UltraCap™ LPS-1 Operation and Pre-purchase thread

[Superdad]

8 minutes ago, hurka said:

http://www.capcomp.de/fileadmin/Webdata/partner/NESSCAP/Datasheet-cell/NCE_2017_Data_2.7V10F.pdf

 

Yes, that is the part we use (12 pieces on each LPS-1 and now 14 pieces on each LPS-1.2).  Did you have a point you wanted to make by posting the link?

 

By the way, Nesscap was bought out by Maxwell last year.  Now our costs will go up in the future and it will be harder to find stock. Luckily I was smart and have stockpiled many thousands of pieces at a good price (38% below what Maxwell is charging).  

[hurka]

1 minute ago, Superdad said:

 

Yes, that is the part we use (12 pieces on each LPS-1 and now 14 pieces on each LPS-1.2).  Did you have a point you wanted to make by posting the link?

 

By the way, Nesscap was bought out by Maxwell last year.  Now our costs will go up in the future and it will be harder to find stock. Luckily I was smart and have stockpiled many thousands of pieces at a good price (38% below what Maxwell is charging).  

just think about spec. between 100F and 10F .....I never trialed 10F

[tboooe]

Question...I need to figure out where to position my LPS-1.  One option requires me to use a 1m DC cable, the other other requires me to use a 1m AC cable.  In general, should I keep the AC or DC cable short?  The DC cable will be a starquad (Canare 4S6) maybe with the JS ground.

[mozes]

49 minutes ago, tboooe said:

Question...I need to figure out where to position my LPS-1.  One option requires me to use a 1m DC cable, the other other requires me to use a 1m AC cable.  In general, should I keep the AC or DC cable short?  The DC cable will be a starquad (Canare 4S6) maybe with the JS ground.

Keep the AC long and DC short.

[Cyrus]

@Superdad

 

I'd like to use my extra LPS-1 to power my router (5V ~ 3A), however I need a new DC cable to do so. Specifically a micro usb male connector for the router side. 

 

Can you custom make one or can you recommend a vendor that does?

 

Thanks.

[pl_svn]

sorry but... the LPS-1 only delivers 1A: you can't use it to power your router if, as you write, it needs a 3A PS

[Cyrus]

@pl_svn  Thank you. Yes, then it will not work in that application.

[JohnSwenson]

2 hours ago, Cyrus said:

@pl_svn  Thank you. Yes, then it will not work in that application.

Does it really take 3A? Many devices take considerably less current than the rating of the supply they come with. If in doubt there are inexpensive USB current meters you can use to actually measure how much it takes. Amazon has about 20 of them for $10.

 

John S.

 

 

[Cyrus]

@JohnSwenson   My gut tells me it's draw will be less than spec'd. No harm in picking up a meter as you suggest, John. I now have two idle LPS-1sthat I'd like to put to use (since getting the Signature Rendu SE).  Thanks for your response.

[Cyrus]

@JohnSwenson  Here is what I got:  https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07BP3ZXDT/ref=psdc_14244481_t2_B073R7YRM9

 

If you have another recommendation, let me know. The router's micro USB (C) input is tough to reach, so I will need to pick up a female to male extender.

[mansr]

6 hours ago, Cyrus said:

I'd like to use my extra LPS-1 to power my router (5V ~ 3A), however I need a new DC cable to do so. Specifically a micro usb male connector for the router side. 

Where are you getting that current figure? Micro USB connectors are generally not rated for that much. It might help if you named the model of your router.

 

[Cyrus]

@mansr  Google WiFi  5V~3A  Image below.

[Superdad]

12 minutes ago, Cyrus said:

Google WiFi  5V~3A  Image below.

 

That's Google's AC1200 wifi mesh router. (https://store.google.com/us/product/google_wifi_specs?hl=en-US)  If you click the down arrow in the power section of this spec page, it will say the adapter is 15w but consumption is 9w.  

So at 5V that's going to be 1.8A--outside the range of our UltraCap units.

Sorry.

[Cyrus]

@Superdad  Thanks. 

 

And thanks for all who replied. I will move forward on using my HDPLEX via the GX16-2 to USB Type C cable (to be ordered from Ghent Audio). 

 

Any ideas on how to repurpose my two LPS-1s? ?

[genjamon]

Since you have two LPS-1’s, I think you can run them in parallel to double the current to 2A at 5V. Given the latest report on current demands, that might be enough?

 

Is it really limited to 5V? If it can take 12V, , then you can get by with less than 1A, and the LPS-1.2 would work. This is the case with my router. LPS-1 can’t power it, but LPS-2 can because of getting up to 12V input the router’s current demands are just below 1A.

