Manager


Manager - NA4M
Manager Notes
Reviews Home

Reviews For: Icom PS-55 Power Supply

Category: Power Supplies

eMail Subscription

Registered users are allowed to subscribe to specific review topics and receive eMail notifications when new reviews are posted.
Review Summary For : Icom PS-55 Power Supply
Reviews: 3MSRP:
Description:
A Linear 20A output Power Supply for old and new 100W class Icom radios
Product is in production
More Info: http://
# last 180 days Avg. Rating last 180 days Total reviews Avg. overall rating
0035
N4UE Rating: 2020-03-13
Linear Power Supply. If you have a newer Icom, read this. Time Owned: more than 12 months.
Update 3-13-20. I purchased another PS-55 from eBay recently for VERY cheap. It had a few scratches on the front and the top cover had been drilled in a few places, as if to hang it from a shelf.
It had a very long cable terminated in Power Pole connectors.
I replaced those with the regular Icom/Kenwood 6 pin type. On this one, I changed it to a front mounted on/off switch. For the top cover holes, I just made a handle out of Aluminum. Looks great.

While the cover was off, I tweaked the internal pot to indicate 13.55 VDC (at the radio) when a 100 Watt radio was producing 100 watts output. I was very happy to see VERY little voltage drop through that long cable.

If anyone wants the exact details on the switch mod, contact me at:
n4ue@artrl.net

This is an awesome linear supply that EASILY powers 100 watt radios for a bargain price.

ron
N4UE

Hi. I recently picked up this nice Linear Supply. If you have a newer radio, it will work fine, but not in the same matter as the older rigs, from the time period when it was designed.

I have a 745 I bought new. When the PS-55 is plugged into it, the PS comes on when the radio's power button is actuated. OK.

However, when used with my 706g or my 756PRO, when the PS and either radio is connected, as soon as you plug into 120VAC, the PS turns on, even if the radio is off. A couple of minutes looking at the schematics (with a BIG magnifier!! ha ha), shows that the newer radios have a jumper in the radio, on the PS connector. However, the 745 actually has a switch that turns on the PS.
Why? I can only guess Icom didn't want the newer radios switching on the PS.......

It doesn't matter. The PS works perfect and allows the 756PRO to output the full 100W without any effort.
I did put a very small muffin fan on the bottom of the heatsink. Now, it runs cold and I haven't heard the internal fan turn on since I added the fan. No, you cannot hear the fan running.

These PS are plentiful and affordable.
Have fun, the sunspots are comming!!!!

ron
N4UE
KM0PT Rating: 2011-06-18
Great PS Time Owned: 3 to 6 months.
I have the PS-55 mated to my IC-751a and what a wonderful pair they make! I did my research and bought the best transceiver that I could find and so it is only decent that I do more research and back the exceptional radio up with an exceptional power supply!

The power supply is audibly silent as well as electrically silent with no noticeable ripple current.

A fan is needed for extended high watt digital communications as there is just so much heat that builds up over time. I have not had any problems with this yet, but I just don't like the idea of being able to fry an egg on the heat sink of my radios power supply.

I will recommend this ps to anyone with an older rig that switches the ps on through the radios wiring.
K7TCE Rating: 2011-02-13
Workhorse! Time Owned: more than 12 months.
The PS-55 matches the IC-735 and several other Icom radios. Mine has worked flawlessly for 15 years. There is no on/off switch, you press power on the transceiver and the PS turns on. The initial power surge is a bit noisy, but the PS runs cool and quiet and no sign of hum with mine. It would have been nice to have an aux. power output jack, but since the main transceiver controls the PS-55 I can see why Icom did not include one.