Rexpower PL-400 rebuild

[c_hegge]

I pulled this PSU out of a customer's machine. It wouldn't POST with this PSU, but worked fine with another. I decided to rebuild this PSU and turn it from a gutless wonder into a PC P&C (OK, maybe not quite that good). Here's what it's getting (all parts except for secondary caps scavenged from other PSUs) :

A new case (from a dead Antec SP-350)
Two fans (Delta)
New heatsinks
New Primary switchers
New secondary silicon (30A for the 3.3 & 12V. 2x 30A for the 5v)
New transformers
An extra set of input filtering coils
Two 0.47uF X Caps
A 4A Rectifier in place of the 4 diodes
560uF Nichicon LU Primary caps
New secondary caps:
4x 2200uF 6.3 Canicon - 3300uF Samxon RS from Topcat
1x 2200uF 16v Canicon - 3300uF Samxon RS
2x 470uF 16v Canicon - Panny FM
1x 680uF canicon for 5vsb - 1000uF 6.3 Nichicon HE

Pics coming soon

[Th3_uN1Qu3]

Re: Rexpower PL-400 rebuild

Delta fans? You must really like noise then. Everything else looks good, but if you use adequate transistors and rectifiers... you shouldn't need noisy fans.

[c_hegge]

Re: Rexpower PL-400 rebuild

The fans are temp controlled. I used them as they are good quality ball bearing fans and not HongKongFlyApart company made sleeve bearing fans.

[370forlife]

Re: Rexpower PL-400 rebuild

Rexpower...any idea who the OEM is?

[Th3_uN1Qu3]

Re: Rexpower PL-400 rebuild

Rexpower...any idea who the OEM is?

Erm... Beer? Sorry, i meant Deer.

[370forlife]

Re: Rexpower PL-400 rebuild

Must be a old deer. They haven't use canicon in a while.

[c_hegge]

Re: Rexpower PL-400 rebuild

This PSU has some similarities (most notably, Ever-power printed on the transformers).

Here's the label in case that helps.

[c_hegge]

Re: Rexpower PL-400 rebuild

Glad I changed the heatsinks. The original ones were so thin I can bend them into a U shape with my bare hands!

PS. Did someone delete my post with the internal pictures? or did I just not post it in the first place?

[Toasty]

Re: Rexpower PL-400 rebuild

AHEM!

Use of the HongKongFlyApart name is a Toasty registered trademark and requires an ® after it.

[c_hegge]

Re: Rexpower PL-400 rebuild

One question about it. How much wattage do you think it could manage after doing all this to it?

The two primary switching transistors are now 2SC3320 and, for the secondary, I used an STPS3045CW on each rail and two of them on the 5v.

[Th3_uN1Qu3]

Re: Rexpower PL-400 rebuild

With those parts, it'll depend on the frequency that it's operating at. You could get a full 400W, but it'll probably require rewinding the transformer too. I say you're gonna get about 300.

[c_hegge]

Re: Rexpower PL-400 rebuild

Only 300? It's going to be running on 240v and the transformer will be replaced with a bigger one.

[Th3_uN1Qu3]

Re: Rexpower PL-400 rebuild

If you replace the transformer you should get more. Good silicon with an EC-35 transformer will get you close to 500W.

I've seen a X-Tech "500W" supply fail on a system that barely drew 100W, because the primary transistors were crap. Everything else was actually spec'd correctly, and that supply would have done 500W if given the right silicon.

[goodpsusearch]

Re: Rexpower PL-400 rebuild

Please post some photos

[c_hegge]

Re: Rexpower PL-400 rebuild

Here

[goodpsusearch]

Re: Rexpower PL-400 rebuild

You can add metal oxide varistors for protection from power surges.

The switching transistors you used are capable of 450W.

The transformer looks to be El-35, good for 350 watt, maybe more. It depends of the switching frequency used.

Personally, I like to beef up the input capacity, so I would put 680uF or 820uF on a 350-400 watt psu.

You say you used STPS3045CW for the 12V line. VRRM is 45V, maybe too low for the 12V line. Some psus require fast recovery rectifiers for 12V or schottky rectifiers with 60VRRM or better. Look what happened when I tried to replace a 10A fast recovery rectifier with a schottky in a Maxpower PL-300 (same oem): https://www.badcaps.net/forum/showth...?t=8171&page=7

Last one, if it uses the same design with my maxpower, then there are 2 caps for the 5vsb (pic)

[c_hegge]

Re: Rexpower PL-400 rebuild

The original 12v was one of these, so Ill look at getting a better replacment.

[Th3_uN1Qu3]

Re: Rexpower PL-400 rebuild

My Powerlink works fine with a diode with 40v reverse voltage on 12v. When testing the SMPS i built myself, i actually did 24 volts out with a SBL3040CT... Dunno for how long would it have lasted, but it certainly worked just fine for a few hours.

I think that on some units they are just too lazy to install proper snubbers on the transformer, so they put a higher voltage diode that can eat up the spikes.

[370forlife]

Re: Rexpower PL-400 rebuild

Ultrafasts and Fast recoveries are cheaper than schottky. When the psu is designed to be lower current and cheap as possible they will use parts as cheap as possible and as close to spec as possible (referencing to the OEM's spec's)

Depending on the design, 2SC3320's can deliver 500W or more. For this key mouse I wouldn't count on it though. Also, the SG6105DZ has OPP, which means it will probably shut down before it blows up.

Ever-power on the transformer means it's a Key mouse (KMEX). Key mouse likes to copy other companies designs, especially ATNG. Consequently they can be ok performers if kept within their designed wattages.

[c_hegge]

Re: Rexpower PL-400 rebuild

It actually had schottkys for the other two rails (Mospec S20C40C). The only fast recovery was the F12C20C on the 12v. As a replacment for the 12v rail, would an 80EPF10 do the job? (80A, 1000v VRRM)