Browning Power Supply .....

[deadhorse]

I am looking for an AC power supply for a Browning Drake model M-523. The model of the supply is AC-115. Any info would be great.

Thanks,Paul

[rjordan]

Hi Paul,

Are you looking for one from a collection standpoint, or so you can power your Drake?


Rick

[deadhorse]

I just need one to fire the Drake up. Looks are not inportant.

[rjordan]

Oct 10, 2009 21:25:06 GMT -5 deadhorse said:

I just need one to fire the Drake up. Looks are not inportant.

I wanted to make certain you were looking for a solution to power the radio rather than an actual supply for collection before I made any further comments.

I'd suggest you take a look at using an old Heathkit HP23 or HP23A AC power supply to run your Browning Drake.

You will need either the HP23, or the HP23A to easily accomplish your task. Here's why....

Both the HP23 and HP23A supply supply 6.3 and 12.6 VAC outputs for the heater supplies. The HP23B and C series only supplied 12.6 VAC heater outputs. The 23 and 23A each have a center tap on the 12.6 filament winding to give you the 6.3VAC output option, but the 23 B and C's transformers did not. Your Drake requires a 6.3 heater feed, so the 23 and 23A take care of that need.

Both the 23 and 23A offer selectable "low "voltage settings. One setting is 250VDC, the other is 300VDC. ("Low" voltage in this case when compared to this supply's "high" voltage output of +800VDC)

The 250V setting is just about right for your Drake...... the original schematics showed around 270 volts on receive, dropping to around 230V on transmit, but I'd say the HP23 or 23A will probably be a little higher than 250V output with the light load a Browning Drake will present to it. We're only talking around 10% here, and that's well within tolerance of the original voltage specifications on these old radios.

The HP23 (no letter) requires you to go in and make a wiring change to switch between LV (250V) and HV (300V), whereas the 23A has a switch on the front panel. It's easy enough to add the switch to the orginal 23 as well.

You'll not use the bias or +800VDC high voltages out of the supply. The HP23/A also provides the ability to switch the supply on and off remotely, just like the original Drake, though I don't like to have 110VAC in a radio just for switching purposes, and given the age of the old power switches, I find another way to turn the supply on and off.

I have the schematic posted to the Browning Drake power supplies on my website.

www.goldeneaglecb.com/browning__mobile_cb_radio_manuals.html

I also uploaded the schematics for the 23 and 23A on the site as well so you can see first hand what I'm talking about. You can access it here:

www.goldeneaglecb.com/downloads/HP23%2023A%20schematics.pdf

These supplies can be picked up for a decent price at hamfests and places like qth.com. And of course, there's always Ebay.

If you decide to go down this road, I would love to have pictures of your finished product to post on my website.

www.goldeneaglecb.com/On_The_Air.html

Good Luck,

Rick
www.goldeneaglecb.com

[deadhorse]

Thanks alot Rick. Your a "Gold Mine" of info on the power supply. I have had problums with people beliveing that Browning made a Drake let alone finding a P/S. I do have a power supply for a Browning but not for the Drake. I don't know what it fits. It has a Jones conector on it. Anyway,thanks again and I will be looking at Heath for a supply.

73's Paul

[rjordan]

Oct 11, 2009 20:44:24 GMT -5 deadhorse said:

Thanks alot Rick. Your a "Gold Mine" of info on the power supply. I have had problums with people beliveing that Browning made a Drake let alone finding a P/S. I do have a power supply for a Browning but not for the Drake. I don't know what it fits. It has a Jones conector on it. Anyway,thanks again and I will be looking at Heath for a supply.

73's Paul

Paul, I believe the power supply you do have is for a Browning Raven. The Raven used an external transformer which connected to the radio via an 8 pin Jones connector. There were no rectifiers or filtering components in the power supply; the secondary windings were brought out to the Jones plug.

Glenn has a couple of vintage ads for the Drake up on his website. Check out www.browninglabsinc.com/id27.htm and look in the Mobile Equipment section.

Good luck and let us know how it works out,

Rick

[deadhorse]

Thanks again Rick.The Raven must be what it is for. It has no filter or anything else in side. I will save it incase somone needs a supply for a Ravin I guess. Oh by the way I love your web site,and I will post a pix. on it when I get the Drake up and going.

73's Paul

[rjordan]

Oct 12, 2009 21:04:52 GMT -5 deadhorse said:

Thanks again Rick.The Raven must be what it is for. It has no filter or anything else in side. I will save it incase somone needs a supply for a Ravin I guess. Oh by the way I love your web site,and I will post a pix. on it when I get the Drake up and going.

73's Paul

Thanks Paul, and I'll be looking for that picture!

Rick
www.goldeneaglecb.com