Re:load the adjustable constant-current load

Re-load2

Re:load is an adjustable constant current load. I bought it on Tindie, cost me 15$ plus shipping. The Re:load is designed by Arachnid labs in the UK. It is sold as a kit, so you’ll have to solder it yourself.

This is what I received:

Re-load

The parts were nicely packaged in an anti static bag. Included in the kit is the big heatsink. I bought the 3A version, there is also a more powerful 6A version that comes with an even bigger heatsink. There are very detailed instructions on the Arachnid labs website to solder and calibrate the Re:load. All the parts are through the hole so it’s easy to solder. It only took me about 15 minutes to solder all the components. I then connected it to my lab power supply and calibrated it. There is a potentiometer on the board with which you can regulate the current between 0 and 3A. The board also has 2 current sensing pads, by measuring the voltage between these pads you can calculate how much amps the Re:load is drawing. (0,1V for every amp) You could hook it up to an analog input of a micro controller and display the current on an LCD.

The Re:load is a handy tool for testing electronics under load. I have built various PCB’s with switch mode regulators. I can now test out how well the regulators perform under a constant load. I have bought several voltage regulator modules on Ebay the last months. I plan on testing them out with the Re:load to see how they perform and how much heat they produce under a certain load.