Review: LRS-350-12

March 30

Manufacturer: Various
Model: LRS-350-12
Type: 12v Power Supply
MSRP ($35.00 on Ebay)

TLDR – LED power supply as bench DC power. Safety concerns, but I would recommend.

I purchased this power supply on March 15, 2021 to function as my bench power supply for my mobile radio. There are several manufacturers like “Mean Well” and “Weho”. I reviewed other power supply options directed towards HAM and other hobbies, but the high price tags (starting around $75 for 30amp power supply) left a bad taste in my mouth. So, I went Googling and came across this power supply. It is designed for use with LED lighting, but convert either 120V or 240V AC to 12DC. This particular model supports up to 350watt draw on the DC side at 29 continuous amps.

There are other models that allow more or less, depending on your needs. Since the price was so low, I was concerned there might be some significant RFI produced by this power supply, especially since it is switched. I haven’t been able to isolate any noisy areas produced by this power supply, but in the interest of full disclosure, I can only really check through the 2meter and 440 bands since I only have the VGC VR-n7500 and a Baofeng HT. There may be more significant noise produced in HF. I’ve kept the power lines away from the antenna line and haven’t had any issues at all.

I’ve tested the voltage several times while operating and found the voltage to be fairly steady between 12-13v. I don’t have an oscilloscope so I can’t tell you much about the waveforms and if it’s RF noisy. I can confidently say that I had a radio right next to power supply and didn’t have reports of noise. You’ll need to sacrifice an old 3 prong computer power cord or extension cord, cut off the female end, strip the wires, and attach it to the power supply. With small kids in the house, I covered my AC connections with electrical tape to reduce the chance of shocks. There is a small plastic cover over the terminals, but this device is *VERY* not child safe.

Overall, I’m very happy with the power supply. For the price I paid, I have a 350watt power supply provided a very steady DC power source for just about anything I need it for.

Thanks and 73s till next time!

–N5TXL