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Reviews For: Samlex SEC-1223

Category: Power Supplies

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Review Summary For : Samlex SEC-1223
Reviews: 157MSRP: 129.99
Description:
Switching Power Supply

Helpful RFI reduction mod by ZL2DF: http://www.n0ss.net/samlex_1223_rfi_mods_from_zl2df.pdf
Product is in production
More Info: http://www.samlexamerica.com
# last 180 days Avg. Rating last 180 days Total reviews Avg. overall rating
001574.4
N3ZKP Rating: 2003-05-17
No Problems Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I have been using one for my 'drag-along-rig (DX-70TH) for two years now with no problems.

For the previous poster, send that puppy back! That voltahe drop is NOT normal. Mine handles a 100w radio, and external Timewave DSP with no drop at all.

No rf hash anywhere on HF that I can find, either.

Lon
KC0KQB Rating: 2003-05-17
not satisfied with it Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I just got my new samlex 1223 in to use with my icom-1200h. the supply voltage drops to ten volts when I use it on high power, 50 watts. The dial lights dim. I just ordered a Kenwood TS50S. I was going to use the samlex for it, but if it won't handle 50 watts on the IC 1200H, I know it wont handle 100 watts on the TS50S. I ordered it from AES. Any suggestions?
KC2GOW Rating: 2003-04-14
BEST POWER SUPPLY EVER BOUGHT!! Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I have run the power supply at least 20 hrs. a day. This is a superb product that cannot be killed. We have 3-4 of them. Excellent for QRP,listening for band openings,and etc.... Small compact and runs very cool. No complaints about the hook-up terminals in the rear. There are a couple of features that I would like to see added, but it is a decent basic power supply.
Good Luck 73's
ANDY KC2GOW
N0TONE Rating: 2003-03-24
Problems for lowbanders Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I have to give this supply a VERY guarded review!

The switcher generates hash every 15kHz on 160 and 80 meters. It is near-field hash. If you're lucky enough to have your antenna a good distance from the supply, you'll do OK. Unfortunately, because of restrictions, my antenna is in my attic - 15 feet above the supply. I get a spur every 15kHz on 160 and 80. On 160, they are 20dB over S9, and on 80 meters they are S9. They sound like the old 15kHz horizontal sweep oscillators used to from old TVs (I still hear those sometimes, but they're propagated in). I can also hear the spurs on 40 meters.

The problem is bad enough that last field day, I took a linear supply with me, but heard the 15kHz junk from the adjacent tent's Samlex. I went over to see how they were coping. They heard the spurs on 80 meters, also, but explained them as being "guys tuning up, and consumer product signals". I reached over, and flipped the switch on their Samlex. The moment the switch was thrown, the spurs swept off frequency, before the PS went out of regulation. That proved it.

A mile down the road is a ham with a tribander. He says he can hear my Samlex on 20 meters if he aims his beam my direction.

Samlex replaced it three times for me, and has said "our customers using it for CB have never complained." I can believe that - the spurs get much weaker at higher frequencies.

If you don't do weak signals on 160 or 80, it'll probably work for you.

Of course, you hear nothing on transmit - think about it. If you're transmitting FM, the spurs would be AM, and an FM receiver would not hear them. If you're running SSB/CW/AM, you should not be running your rig at saturation, so the spurs won't end up on your carrier anyway.

The scope shows that the output includes ringing of about 50mV peak to peak - WAY too much. It's about a 250kHz sine wave, with a 15kHz "ping" buried in it.

I have successfully cleaned one of them up. In order to do so, I had to heavily filter the incoming AC line (there's no filter keeping the switching noise off the line cord), heavily filter the outgoing 12VDC and put the entire thing in a proper floating, shielded box. In the end, I had a supply that weighed almost as much, and was physically larger, than a Kenwood PS-30, and cost a lot more, if I counted my time at $5 per hour.

If I hadn't bought it from a store closing sale, I'd have asked for my money back.

AM
W0FM Rating: 2003-01-09
My Favorite Time Owned: more than 12 months.
originally purchased the SEC-1223 for a "vacation" supply because it was small and lightweight. Then my Yaesu supply at the shack gave up the ghost and I pressed the Samlex into service there. It ran quiet and cool with no hash. Now I own three 1223's. My only concern was that the connections on the rear of the 1223 either had to be via bananna plugs or a screwdriver was necessary to connect a power cord. I made up a short pigtail that was permanently attached to the 1223 and terminated in Anderson Power Poles and now connection to any of my equipment is quick and easy. Terry, WØFM
KB1IIW Rating: 2003-01-09
Great supply Time Owned: 6 to 12 months.
I have had mine for about a year now and have had no problems with it. I got the BBM-12100 backup module for it from samlex also. If you have batteries and want them always ready I would recommend the BBM-12100 along with this supply (or any supply for that matter). No noise and no bulk.. Thanks samlex
K4IA Rating: 2003-01-08
Great Power Supply Time Owned: more than 12 months.
Last Field Day it was hot and my partner's heavy-as-an-anchor power supply over heated and kicked out. No problem, I had my little light-weight SEC 1223 and we were back in no time. We ran hard and steady more than 18 hours on 40 CW and it never got any warmer than the ambient temperature on a Virginia summer day. No birdies buzzes or problems that I have found. Highly recommend.
KG4WPT Rating: 2003-01-08
YOU WON'T GO WRONG!! Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
Just outstanding for it's size. As silent as the grave and supplies plenty of power for my 706 MK11G. I don't think this supply knows HOW to get hot, even after extended hours of constant use. The folks at SEC have produced a supply that ranks with the big boys at half the price. My hat is off to them!!!.I'd buy another one in an instant if I needed one.
M5RIC Rating: 2002-11-11
Great! Time Owned: 3 to 6 months.
I Bought this S/H early this year ready for the IOTA contest in July. I took my TS-570 and the PSU to Malta for the contest and it worked great. No noise - FAN, RF etc at all. The PSU was used for about 30 hours without being turned off and didn't get hot at all. Its lightwight and will run a 100W HF rig with ease.

If you need a PSU for a holiday/dxpedition or contest trip get this one!
WQ5MM Rating: 2002-11-11
Great power supply Time Owned: 3 to 6 months.
Needed a ps to run the Alinco DX70T in the house,
after reading the reviews here I settled on the
1223, and have been satisfied with it.
73's WQ5MM