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I need a remote-controlled (wireless) power supply, outputting between 0 and 10 volts and 0 and 2 amps, preferably DC. It should take 110v/120v AC as input. Its voltage should be controllable with a wireless remote control.

Does anyone know how to find such a device, or implement it simply?

I looked at LED power supplies, but they all appear to be constant voltage power supplies, which is not really what I need; this power supply heats an incandescent filament. Thus it seems I would rather have variable voltage, not variable current. Perhaps I should just add a resistor and convert this current source to a voltage source.

It could also be a DC power supply that uses a fiber-optic for communication/control (but I have not found any). It could also be a DC power supply that is programmable via some interface which can be converted to fiber optic or infrared wireless.

I want this DC power supply remote-controlled because it is going to be held at a local ground of 1000V (inside a metal cage), so this DC power supply cannot be touched by hand (resulting in shock). It will be fed power from an isolation transformer, and held at 1000 volts local ground by a high-voltage power supply.

Application: The output of the DC power supply (1000 volts, and 1000 volts + Vdc) will heat a filament in vacuum, thereby creating effectively a hot, charged cathode that forcefully radiates positively-charged ions from residual gas in the vacuum.

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    \$\begingroup\$ Before you get too far into the electronics, you might want to examine the physics of what you are trying to do. A heated filament emits electrons, not positive ions, regardless of any bias you might put on it relative to other circuit elements. Are you trying to implement some sort of sputtering or sputter deposition system? \$\endgroup\$
    – Dave Tweed
    Commented Jun 14, 2016 at 22:39
  • \$\begingroup\$ How well would a wireless device work inside of a metal cage? \$\endgroup\$
    – R Drast
    Commented Jun 15, 2016 at 11:11
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    \$\begingroup\$ @R Drast, Infrared penetrates mesh. In fact, any wavelength smaller than mesh holes gets through. \$\endgroup\$
    – JoseOrtiz3
    Commented Jun 15, 2016 at 16:38
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    \$\begingroup\$ Even the best vacuums have billions of atoms per square centimeter. \$\endgroup\$
    – JoseOrtiz3
    Commented Jun 15, 2016 at 16:43
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    \$\begingroup\$ You are the one who started arguing about the physics of this, which had nothing to do with the question. \$\endgroup\$
    – JoseOrtiz3
    Commented Jun 15, 2016 at 16:46

2 Answers 2

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Any bench power supply will do this if it has a USB or ethernet control. First it will have its own local isolation from mains, and the USB connector will be isolated as well. If it's not, there are devices that acts as an USB isolator.

It will not be wireless, but since a fiber-optic connection is ok, this solution should also be ok.

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  • \$\begingroup\$ USB isolator - did not know this was a component. Very neat. I am also looking at RS-232 -> Fiber Optic -> RS-232 (or any to-fiber-and-back converter). Or for that matter, opto-isolated relays! Turns out there are devices to convert nearly everything to fiber-optic. \$\endgroup\$
    – JoseOrtiz3
    Commented Jun 15, 2016 at 17:20
  • \$\begingroup\$ All the USB isolators I've seen only provide 500V constant protection - any more than this and their "constant working voltage rating" is violated. I like the RS232 fiber optic modems for this application, although they are 150$ each. \$\endgroup\$
    – JoseOrtiz3
    Commented Jun 16, 2016 at 15:57
  • \$\begingroup\$ @OrangeSherbet As far as I know, plain old Ethernet should be good for 1.5 kV, although I can't easily find a definite statement for that right now. Ethernet is already isolated, by default, assuming you're using unshielded cables. \$\endgroup\$
    – pipe
    Commented Jun 16, 2016 at 16:00
  • \$\begingroup\$ Interesting - ethernet doesn't appear to have any ground cables. However, the high-voltage limit is determined by whatever circuitry is connected to each end of the cable, which I generally can't get any ratings for unless there is some min spec. \$\endgroup\$
    – JoseOrtiz3
    Commented Jun 16, 2016 at 16:06
  • \$\begingroup\$ @OrangeSherbet Ethernet is specifically designed to be isolated. You are required to run it through isolating transformers - every network port must have that built-in. \$\endgroup\$
    – pipe
    Commented Jun 16, 2016 at 16:23
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I try to help you with this simple circuit diagram enter image description here

You can use any fm receiver

The transistor can be any power transistor like BD 135 or equivalent

The dash box is your HV shield box

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  • \$\begingroup\$ This only provides on-off, not variable voltage. \$\endgroup\$
    – winny
    Commented Jun 16, 2016 at 7:58
  • \$\begingroup\$ Yes it is, we can added a coder and decoder circuit to provide variable voltage \$\endgroup\$
    – m salim
    Commented Jun 16, 2016 at 8:12
  • \$\begingroup\$ The shematic you posted isn't, but yes it can. I like the simplicity of it, but OP wrote in the comments about "but hopefully radio above 5Ghz (6cm) as that would determine the mesh size on the inside box". So frequency needs to be 50 times higher than commercial FM-band. \$\endgroup\$
    – winny
    Commented Jun 16, 2016 at 8:28
  • \$\begingroup\$ Thanks for the answer. Although it appears this is switching the HV to the inside box on and off - instead I want to control a small DC voltage whose local ground is the high voltage of the inside box. \$\endgroup\$
    – JoseOrtiz3
    Commented Jun 16, 2016 at 15:56

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