills:
Figure 16. Rear view of the completed supply.
Both fans vent outward, drawing air in through the topside vents. That helps ensure ventilation for the main transformer, which will also generate a lot of heat under sustained load.
This was my second power supply project, and well worth the investment. If you experiment with electrical or electronic gear on a recurring basis, consider such a project for your own collection. Then consider that you can probably buy an older isolation transformer kit at a much better price from eBay or surplus. Then consider how much joy you would receive from building a totally excessive project like this one. Choose wisely. §
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