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I'd like to build a bench power supply for prototyping and development work. Most of the benchtop power supply designs I have seen are based around a transformer, rectifier and linear regulator (eg 7805/LM317).

However, I like the idea of keeping it efficient, so am interested in building something switchmode instead.

My work is mainly microcontroller-based, but I mess around with audio stuff from time-to-time too. I'm thinking that a 3-rail design (±15V to 0V adjustable, +5V, up to 1A) would cover most things.

Would the increased ripple voltage of a switchmode power supply make it unsuitable for general-purpose use?

Or, given that I'll be relying on this power supply for a lot of future work, should I stick with the simplicity of a linear regulator design?

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    \$\begingroup\$ Switching supplies don't necessarily have worse ripple, but they are more commonly worse. Designing a well-performing switching converter is something pretty specialized, while throwing together a linear supply is relatively easy. The main thing people are looking for in a benchtop supply is accuracy and low-noise, not efficiency. \$\endgroup\$
    – endolith
    Jun 1, 2011 at 15:55
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    \$\begingroup\$ @endolith: I'm happy to spend a bit of time coming up with a decent design if it's feasible; cranking out another linear supply isn't really a challenge anymore. If it's possible to get all three (accurate, low-noise and efficient), I'd like to have a go at it :) \$\endgroup\$
    – Jeremy Kerr
    Jun 2, 2011 at 2:48

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If your output voltages are fixed you should be able to design it with linear regulators with a minimum of voltage drop over the regulators. And 1A is not the end of the world.
A switcher would be more appropriate if you have a variable output voltage. A linear regulator which can supply 30V @ 5A, but which is set to 1V out it will have to dissipate 150W.
An SMPS is dimensioned for a certain input voltage, output voltage and current. If you would vary the output voltage its efficiency will be lower. You won't get the 90% figure manufacturers boast about over you full range, maybe more like 75 to 80%.

edit
If you want the +/-15V adjustable I'd go for the SMPS, for the dissipation reason I mentioned. You can attack the ripple with a pi-filter. A high frequency switcher (like 1.5MHz) will allow for a smaller coil.

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  • \$\begingroup\$ It would be nice to have an adjustable output; I'll change the question to reflect this. \$\endgroup\$
    – Jeremy Kerr
    Jun 1, 2011 at 8:29
  • \$\begingroup\$ You could make the input to the regulator switchable between different ranges to make it more efficient? Like a rotary switch selects different ranges of output voltages, and changes the tap on a transformer at the same time? \$\endgroup\$
    – endolith
    Jun 1, 2011 at 15:59
  • \$\begingroup\$ @endolith - that's a possibility, and it's being done on certain bench supplies. Switching is done automagically by relays based on the output voltage. \$\endgroup\$
    – stevenvh
    Jun 3, 2011 at 7:03
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Switchers don't necessarily have worse ripple than linear supplies. If that was the case they wouldn't be used in very demanding applications like supplies for FPGAs and other high-performance systems. If you use a Nat Semi Simple Switcher with their on-line design software I think you can specify the amount of ripple as part of the design process.

I use one of these bench supplies which incorporates a switcher. Ripple and noise are 100mV p-p.

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