Did a search for electrophoresis power supplies and sort of jotted down the general characteristics of a few compared to the regular old tube type regulated lab supplies.
These have precision and stable setting of voltage and current modes, some up to 4000V and some up to 2A depending on model.
The DC power output is usually no more than 250-400W. They are not plate supplies for that big amp.
They seem as 'good' for hobby uses as the increasingly rare and costly 60 year old rackmounted tube monster.
The biggest difference seems to be that the DC wattage limit on electrophoresis supplies is often less than the product of the maximum voltage and current ratings.
pros and cons of some electrophoresis HV power supplies when used for the electronics hobby:- Digital voltmeters
- Precision of 1V setting or 0.1mA setting.
- Remote control RS232 or whatever.
- automatic electronic protection against shorts or overloads
- More plastic, less iron and glass. Lighter weight.
- Flyback or other switching regulator.
- Output timers (up to 6 hours) which may have to be be bypassed
- GFI-like detector, any leakage to GND cuts off DC. "feature" needs bypassed.
It is usually simple to find the wattage by a googl search for specifications, and see if a unit is useful for one's needs.
Below were found on a casual ebay search. There must be hundreds of them for sale.
Non-working/untested range from $20-$100 and working from about $60 up to $500+ for working or calibrated digitally controlled units.
examples:- Beckman Duostat 320800: 0-500V, 0-50mA
- Beckman R-120: 0 to 500 vdc, 0 to 100 ma
- BIO-RAD MODEL 200/2.0: 0-200VDC 0-2A, 200W.
- Bio-Rad 1000/500: 0-1000V, 0-500mA, 250W.
- BIO-RAD POWER PAC 3000: 0-3000V, 0-400mA, 400W. ($50 broken)
- BIO-RAD POWER PAC 3000: 0-3000V, 0-400mA, 400W. ($450 guaranteed)
- E-C APPARATUS EC452: 0-500V, 0-500mA. (looks same as Fisher)
- FISHER BIOTECH FB-452: 0-500V, 0-500mA.
- FISHER BIOTECH FB-420: 0-250V, 0-250mA.
- Fisher Biotech FB 600: 0-4000V, 0-200mA, 200W.
- LKB Bromma Model 2197: 0-2500V, 0-250mA, 100W.
- Pharmacia LKB EPS 500/400: 0-500V 0-400mA 200W.
- Pharmacia ECPS 3000-150: 0-3000V, 0-150mA, 150W.
- Stratagene Feathervolt 2000: 0-2000V, 100mA, 100W.