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Hard Disk power supply from Notebook Power Supply

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netdiver_one:
Dear All,
I would ask your advice about a little project I have in mind.
I often use a SATA/IDE to USB interface to copy data from old hard disk to new PCs. This interface comes with a black brick with 12v-5v molex connector. For three times this external power supply has failed (once blowing the hard disk it was connected to  >:(  ). I don't want to buy another one to get another piece of junk.
As I have a spare notebook power supply (19V - 4.7A output) I think it could give enough power to feed a pair of step down DC-DC converter (two of these: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B008BHAOQO)
I can connect the two in parallel to the output jack of the Notebook PSU and feed a molex female connector, stripped from and old PC PSU, setting the outputs to 12v and 5v. I think that the hard disk(s) will draw 1.5A max from both the power lines. Some hard disk have a 2.5A peak in the 12V line. I will connect only one hard disk at a time, and I would like to have a power source that would not blow up any hard disk I connect to it.

What do you think about this solution? Will it work? Would you suggest another solution? Do you think I need heat dissipation for the power regulators?

Thanks in advance.

Best regards.
Lorenzo

MyHeadHz:
Those little buck converters won't get near their 3a rating for any longer than a small fraction of a second, if they even manage that.  They are only good for a couple hundred ma continuous at 12v.

edit: I know because I made the same mistake a while back, in this thread.  One common solution is to hack an old desktop power supply into a "bench power supply" (at least that's what youtube calls them).  Though limited in features, they are quite robust and stable, and many people have old ones lying around.

Wimberleytech:
I have several of these and used them from time to time.  Never blew one up, nor destroyed the HD. Hmmm.  Have you opened a dead brick to see what failed?

tunk:
Here's a test of something similar:
https://lygte-info.dk/review/Power%20Adjustable%20buck%20converter%20LM2596%20UK.html

netdiver_one:

--- Quote from: Wimberleytech on January 02, 2020, 05:41:50 pm ---I have several of these and used them from time to time.  Never blew one up, nor destroyed the HD. Hmmm.  Have you opened a dead brick to see what failed?

--- End quote ---

First one is the original shipped with the interface... I don't remember in which way it failed...

The second one arrived DOA: since it came from China, it was very expensive to send it back from Italy, so I opened it and found out that it had a bad soldering. Repaired, after one year it made a bang and the hard disk was burned, all data lost, with a bad smell all around the room - It went directly in the bin, not passing GO.

The last one was the most expensive, but now it can't power some hard disks, so I think it is not giving enough amps. I don't want to create another unreliable PSU with my work, I only want a reliable one... but enough "portable" because I often need to make these data transfers outside my lab.

Thanks for your reply.
Lorenzo

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