Pyramid PS14KX 12A / 14A Peak Linear Power Supply

First of all, I agree with the other reviewers that this unit has no fan.It does have a transformer with a thermal fuse, but it has zero cooling and heats up quite a bit (uncomfortable to the touch) even without a load.I would be much more comfortable if this unit had a temperature controlled fan, both for the rear transistors and for the transformer itself.The excessive heat of the transformer makes me worried about energy waste and also about durability.As to the front green LED it's way too bright, it lights up the room at night. I changed the 2.2K resistor with a 160K resistor and it's so much better (blue resistor at the top right of the picture I attached). I would even recommend 180K-200K to tame it even further.Besides that it's okay, it works fine. But thermal management is a problem with this product. They should have used a larger heatsink on the back and should have put the transformer in contact with it, along with an external temperature controlled fan.At ~72 USD this is not acceptable so dropping two starsOther improvement I would have liked to see would be a Powerpole output in the front

I like how this power supply provides a steady supply of power to my base station. This makes no noise and I have zero complaints about it.

Just tried it out and it seems to be working as expected, haven't had it on for an extended period of time yet, but had it on for a little while to check it out and it seems to be staying cool and not getting real warm quickly so that is good !

The PYRAMID PS14KX has some engineering design flaws. First, it uses two 6AO5 diodes which are only rated for only 6 amps each which adds up to 12 amps. A good engineer will not use borderline rated parts but will usually use electronic components that are 20% overrated.It also has very cheaply made banana jacks which definitely will not last long. Furthermore the banana jacks will not make a good connection if you plan on using 14 GA wire and you will need to purchase washers to improve your connection (see picture).Conclusion - Its still is a fairly good deal but your going to have to beef it up a bit. I will eventually will have to replace the two 6 amp diodes with 8 amp diodesc and also will replace the 2 banana jacks with heavier duty ones.

This product looks and feels very well made. Having such a high wattage supply is very nice and this one is a good choice for such an affordable price. This will work well for powering a GNSS unit I am working with. When it is turned on there is a bit of a hum. Out of the box I measured the voltage to be 13.87 V and the ripple voltage to be 0.5 mV. I am impressed!

Seems perfect. I like the 12 amp capacity and the voltage is exactly on spec at 13.8. First one came damaged. Second was good even though the box was not in great shape. Good packaging inside the box though. It’s happily powering avionics on the bench as I type.. seems a great value.

It worked for 1 day on a 10 amp wash down pump!

Works as it should for a cb radio

Pyle has always manufactured good quality devices or at least as far back as I can remember they have especially in these modern power supplys because they're design is exactly the same as one purchased back in the 1980,s.I say pyramidisjust as good or better then any Astron I've seen.

I checked the voltage when it arrived - 13.9 volts. Not a scratch on it.. I put on an external fan cause I read it gets warm.. no problem so far.. it's mfg by Pyle. The 12 volt connectors require a spade end or eyelet end. Would buy again.. I saved about $30 by buying "Almost New". So far so good! Would buy again..

The unit runs very warm under load. It does NOT have a cooling fan, just the heat sink. I use it to power a telescope and accessories drawing about 3.5 Amps. The green light is quite bright, but can be covered up with a bit of electrical tape. The power jacks are the correct spacing for standard dual banana plugs.It's new to me so no data on how well it lasts, but it seems pretty solid.

I have push this hard even with80watts short transmission and it has proven strong. I want to find and larger 30 amp drive but keep this same brand name.

I needed to run an D/C powered diesel heater using A/C. Worked great with no problems. The only issue was that the connector screws were touchy, but they worked okish.

This is a big, heavy linear power supply. Very quite (less that 5mv ripple) and power is stable under load. Linear power supplies are a necessity for radio and audio where switching power supplies generate much high frequency noise. And NO, there is no fan. It's not needed. Quite your whining.

