[Milsurplus] Modern Power Supply

[David Stinson]

As a user of switcher supplys for mil radios, a couple of tips:

Most (not all) of these multi-voltage switchers *must* have a load on every
output for it to work properly.  Minimum load is usually an amp or two.
If you leave it unloaded, see it it "pumps" (ramp up volts too high, shut
down, do it again several times a second). If it does, you need to load the
output.
For a typical load of 24 volts at an amp, you need around
24 ohms at more than 25 watts across the output all the time.
Calculate for the other outputs as well.
These things make a good heater.
If you're not going to use the 12 or 5 volt outputs,
you should disable them by removing them from their rack mounting.

Also, they don't like surge current.  If you're going to try running dynos,
hang some big "computer grade" caps
(50 to 200,000 mfd or more) across the output to take the starting surge.
If you don't, it will shut down on you every time.

p.s. $65 seems pretty stiff for these surplus supplies.
Maybe I'm just cheap ;-).