Modifying PC Power Supply for Lab Use

Thread Starter

RiseNRG

Joined Apr 9, 2017
2
Hello AAC Members,

I've been working on modifying an OLD PC power supply i bought for about $5. Check out the video below for my progress so far.


Planned Improvements:
  • Adding 4mm Posts (Bananna clip style)
    • Red 5 V
    • Yellow 12 V
    • Orange 3.3 V
    • Black Ground
  • Power Meter
    • Thinking about using the the INA219 combined with an arduino and LED Display
 

Thread Starter

RiseNRG

Joined Apr 9, 2017
2
It needs a load so put a 10 ohm 10W resistor between any +5 red wire and ground.
Thanks DNA Robotics,

I'll add in a 10 ohm resistor which should give my power supply a 2.5 Watt Load. I must admit the reason for doing this seams puzzling but it looks like it is a common problem for switching power supplies,In the 90's IBM supposedly used to ship customers that didn't want a floppy disk drive in their computer a resister instead.
 

ErnieM

Joined Apr 24, 2011
8,377
Repurposing a computer supply gives you an unexpected problem of too much current.

Everything will be fine until you get that first unexpected short. Then the full power of that supply will blast thru burning up everything it can find.

Buy spares.
 
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