Wiardgroup

Hi Muff

--- In wiardgroup@yahoogroups.com, "Muff" <muff@...> wrote:
> It would be great if Grant or someone could provide some specs on
each module estimating the amount of current they use. I know these
aren't always absolute numbers though, perhaps that is part of the
concern with posting them. 

i have yet to see an analog module that did not draw a fluctuating
quantity of current. Admittedly it's a common* practice to publish a
current-draw that's an 'average' (sort of like RMS power ratings.)
Many makers do this and so did Wiard for a time.  
But a few bad experiences brought Grant to see that publishing
rule-of-thumb specs in good faith and assuming that everybody with the
cash to buy a Wiard would also be savvy enough to realize that 'actual
mileage may vary' was not in his best interest. 
Like most issues concerning Wiard i find it best to call him on the
phone and  work things out in a dialogue. i have an envelator with a
non-standard display and when i called Grant about it's special needs
, like power-supplies and critical spare parts, he took great pains
and spent lots of time making sure that not only my questions were
answered but that i grasped the big picture. This equipped me to
figure-out a lot of future issues on my own.

 In the early days of the 300 series, Grant neatly circumvented the
problem of matching of the module to it's power supply by selling
those large , very robust, Elpac pro-quality wall-warts ...one for
each module. So there was plenty of current-headroom on tap for
everybody in the rack. Sadly Elpac discontinued those redoubtable gadgets.
and....arguably,  it was overkill , (and it made for a very crowded
power strip)  but it was a good ounce of prevention against a user who
powered 9 modules with a single 200ma supply and then held Wiard
liable for the scorched power-supply chassis.

avanti!
-doc


* but the commonality of the practice muddies the water by creating a
false conventional perception that current draw is a point rather than
a line (and a fairly wiggly one at that)