Variable Power Supply from ATX

[vinceroger69]

Re: Variable Power Supply from ATX

http://translate.google.co.uk/transl...tx.htm&act=url

[Peter9DO]

Re: Variable Power Supply from ATX

http://translate.google.co.uk/transl...tx.htm&act=url

WHAT!!!!! Now, that's a whole lot of awesomeness packed into that link! Thanks bud!

Thank you,
Peter

[vinceroger69]

Re: Variable Power Supply from ATX

it was a good link find by noppa might try to build on of these myself now.

[Peter9DO]

Re: Variable Power Supply from ATX

Yea, but it was such a tease until you linked the translator! Lol!

[LDSisHere]

Re: Variable Power Supply from ATX

I use the ATX based supply I made all the time. I just make sure I am with it when it is on and I only use it in short bursts. I wish I knew more about capacitors and power supplies when I made it. It may need to be recapped just due to their age, I did not realize this when I made it.

I can still add the +3.3V and -5V to it if I wanted to do so, but with my regulator there is no reason for it. I picked that supply because I thought it was quality and it was old enough to not have a P4 power connector plus the lay out gave me working room. It is actually out of a PIII based Cisco PIX firewall. One of the things I found difficult in this project was just finding a supply that gave me room to work. I rejected a lot of them for that reason alone.

The idea of having a built in voltage regulator and display is a nice touch. There are many ideas out there or you can come up with you own to fit your needs.

@ Peter9DO Have you built you one yet or are you still looking at it?

These are the links for instructions I followed, I am not saying they are good instructions:

http://www.wikihow.com/Convert-a-Com...b-Power-Supply

http://www.wikihow.com/Add-Variable-...h-Power-Supply

[Peter9DO]

Re: Variable Power Supply from ATX

I built mine, but after seeing this one with the a actual control to it along with a voltmeter on it, I think I will be repurpousing mine to do that. I like that idea and it will go nice with my actual power supply I have (of course I would like to put a couple of my own touches on it, not saying their is anything wrong with this setup, because I think it's GREAT!).

Do you still have yours still together and did you put it on a perf board or did you just leave it on the breadboard?

[LDSisHere]

Re: Variable Power Supply from ATX

I actually etched the board for my voltage regulator. I made it so that it plugs into my breadboard. I input voltage on one set of rails and it outputs regulated voltage to all the breadboard power distribution rails for use in projects. To set the voltage I just drop my DMM leads into banana jack cups on my breadboard that are connected to the regulated voltage rails then adjust the variable resistor to give the desired voltage. If I want to use -12V, I use 1A fuse in my regulator because that is what the power supply is rated for on that output.

The site I used was the only one I saw like it prior to building mine so I had no idea how many different ways this can be done. For now mine does all I need it to so I am going to leave it alone until I a have a need for something different. All I needed out of mine was to power my breadboard projects so I could quit wasting money and effort fighting with batteries.

For projects I transfer to PCB I just power them with battery boxes or put on-board voltage regulators with power jacks that use common DC wall socket transformers.

[Peter9DO]

Re: Variable Power Supply from ATX

Okay, now I see what you're talking about. I thought everything you had layed out on the breadboard in the picture is what you were using but, now I see that board you have attached on there. Looks good, and if it does everything you need it to, why replace it! I'll have to take some pictures of mine and post it when I have a chance. Maybe, I'll just take pictures of it once I overhaul it, seeing it really is nothing spectacular now. It looks like any other ATX power supply.