ATX to Bench PS Kit

[bobcat2000]

Is this thing worth $20 US clams?  (~$10-15 from Aliexpress) Most of the posts here were from 2016.  Would you point me to any post here that I can read about this kit?  Thanks!

I only found one video about this kit.

https://youtu.be/mLT451mgR7I

[MarkF]

As a price comparison, I bought this ATX breakout board bench power supply  from seeedStudio.
The banana jacks are crap.  Haven't really used it much but it does have 1A poly-fuses to prevent fires.   

I don't know if I would buy it again.

[ledtester]

Found an aliexpress listing here:

https://www.aliexpress.us/item/3256801588356320.html

In the reviews there is a recent one from Spain which translated by Google Translate reads:

Good seller, fast shipping, good packaging in cardboard box, even so the box arrived quite frosty, but the item was not damaged, only the potentiometer knob sunk in its axis. The item in value for money, is correct, but has some flaws. -The potentiometer knob rubs against the methacrylate support, you have to pull the knob out, so that they don't rub... -The potentiometer is very sensitive and you have to turn it very delicately, otherwise the voltage jumps several volts at once , goes from 5 volts to 10 volts, in just one millimeter of turn. -The voltage ranges between 1.8 volts and 10.7 volts, meaning that they have not used the -12 volt cable for assembly. It's a shame, I thought it was going to have a voltage of 24 volts, I didn't like the latter at all. Otherwise it is correct and the voltages and outputs work well. Very unhappy with this item, I'll take it apart and try to improve it.

Another listing here:

https://www.aliexpress.us/item/3256802996121417.html

There are cheaper ATX power supply breakouts (without the buck converter), e.g.:

https://www.aliexpress.us/item/2251832771266043.html

[rstofer]

In using an ATX supply as a base, I would be worried about the fact that there is no current limiting to protect the project.  The slightest oops will see a lot of magic smoke pouring out of something.  Popping fuses isn't really current limiting.

A real bench supply will always have adjustable current limiting.

I have a couple of the simple adapters but I don't use them for anything.  It seemed like a good thing at the time but the Rigol DP832 is a better solution.

[MarkF]

... but the Rigol DP832 is a better solution.

If it just had a normal number keypad...   
I just can't get past the round piece of crap keypad!

I would rather have the Siglent SPD1305X 30V/5A Linear DC Power Supply  and give up the extra outputs. 



Right now I have several of the little Hewlett Packard HP 6216A Variable DC Power Supplies. 
But, I only paid $50 which included shipping. 
We had them in my college labs and I fell in love with them. 
They're not for projects with heavy loads.  Although, multiples can be connected in parallel or serial.



I have also built several power supplies based on the MC7800 and MC7900 series regulators.

[Mechatrommer]

I'd rather build myself, just add buck or boost module and some banana usb ports.. $5 estimated cost..

[MrAl]

Is this thing worth $20 US clams?  (~$10-15 from Aliexpress) Most of the posts here were from 2016.  Would you point me to any post here that I can read about this kit?  Thanks!

I only found one video about this kit.

https://youtu.be/mLT451mgR7I

Hi,

It is probably worth $20 USD but there are some limitations you should know about.

It looks like just a regulator not a 'converter' that converts a power supply to a variable power supply.  That means that you only get the current out that it was designed for.  For example, if you have a power supply that can put out 40 amps on the 12v line and the board only puts out 1 amp, you arent getting much from such a capable power supply.  To get the true conversion, the PC board of the power supply has to be altered somewhat.

That said, you can still use it but it will kind of be a waste of the power supply you start with.  I've actually done this kind of board in the past and was satisfied for a while because all i needed was a 1 amp output that was adjustable.  The power supply i used was quite small to though so i didnt loose much,  If i was using a 20 amp supply i'd want at least 10 amp out.

What is more is it's probably a linear regulator so you waste energy too.

[TERRA Operative]

I have one of the seeedstudio things shown above.
Can confirm the banana jacks are crap, and the polyfuses were quickly replaced with solder blobs.

It works ok besides that.

[SmallCog]

If you have an ATX supply you want to repurpose you could also use a ruideng/ryden/rdpower or similar variable dcdc supply

Example of the first to come up on google: https://www.aliexpress.com/item/4001237964949.html?_randl_currency=AUD&_randl_shipto=AU&src=google&src=google&albch=shopping&acnt=708-803-3821&slnk=&plac=&mtctp=&albbt=Google_7_shopping&albagn=888888&isSmbAutoCall=false&needSmbHouyi=false&albcp=11482541945&albag=112620152352&trgt=294682000766&crea=en4001237964949&netw=u&device=c&albpg=294682000766&albpd=en4001237964949&gclid=Cj0KCQjw-fmZBhDtARIsAH6H8qgHI95108P80fA2QDRM-I-7tpXJY4l29rmKbGCtMyKdHa2wktN1HTgaApA6EALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds&aff_fcid=6dacf2478a56465f821a6416e1f15212-1665041138919-04548-UneMJZVf&aff_fsk=UneMJZVf&aff_platform=aaf&sk=UneMJZVf&aff_trace_key=6dacf2478a56465f821a6416e1f15212-1665041138919-04548-UneMJZVf&terminal_id=a64f5c9d47be4be0b9e721d0f9c80f10&afSmartRedirect=y] [url]https://www.aliexpress.com/item/4001237964949.html?_randl_currency=AUD&_randl_shipto=AU&src=google&src=google&albch=shopping&acnt=708-803-3821&slnk=&plac=&mtctp=&albbt=Google_7_shopping&albagn=888888&isSmbAutoCall=false&needSmbHouyi=false&albcp=11482541945&albag=112620152352&trgt=294682000766&crea=en4001237964949&netw=u&device=c&albpg=294682000766&albpd=en4001237964949&gclid=Cj0KCQjw-fmZBhDtARIsAH6H8qgHI95108P80fA2QDRM-I-7tpXJY4l29rmKbGCtMyKdHa2wktN1HTgaApA6EALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds&aff_fcid=6dacf2478a56465f821a6416e1f15212-1665041138919-04548-UneMJZVf&aff_fsk=UneMJZVf&aff_platform=aaf&sk=UneMJZVf&aff_trace_key=6dacf2478a56465f821a6416e1f15212-1665041138919-04548-UneMJZVf&terminal_id=a64f5c9d47be4be0b9e721d0f9c80f10&afSmartRedirect=y[/url]

