This topic is a WIP, and for now it will mostly be a placeholder for things to come. Here i will try to cover the basics of power supply modding, ranging from the simplest to the extreme. I will also present the TL494 in detail.
First we will start with Tools of the Trade. This is a bare minimum of what you need to survive as a PSU modder. You will need:
I will not bore you with basic theory and i assume you have some knowledge of that. Instead, we will explore hands-on how to modify a power supply and what to look for, and whether what you want is achievable with your particular supply.
A lot of us want to turn old PC PSUs into proper all-round bench supplies. I will show you how to achieve that, even if the PSU uses a custom controller. I have several "universal" TL494 daughterboard PCB designs which i will make available, which you can use to run *any* PWM-based power supply.
Questions? Feel free to ask.
First we will start with Tools of the Trade. This is a bare minimum of what you need to survive as a PSU modder. You will need:
- At least one multimeter with frequency and duty cycle measurement. Two are better.
- Another two cheap meters, but make sure one of them can measure AC current. So you can measure input voltage, input current, output voltage, output current at the same time and determine efficiency. Working only with line powered PSUs? Then you can substitute a Kill-A-Watt or similar for two of the meters. Still, having a bunch of meters handy is always good. I have six.
- Oscilloscope, 10MHz at the very least. A x10 probe with compensation is also mandatory.
- Two soldering irons. One low power ~25W for general work, the other 60W or more, chisel tip. For removing big things like transformers and inductors.
- Desoldering braid and desoldering pump.
- Enameled copper wire for making your own transformers and inductors.
- The Mega SMPS Design Cheat Sheet
- Screwdrivers, screws, boxes, things like that.
I will not bore you with basic theory and i assume you have some knowledge of that. Instead, we will explore hands-on how to modify a power supply and what to look for, and whether what you want is achievable with your particular supply.
A lot of us want to turn old PC PSUs into proper all-round bench supplies. I will show you how to achieve that, even if the PSU uses a custom controller. I have several "universal" TL494 daughterboard PCB designs which i will make available, which you can use to run *any* PWM-based power supply.
Questions? Feel free to ask.
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