After speaking with several veteran Amateur Radio operators about power supplies, I realized that there were a few general consensuses about power supplies for use with amateur radio transceivers. #1 is to buy one that is larger than you need initially. It’s likely you will have more radios in the future than you do now. A close second on recommended features is to buy a power supply that has a built-in cooling fan.With those words of wisdom in mind I began searching on Amazon, and soon found this product, Universal Compact Bench Power Supply - 12 Amp Linear Regulated Home Lab Benchtop AC-to-DC 12V Converter w/ 13.8 Volt DC 115V AC 270 Watt Power Input, Screw Type Terminals, Cooling Fan- Pyramid PS14KX.5 . It appeared that this unit fit the criteria of being larger than I needed right now, AND has a cooling fan. You will notice the words. “COOLING FAN” right there is the title of this power supply. Also, in the details section there is the paragraph that states: ”BUILT-IN COOLING FAN: The power converter features a cabinet heatsink and a built-in cooling fan to prevent the device from overheating. Constant amperage is 12A and surge is 14A w/ power output of 13.8V DC and 115V AC 60Hz 270W power input” Sure looks like this is the one I need.However, as I read more information and checked the reviews, I became concerned. There were reviews, some older and others fairly recent, that indicated this unit does NOT have a cooling fan. There were also reviews that discussed overheating, and shortened lifespan. This caused me to be more concerned that this really DID have an internal cooling fan. It was at that time that I looked at the “questions” section. Here is found this response, FROM THE MANUFACTURER, that answers this question:Are you 100% sure this unit has a cooling fan?Answer:Hi, yes it has a cooling fan. You may check other details of the unit by visiting our website pyleaudio.com. Type the model number on the search box PS14KX for more details. Thank you.By Pyle S. Manufacturer on November 26, 2019I felt reassured that there WAS an internal cooling fan. However, as the question and answer were almost 3 years old, I felt a look at Pyle’s current website was a good idea. To my relief, this EXACT model is listed as having a built-in cooling fan. This information was current as of the day I ordered the power supply as it is the day I write this review.Feeling confident that this power supply was the one to purchase, I ordered. Amazon delivered FAST! Upon opening the sealed box, I found the power supply, well packaged, and a user’s manual, which also stated that this unit has a cooling fan. Only upon actually examining the power supply did I learn that this unit DOES NOT HAVE a build-in, (or any other kind of) cooling fan. Let me repeat… THIS POWER SUPPLY DOES NOT HAVE ANY KIND OF COOLING FAN.At first, I was disappointed that there was SO MUCH information indicating this unit has a cooling fan. I really wanted this to be what it said it was. The price was fair, and the Pyramid brand was mentioned by several folks I spoke with as a reliable brand. Disappointment soon turned to feelings of anger. Why was there so much information that was wrong. NOT just in one line of the advertising, but in a direct question, and answer FROM THE MANUFACTURER with the absolutely WRONG answer.Not wishing to take a chance and disregard recommendations from folks who have been in the amateur radio hobby for quite a while, it seemed to me that returning the item was my only course of action. In this AMAZON was again TERRIFIC. The cost of the unit, and the cost of the extended warranty were quickly refunded to my credit card.It’s really frustrating that all the companies that sell products on Amazon aren’t a customer oriented as is Amazon. I do hope the manufacturer becomes aware of this misinformation, and corrects their advertising and owner’s manual; OR… maybe they will begin building this unit WITH a build-in cooling fan. If they do, I hope to find one. With the exception of the needed cooing fan, this appeared to be a well-build power supply.

I have been using the same PYRAMID PS12KX 10 Amp power supply since 1995.Used extensively for Ham radio with heavy, duty cycles, used continually for nearly 1 year 24x7 for APRS with no issues.Just purchased a new PS14KX 12 Amp to used for additional radio service.For me, it been an incredible product that I have relied on for over 25 years of heavy usage.. Buying another for me was a no brainer.

I received this a bit bent, making was NOT good from AMAZON. But I took it apart and repaired the case and now its good to go. I does need some internal cooling fans, it gets HOT fast while working. I added 2 temp controlled 12 VDC fans and its happy once again.

Should have included a spare fuse, or used a circuit breaker instead of fuse. Fuse is 5 ampere for a 12 amp supply (odd). Fuse says PL5A 250V. Good for many car appliances to use in home. Reinstalling the fuse now. I like longer AC power cords but its ok as this is common in competitive market. If you use an extension cord make certain its at least 12AWG wire not sixteen and maybe 10AWG if your run is longer than seven feet extended. Another curious thing, the back of the unit says 4AMP. The size I stated was viewing the original installed fuse.

Looks solid from the outside, sturdy metal case, ok switch, ok binding posts, large finned heatsinks for the externally mounted 2N3055 power transistors. The FET inside is on a board mounted heat sink, discrete resistors are gold banded, solid appearing circuit board, externally fused line voltage, the big caps have some hot glue securement. Schematic included. The power cord is labeled KEMA-KEUR 3x0.75MM or 18 guage, solid ground to transformer mount.The warranty card says to register at pyramidcaraudio.com but that is a dead end, so here I am at Pyle because that is the link from Amazon.