These (mostly) only reduce voltage so used off of 12v will probably give you an adjustable supply up 10v. Later if you scavenge a supply rated higher (eg 24v) you can reuse the module for a higher adjustable range.

I made my own home made breakout with some cheap banana binding sockets mounted on a project box with a length of trailer light wire back to the ATX supply mounted under my bench. It takes up no space and can be moved around the bench. Useful for when I need 5v or 9v or whatever.



I added a 9v output using a 7809 to power junk that runs off a 9v battery

[bobcat2000]

I am sure the power from the buck converter side is limited to whatever chips they use. It look to me that the other 3 fixed voltage sides (3.3, 5, and 12v) are just a breakout from the ATX P/S.  So, these 3 will supply whatever the ATX P/S can supply.  Or the copper traces are too narrow for higher power?

But for 20 bucks, it is close to 1/3 to 1/2 of one of those 30V/5A or even 30V/10A bench P/S you can find all over Amazon.

Or as the others have said, this kind of toys are useless.  Buy one of those $1000 ones instead.

[ledtester]

There are a bunch of power supply projects which just cut the wires (if that's ok), e.g.:

ATX Bench Power Supply - Convert a Computer Power Supply
https://youtu.be/n_A-jkpjpcM

This one adds a buck/boost converter for an adjustable output:

Bench power supply using ATX PSU
https://youtu.be/9PlQcmx1cBQ

[Rick Law]

The need for current control is an important need.  The amount of current an ATX can pump out can be a real danger.

Less than a month ago (26 days ago), I almost had a fire and I was very lucky.

This (attached photo) SATA power plug came off a molex splitter with a FAN plug and an SATA power connector on the other.  The SATA connector always had intermittent connection problem.  I only needed the FAN connector so I just taped over the sick SATA connector to prevent its use.  Since I was not using the SATA connector, I saw no point in doing more to this sick connector.

I was very lucky.    This PC is only use for backup activity and it rarely has the lid on so I can easily connect the source and backup drives being done.  Normally, I leave the room after the backup is properly started.  This time, I was in the room doing some other stuff.

Shortly after power up, I notices some smoke coming up between the tables.  I looked and saw orange color flickers size of an almond nut coming from the open-lit PC.  In the short time of getting up from my chair and looked, the orange flickers already turned into an orange light ball size of a lemon and choking smoke already begin to fill the room.  I pulled the power cable to the PC and found this SATA connector at the flickering spot... 

Looking at the picture, it looks like it was the 12V ground wire shorting to the the 12V+.  There is so much current the ATX PS can pump out it started to spark (or heat the shorting area) and fire was starting.  Good that I was there to pull the plug before the fire spread.

That molex connector and PC are still in use.  I still need the FAN, but the bad SATA connector was cut and the wires properly isolated with heat-shrink shielding.  There was no other damage.

Edit: added "(or heat the shorting area)"

[rstofer]

Or as the others have said, this kind of toys are useless.  Buy one of those $1000 ones instead.

So, I was bringing up a Z80 project and I had an address conflict which resulted in a collision on the data bus.  Fortunately, I had my Rigol DP832 set for around 50 mA and 5V.  As soon as I turned on the output, the voltage dropped to zero (current limit) and nothing was damaged.  Using an ATX supply would have resulted in a lot of smoke.  Sure, I only saved around $100 worth of parts and that barely puts a dent in the cost of the Rigol but it probably won't be the only time I make that kind of mistake.

It all comes down to choices...

[TERRA Operative]

This (attached photo) SATA power plug came off a molex splitter with a FAN plug and an SATA power connector on the other.  The SATA connector always had intermittent connection problem.

You just experienced first hand where the saying "Molex to SATA, lose all your data" came from.

[bobcat2000]

Ok. I got this.

This DP50V05A thing is absolutely not a bargain.  Spending $35 bucks plus tax and tips for the unit, a case, a power supply, wires and jacks are insanely financially not possible.  I can just get a ready to use bench power supply with the same features for like $70 bucks from Amazon.

I am not going to spend any more money for this thing.  The cheapest the better.  So, I turned my WD external hard disk and took the wires from my ATX power supply to make this thing for cheap.

My WD My Book already has a 12V 2A power supply.  Why not just use it.
The My Book already has a case and it is big enough.  Why not just use it.
I have a bunch of these green male and female jacks for hooking up POE.  Why spend money for the banana jacks when I can just use these.
Why spend extra to buy 18AWG or 20AWG wires? My ATX P/S already has bunch of them.
I do need to dermal the hack out of the case. And that Dermal drill is expensive.

Who need to spend couple Gs for some fancy power supply?!  This will just do fine.

What do you guys think?