OWON ODP6033 Review

[@IanScottJohnston]

When you switch on the OWON it doesn't immediately go through a self-test actually, it goes through a "marketing programme" first i.e. the photo of the other devices in the OWON range.......oh how I hate seeing that!

[@alexanderhuemer1587]

Thanks for this review. A very appealing power supply indeed. Do you think it would be worthwhile to take a look at scope traces of the transitions between transformer windings in the supply?

[@randycarter2001]

In case others might like to know there are 2 numeric keypad layouts. Telephone, the 1 key is on the upper left. Calculator or adding machine, where the 1 key is on the lower left.

[@JerryWalker001]

Actually there are over 3.5 million possible numeric keypad layouts but only 2 are commonly used. I was merely stating my preference although others may prefer the layout as it is. I know that some people say that if zero is the first digit then the combination is lower but that is incorrect as '0' is still a valid digit in a combination (eg 0 1 2 3 is still a 4 digit combination and not a 3 digit combination).

[@jordannedev7136]

Hi, very nice video. Thank you for sharing. I also think to buy my self the same power supply. I have one question. In the user manual I don't see button or button combination for "All ON/OFF" that enable/disable all 3 channels simultaneously. Does the the power supply have this option?

[@ThePfriemler]

I like the recording function very much, up to 10k points directly to an USB stick. What I miss, even in the manual: the usable range of interval to record. Here shown as 1 or 2 seconds (default 1), but may I set it to let's say 15 seconds for 4 points a minute or ~41h record time?

[@charlesm127]

I ordered one of these (ODP6033) after seeing your earlier video and partial teardown, it looks very impressive and look forward to playing around with it in a few days time. My current PSU is an old TTI, 2x30V at 2A, good and reliable, but I need to keep up with the times! The price is not outrageous either. Hope to see how you get on with it over the coming weeks.

[@JerryWalker001]

Mine caught fire, Just kidding, So far I am very impressed with both of the OWON supplies and they have exceeded my expectations which is rare these days. Hopefully you will also like yours. I have a couple of the old analog meter TTi supplies. As you say they are reliable but basic by todays standards.

[@pfabri]

Could you please include a link to the tear-down video? I tried finding it on Jerry's channel, but couldn't. Thanks!

[@charlesm127]

@@pfabri kzbin.info/www/bejne/imWxhKtpmtB0a80

[@pfabri]

@@charlesm127 Thank you!

[@john_in_phoenix]

Thanks again, very informative review. I am impressed with the quality and usability. Nice feature set as well (especially the network interface ability).

[@awo256]

Thanks for the review. Is the fan completely off at low loads? How loud the fan is in general? I remember Rigol was really noisy.

[@JerryWalker001]

The fans are totally off when the internal dissipation is low and gradually get louder as they speed up. Being a staged linear supply this is not directly relayed to loads but internal dissipation (I will be posting a video on this shortly). At full speed they are fairly noisy but not unacceptable.

[@Markus2801A]

An very interesting PowerSupply, thanks for your effort in reviewing it! Compared to other brands and also the rebranded PeakTech P6181 (seems to be an Owon ODP3063) its a bargain and seems to offer great value for your money! I have an the 1 Channel Owon P4305 at home and now considering iupgrading to a three channel Laboratory Power Supply. I also took Rigol and Rohde & Schwarz into my consideration, but I'm note sure if those premium priced Units (Approx 750€ for the Rigol DP832A and 1200€ for the R&S NGE-COM3a) are really worth the money?! The Owon ODP3063 goes for approx. 438€ as of writing this comment.

[@BentFunction]

Hello Markus, did you buy this PSU? I am currently considering to buy this model and it would be nice if you could tell me your experience with this PSU.

[@Markus2801A]

@@BentFunction Hi! I actually bought the ODP3033 but returned it due to the hum coming from the transformer. I then went for the GW Instek GPP-4323 which is absolutely silent!

[@ayyldz-lg1he]

I'm thinking of buying it soon. Does it provide 30 volts and 10 amps output?

[@bobvines00]

Jerry, Where is the ground for channel 3? Does this unit use an internal battery or some type of non-volatile memory to remember the previous settings? Channel 3 appears to be much less useful or "powerful" -- is it a simple "set & forget" supply channel while 1 & 2 are programmable? I look forward to your investigation of the AC noise that you saw.

[@JerryWalker001]

Ground for all 3 channels is either of the two green posts (between the CH1 and CH2 terminals). 0V for all 3 are the black terminals. The purpose of the green ground terminals is really undefined, it is just mains referenced earth and the positioning of the post is really descriptive rather than electrically meaningful. Yes CH3 is really intended as a 'logic' supply rather than a true analog supply. It is variable as systems may want 1.5 or 1.8 or 3.3 or 5V etc. It is also useful being able to adjust it so that you can test the performance of systems with varying supplies (see my videos on the magnetic core memory) without tying up a main channel and it is also safer than using a channel which you may accidentally set to 60V.

[@modorangeorge4991]

Yes, it has an internal battery located on the front panel, which powers rtc chip. Not all settings are remembered at startul, such as series/paralel configuration. Even the clock was not corect after powering off a long time, despite internal battery, maybe a fault in my unit.

[@Chris-Brown-]

Nice PS stand, where can i get one?

[@antonioreal3789]

Hey, just bought a ODP3033 and overall I'm happy with it. Just a question, do you notice a slight hum noise (presumably the transformer) under with or without loads in your unit? Also, do you know where to download firmware files, mine came with v2.12.0 but I want to check if there's a more recent version.

[@JerryWalker001]

Yes there is a very slight hum but very low level. I have not looked for firmware as I have not had any problems. They may not have released any updates yet.

