I have had the Samlex 1223 Switching Power Supply connected to an Icom IC-718 for about 5 years and it's almost never been turned off, so that the Icom IC-718 wouldn't lose the frequencies that are in the memories, and so it wouldn't lose the menu settings, etc., when I turn the Icom off.
No problems with it so far, and it runs silently, and I like it very much, except for the terrible RFI that I get all over from it.
I get anywhere from a S-5 to a S-9 noise level all over the HF frequencies, especially on 75 Meters, like a S-8 on 3913 kHz or so, a S-8.5 on 3933.5 or so, s-9 on 3942 kHz or so, etc., and the "whistle" or interference sometimes will move up and down a little bit in frequency, and it's the power supply, because when I turn the power supply off, the noise disappears for a couple of seconds before the rig's power goes off, plus when I connect either an Astron or a Pyramid power supply to the Icom IC-718 there isn't any noise on those frequencies.
I also get the RFI on my public service scanner, like when listening to 2 Meters, as on 144.000 mHz for example, I get a full-scale reading on the interference from the Sec 1223, and on the police frequencies, and even some interference from the Sec 1223 on the FRS frequencies,and it will even interfere with my radio-controlled clock, that will reset itself to the WWV signal, but the signal is blocked by the Sec 1223 if I have it within about six feet or so of the clock, but once I turn the Sec 1223 off, then the clock locks back into the signal, or if I move the Samlex 1223 further away from the radio-controlled clock, the clock also will lock into the WWV signal.
I have tried 8 of those RF chokes from Radio Shack, the ones that you wrap the cable or cords around and through, and can "stack" them, or connect them together in one long chain, both with the power cord wrapped around them and the Icom's power cables wrapped around and through them, I have tried the bleeder resister mod inside of the Sec 1223, which helped to some degree, to slightly decrease the noise level, by maybe 1 s-unit or so, I have placed ferrite beads on the power leads near the power supply's power binding posts, I have grounded the Sec 1223's case to the station ground, which also helped to some degree, to reduce the noise level, but the noise is still bad on some of the frequencies, or near enough to some of the frequencies that I like to listen to, to cause interference.
I used to operate as a Ham from 1986, until 2000, when due to the way I was treated by a bunch of Hams, I had decided to stop being a Ham, but my best friend is still a Ham, and he has been trying to get me back into Ham Radio, so I may give it a second chance, since I have been out of it for about 10 years now, but I am a SWL right now.
As far as the Pyramid and Astron power supplies go, I like them also, but the power transistors, or diodes, the Mospec 2N3055's, back in the heat sink, keep dying on me and I keep having to replace them every year or so, and when using the Astron or Pyramid power supplies, they do create quite a bit of heat, given off from the heat sink, whereas I haven't really noticed much heat given off of the Samlex 1223 .
The meter on the Pyramid PS-21KX has stopped working also and the indicator needle sits at the bottom of the meter, so it doesn't or won't give the approximate power draw, or current draw, either.
In any case, I like the Samlex 1223, except for the RF noise, if it wasn't for that, I'd give the Samlex a great review.
Have a Great Day,
Bernard |