Sensibly Powering DC Technology?

splatnet asks: "Having upgraded my PC to a Mac Mini all my IT kit is now DC. The Mini, my flatscreen, external USB HDD, USB DVD writer, JBL speakers, ADSL/Wireless Router. I have practically the same amount of space taken up for transformers as I do computer equipment! Has anyone found/invented a way to power multiple DC devices (all with slightly different power requirements)? I'm thinking in terms of space/convenience/running costs etc." It would be neat if there was a DC power source that could be tuned to a specific voltage, as well as modular plugs to fit your various devices. Is there anything out there that comes close?

Comments

Requirements

[justanyone]

The requirements seem to be:

* 5 output ports;
* for each port (or via a central control panel) configuration for output voltage on that port, continuously variable from 2 VDC to 24 VDC;
* each port capable of 50 watts without significant voltage drop;
* a handful of accessory connectors / converters including 1 plug male -> 4 plugs female, big diameter plug to small plug, extension cables, etc.
* silent power supply if possible / air cooled, or very, very quiet fan

I'd think that a sealed design with a large external heat sink is best. I have a cat and the cat hair ends up all over things on the floor, which is the power bricks and one of my PC's, making cleaning a regular (once / 2 months) thing to lengthen lifespan / prevent overheating).

I don't care about weight too much. It should be well grounded.

Another wonderful idea is the ability of it to use as input a 12VDC car/marine-deep-cycle battery, so if the power goes, I can still use my accessories.

Re:Guitarists might have some ideas

[iainl]

The big ol' line of effects pedals all run at 9VDC, and you can even get nice little runs of cable to link them in parallel to the one transformer.

Which is bugger all use for this situation, where everything wants its own different voltage, unfortunately.

Re:I'm waiting for the day

[Gilk180]

>Any other requirements could be done by stepping voltage down.h

You can't just step down DC power, that is one of the many reasons AC is ubiquitous when most electronics operate on DC.

• With AC, voltages can be stepped down or up.
  
• AC can be more easily transmitted over longer distances because it is transmitted at very high voltage(and therefore low current), then transformed near the destination to 110/220/whatever you might use.
  
• AC can easily be converted into DC. Give me a good diode. Or even better, 4 diodes and a capacitor. The inverse it not true.
  
• I know I'm forgetting some things...
  

Ham Radio suppliers carry these power supplies.

[sakusha]

Check a ham radio supplier, any decent shop will carry many different power supply units that are designed to address this precise problem.
For example, I googled and the first entry under "ham radio supplies" was aesham.com, their catalog is downloadable as a PDF. On page 82, they have power supplies from Astron, Daiwa, Diamond, AIM, etc. Most of them only output a single voltage but are adjustable, however a few units have multiple voltage outputs. Many of these units have big geeky analog gauges on the front indicating the power draw, for extra nerd appeal.
A few pages later (pg 84) they have power distribution busses, for feeding multiple units from the same voltage. Just what you're looking for. And Hams are totally obsessed with clean power, so you can set up rigs with pure, clean power and no grounding problems.
Check out some other Amateur Radio suppliers and gaze through the catalogs, and stand in awe at true hardware geeks that have been doing this for about 3 times as long as computers have even existed. I learned more about electronics from Ham Radio catalogs than anywhere else.