[@mikewillis1592]

I only just ordered an RD6006P. Don't go finding a better option before it even arrives. (Note that was intended to be humorous). It looks like a nice supply but it is also three times the price so not really in the same market. We are being spoilt with this bonanza of relatively low cost test gear, PSUs, Spectrum Analysers, VNAs, RF generators, Scopes.

[@JerryWalker001]

Yes, as you say it costs 3 times as much as an RD6006 so the RD is still a worth while purchase. Any self respecting lab will require quite a collection of power supplies so the RD units are a real bonus as they provide a lot of supply for little outlay. Companies such as RIGOL really need to understand that the competition is catching up and the had better iron out issues if they want to keep market share.

[@charlesm127]

The RD6006 is nice (I have one) , but its switched mode which doesn't always suit the application, eg precision analogue design. The ODP6033 is a linear supply, which in theory provides a less noisy, less ripple output. The ODP6033 has 2 (at least) massive toroidal transformers, which is what you want to see in a quality power supply. See Jerry's earlier video with partial teardown.

[@MartenElectric]

Jerry where have you purchased the unit? I'm also based in the UK. Thank you

[@graxxor]

so the reversed keypad on the Owon doesn't make you scratch your head but the telephone rotary dial style one does? It took me only a few days to familiarise myself with the DP832 dial... With its convenient rotary control in the centre, it makes for a compelling control interface which comes into its own when fine tuning and tweaking

[@franticMflair]

Another firmware bug, step-by-step: - set Utility / Output mode to Series track - choose setpoint 6 V, 10 mA - shorten the output and turn it on, check actual current, should be 10 mA - set Utility / Other / Knob Setting to “During editing output the value immediately.” - check actual current, it is now 3 A (!) - use the knob to set 5 V - check actual current, it is 2.5 A Apparently, in Series track mode, channel 1 and 2 are both set to half the set point voltage. (You can see this, when you switch back to independent mode.) But, the setpoint for the voltage is interpreted as a current…

[@JerryWalker001]

Mine does not do that, maybe you have a faulty unit. If I set 10mA at 6V in series track it gives 10mA even if I change the update mode. Yes the two channels split the voltage set point when in series track.

[@franticMflair]

@@JerryWalker001 Interesting, I had first noticed the error in the Output mode Parallel track. For example, if you set 1.6 V 100 mA and then go to 1.5 V with the knob (not with the keyboard), the current jumps to 2.997 A. Switching the output off and on solves the problem. At higher "voltages", the overcurrent protection takes effect. I had not thought of a defective device. Firmware is the same as yours (V2.11.0).

[@JerryWalker001]

@@franticMflair The two channels are always independent. I think that the only thing the tracking modes do is alter the way the channel settings are made and which terminals the sense voltage is taken from. Does it do the same thing at higher voltage setting? It seems that CH1 is used as the source settings so I would test CH1 to see if it is behaving properly. My supply always seems to be OK except for the issues I showed in the video. There are some fairly large caps on the output of each channel, is there any possibility that you have voltages on these when you are making changes because if they are not discharged this could switch the CV/CC mode when the channels are combined.

[@franticMflair]

@@JerryWalker001 I have made tests with load resistors 33 Ohm 45 W in output mode Parallel track and Series track. This time the voltages were between 10 V and 60 V resp. 120 V. The other boundary conditions were the same as before: Output switched on, “output value immediately”. The voltage was adjusted with the rotary knob. Finding: if you turn up the setpoint for voltage under exactly these circumstances, the device does not go into constant current mode, even though the setpoint for current is exceeded. Probably the number that you set as the voltage setpoint with the rotary knob is also interpreted internally (not on the display) as a new current setpoint (half the value in Series track mode). Therefore, I think a firmware error is probable. If this is the case, the problem should be reproducible on other devices.

[@colydeane]

How long before it starts randomly resetting, you know, due to Chinese "engineering"?

[@JerryWalker001]

Well it has lasted longer than the RIGOL so far. Lets see if they fix the faults identified so far. Did you know that most 'made in the USA' stickers are printed in China? ;)

[@pubdigitalix]

​@@JerryWalker001 Hi. How does the laboratory power supply behave after all this time? Thanks in advance.

[@tubeDude48]

It's to DAMN expensive!

[@JerryWalker001]

Yes it is but then so is everything. It does however only cost half as much as a colour RIGOL and has twice the output so in terms of value for money 'may' be better. I just hope it is reliable. I think that OWON have been fairly clever in the spec/price point and have marketed it cheap enough to make it attractive despite the brand (compared to RIGOL or SIGLENT) and also with a higher spec.

[@rogerknapman1260]

I caught the ODP6033 on sale from Arrow for $252 CDN (about $175 USD?) in Demeber 2019. That was a bargain. I've had no issues. I'm not sure why this supply isn't more popular. It doesn't seem like many retailers carry Owon.

[@JerryWalker001]

@@rogerknapman1260 I could not agree more and that as a good bargain you picked up. So far both supplies have worked very well and if they are reliable they will be very useful. I actually had to look around to get these supplies as most sellers did not have stock in the UK. I get the impression that these supplies may become popular as long as OWON do not try to push up the price as sales pick up.

[@erichousetkc]

Thank you for your review. Did you see any voltage spikes when the unit is powered on? I am not sure if this is EMI related or it is actually discharged from the output. Also there are other users from eevblog who complained about the slow OVP trigger on their single channel model. Link to their discussion: www.eevblog.com/forum/testgear/inside-the-owon-p4603p4305-linear-psu/

[@JerryWalker001]

No, although there are switch on spikes on the Rigol. The OVP and OCP both work fine on my units. There are large caps across the outputs so users should be aware of that if connecting anything with the potential to source current.