[Superdad]

15 minutes ago, genjamon said:

Since you have two LPS-1’s, I think you can run them in parallel to double the current to 2A at 5V.

 

Sorry, but while you can run our UltraCap supplies in series for higher voltages--or in series and center-tapped to make a nice bi-polar (+/-) supply--paralleling for higher current does not work, as small mismatch between units results in most all the load landing on one or the other.  It takes my hand-picking pairs of boards that deliver--at a given current--output voltage within 10mV or less of each other, and then using at least 24-inches of equal length output cables to add some resistance.  I have done it a couple of times, but it is not a service we offer.

[Superdad]

22 minutes ago, genjamon said:

Is it really limited to 5V? If it can take 12V, , then you can get by with less than 1A, and the LPS-1.2 would work. This is the case with my router. LPS-1 can’t power it, but LPS-1.2 can because of getting up to 12V input the router’s current demands are just below 1A.

 

That indeed may be the case, and indeed at 12V/1.1A the LPS-1.2 puts out 13.2 watts.  But @Cyrus is trying to find a use for his original LPS-1 units, and top voltage for them is 7V, so 7.7W max.

[Ryelands]

 

12 hours ago, Cyrus said:

Any ideas on how to repurpose my two LPS-1s? ?

 

The idea wasn't mine but I noticeably improved the sound quality of an Intona isolator and a WaveIO USB>I2S each powered by its own LPS-1 set to 5 volts by switching the LPS-1s to 7v and fitting 5v LT3045 regulator boards between them and the target device. Ditto for LAN switches where I fitted 3.3v LT3045 boards internally.

 

When funds permit, I'll be upgrading the LPS-1s that power my DIY'd Network Audio Adapters as they need at least 7v but the lesson is surely that the LPS-1 didn't suddenly become obsolete just because a better Vreg came on the market.

 

HTH

 

Dave

[mansr]

12 hours ago, Superdad said:

Sorry, but while you can run our UltraCap supplies in series for higher voltages--or in series and center-tapped to make a nice bi-polar (+/-) supply--paralleling for higher current does not work, as small mismatch between units results in most all the load landing on one or the other.  It takes my hand-picking pairs of boards that deliver--at a given current--output voltage within 10mV or less of each other, and then using at least 24-inches of equal length output cables to add some resistance.  I have done it a couple of times, but it is not a service we offer.

Wouldn't adding a small series resistor to each supply make it work reasonably well?

[Superdad]

5 hours ago, mansr said:

Wouldn't adding a small series resistor to each supply make it work reasonably well?

 

Yes, but for general users (not expecting people to solder resistors in-line) just using equal length DC cables will take care of that part.  Still would have to match the two boards’s output voltages very closely.

[mansr]

5 minutes ago, Superdad said:

Yes, but for general users (not expecting people to solder resistors in-line) just using equal length DC cables will take care of that part.  Still would have to match the two boards’s output voltages very closely.

Depending on the load, a series resistor as large as 1 Ω might be tolerable. Then a voltage mismatch of, say, 100 mV shouldn't be a problem.

[Superdad]

5 hours ago, mansr said:

Depending on the load, a series resistor as large as 1 Ω might be tolerable. Then a voltage mismatch of, say, 100 mV shouldn't be a problem.

 

Gee, that would be terrible.  Would not want to put a huge 1 ohm resistor in series with our nice ultra-low-output impedance LPS!  To go from a few mOhms to 1 ohm--that would be a waste.  ?

[mansr]

44 minutes ago, Superdad said:

Gee, that would be terrible.  Would not want to put a huge 1 ohm resistor in series with our nice ultra-low-output impedance LPS!  To go from a few mOhms to 1 ohm--that would be a waste.  ?

Depends on the load. If there is a downstream regulator, and there usually is, it won't hurt a bit. Even a decent-size capacitor will often be enough.

[charlesphoto]

Hi,

 

Is it okay to run the LPS-1 upside down, as long as the case is well elevated from the surface? Just trying to get the pesky dc in and out cables to not cross. Silly, I know...

 

CP

[Superdad]

13 hours ago, charlesphoto said:

Is it okay to run the LPS-1 upside down, as long as the case is well elevated from the surface? Just trying to get the pesky dc in and out cables to not cross.

 

That's fine.  Though even better--for cooling if your LPS-1.2 is running in the hotter (0.5A+ output draw) high-current charge mode--is to stand it up on its face, with cables coming out the top.