The Heathkit IP-2718 Tri-Power Supply

[@warped-sliderule]

Thorough review of a venerable piece. Built one in 1977 for constructing analog and digital circuits and learning design on the way to an engineering career. Obused the current limiting, self protection, features all too often. It still serves me today and sits 2 feet to my left powering a customer's system. The most useful Heathkit in the collection...

[@youtuuba]

The Heathkit IP-2718 is truly a classic. While I never owned one, I built one when my employer asked me to specify and outfit a small electronics laboratory for our department. Over 30 years later, this supply still gets occasional use, and works perfectly. I call it a 'classic' because wherever I go, to plant sites, vendor's labs, customer's offices, etc; I see this model still in use. It is a well designed, quality supply with attractive specifications, a nice looking case and front panel, good ergonomics, and durability. It beats out pretty much any other supply of similar type.

[@nlimchua]

I have the exact working model that I bought from a yard sale 2 years ago. They're great for low power electronics testing and design. The DC outputs are very, very clean. No surprise, I only needed to clean my unit up a bit and perform minute adjustments to my 20V outputs.

[@cagonapestoso3400]

Hello, I just got one of these and can't enough information online on it. How do you use it on low power electronics? Is it for testing each individual part to see if they can handle certain voltage or something similar?

[@jakeaustin9894]

Another nice video Jeff! I love learning about Heathkit test equipment.

[@PapasDino]

Just discovered your channel as I was looking for a tutorial to brush up on using my Heathkit IT-21 tube tester (thanks!). The IP-2718 has been my go-to bench low voltage supply since I built it in the very early 80's and have only had to repair it once early on. Thanks for showing us the inside as I haven't seen the inside of mine since I fixed it last! 73 - Dino KL0S

[@Ray-og5le]

As usual, an excellent and very useful equipment review by Jeff.

[@dieterwerner3124]

I have this model in service since the late 80s and it still works well. Only had to replace shorted rectifier diodes two times. In the video at 7:10 you are reading the wrong scale - the load ist about 500mA.

[@swinde]

1:30 The power supplies offered here were excellent. I have the digital model 0-15 volt, 5 Amp supply. It is a beast weighing 30 pounds. It could be remotely operated through the back panel. To me the best feature of these supplies it that it will supply the full rated current into a dead short. That is right, 5 amperes into zero ohms. It will not "overload". Of course at this point it is no longer 15 volts across the short, but zero volts, but the full 5 amps of current is flowing. The other models were 0-7.5 volts, 10 amps, 0-30 volt, 2.5 amps and 0-60 volts at 1.25 amps. I also have the tri-supply being reviewed here.

[@kriva111]

Hi there. I bought IP-2730 7.5V 10A Power Supply and when I switch it on, pointer/needle is on Max and Voltage is 15 Volts! I cannot adjust both voltage and current. Please, what could be wrong with it? Thank you.

[@jefftranter]

If you can find a copy of the manual on-line, there should be a troubleshooting section with a list of symptoms and possible causes. You can also check voltages against those listed in the manual to identify the problem area.

[@kriva111]

@@jefftranterOK. Thank you