Enclosure for computer (ATX) power supply

M

Marc Hillman

Guest
I'm getting back into electronics after 35 years. Had this GREAT idea for a
cheap power supply for my breadboard projects - buy a cheap computer power
supply which provides +/- 5 & +/- 12V, put it in a box, and voila! a simple
cheap lab supply. Easy - right?

No - try as I might I cannot find a simple aluminium box with internal
dimensions at least 150x85x180 for under $100. Ideally I'd like one of those
tarnsformer enclosures that come with a handle, but where does one get a
largish aluminium box these days? Any suggestions greatly appreciated.

(Can anybody suggest a better newsgroup for this question? There seems to be
a lot of off topic, and childish, stuff here)
 
"Marc Hillman" <7owsx1j02@sneakemail.com> wrote in message
news:4addbc3f$1@dnews.tpgi.com.au...
I'm getting back into electronics after 35 years. Had this GREAT idea for
a cheap power supply for my breadboard projects - buy a cheap computer
power supply which provides +/- 5 & +/- 12V, put it in a box, and voila! a
simple cheap lab supply. Easy - right?

No - try as I might I cannot find a simple aluminium box with internal
dimensions at least 150x85x180 for under $100. Ideally I'd like one of
those tarnsformer enclosures that come with a handle, but where does one
get a largish aluminium box these days? Any suggestions greatly
appreciated.

(Can anybody suggest a better newsgroup for this question? There seems to
be a lot of off topic, and childish, stuff here)
Click to expand...
Before you go to any trouble it would be worth checking the exact specs of
these things including low load behaviour and high frequency noise. They're
designed specifically for digital service, with a defined load range. For
low signal analog work, for example, you might find the rails are devilishly
noisy, and that sort of noise can be hard to filter.

Hope that's on-topic and grown-up enough for you. Cheers
 
"Bruce Varley" <bxvarley@weastnet.com.au> wrote in message
news:AdCdnbM84aw5IkDXnZ2dnUVZ8q2dnZ2d@westnet.com.au...
"Marc Hillman" <7owsx1j02@sneakemail.com> wrote in message
news:4addbc3f$1@dnews.tpgi.com.au...
I'm getting back into electronics after 35 years. Had this GREAT idea for
a cheap power supply for my breadboard projects - buy a cheap computer
power supply which provides +/- 5 & +/- 12V, put it in a box, and voila!
a simple cheap lab supply. Easy - right?

No - try as I might I cannot find a simple aluminium box with internal
dimensions at least 150x85x180 for under $100. Ideally I'd like one of
those tarnsformer enclosures that come with a handle, but where does one
get a largish aluminium box these days? Any suggestions greatly
appreciated.

(Can anybody suggest a better newsgroup for this question? There seems to
be a lot of off topic, and childish, stuff here)

Before you go to any trouble it would be worth checking the exact specs of
these things including low load behaviour and high frequency noise.
They're designed specifically for digital service, with a defined load
range. For low signal analog work, for example, you might find the rails
are devilishly noisy, and that sort of noise can be hard to filter.

Hope that's on-topic and grown-up enough for you. Cheers

What the hell are you guys talking about electronics on this NG !!!
Click to expand...
It's people like you that clog up normal dialog on politics and commerce
that the group was designed for.
Why not bug out to a more appropriate NG ??


--
Cheers ............. Rheilly P
 
"Rheilly Phoull" <rheilly@bigslong.com> schreef in bericht
news:dKqdnZuSxbgLWEDXnZ2dnUVZ_j-dnZ2d@westnet.com.au...
"Bruce Varley" <bxvarley@weastnet.com.au> wrote in message
news:AdCdnbM84aw5IkDXnZ2dnUVZ8q2dnZ2d@westnet.com.au...

"Marc Hillman" <7owsx1j02@sneakemail.com> wrote in message
news:4addbc3f$1@dnews.tpgi.com.au...
I'm getting back into electronics after 35 years. Had this GREAT idea
for a cheap power supply for my breadboard projects - buy a cheap
computer power supply which provides +/- 5 & +/- 12V, put it in a box,
and voila! a simple cheap lab supply. Easy - right?

No - try as I might I cannot find a simple aluminium box with internal
dimensions at least 150x85x180 for under $100. Ideally I'd like one of
those tarnsformer enclosures that come with a handle, but where does one
get a largish aluminium box these days? Any suggestions greatly
appreciated.

(Can anybody suggest a better newsgroup for this question? There seems
to be a lot of off topic, and childish, stuff here)

Before you go to any trouble it would be worth checking the exact specs
of these things including low load behaviour and high frequency noise.
They're designed specifically for digital service, with a defined load
range. For low signal analog work, for example, you might find the rails
are devilishly noisy, and that sort of noise can be hard to filter.

Hope that's on-topic and grown-up enough for you. Cheers

What the hell are you guys talking about electronics on this NG !!!
It's people like you that clog up normal dialog on politics and commerce
that the group was designed for.
Why not bug out to a more appropriate NG ??


--
Cheers ............. Rheilly P
Click to expand...
Yeah, this group is at least as noisy as a PC power supply. :)

petrus bitbyter
 
"Marc Hillman" <7owsx1j02@sneakemail.com> wrote in message
news:4addbc3f$1@dnews.tpgi.com.au...
I'm getting back into electronics after 35 years. Had this GREAT idea for
a cheap power supply for my breadboard projects - buy a cheap computer
power supply which provides +/- 5 & +/- 12V, put it in a box, and voila! a
simple cheap lab supply. Easy - right?
Click to expand...
You are likely to have problems with the PSU before you start. For example
the 12V rails won't come up to spec if you don't load the main 5V rail,
usually you also have to load the 3.3V rail as well - I even came across a
cheap psu that only used 2 of the 3 3.3V pins for power, the third pin
carried the voltage sense lead, not realising this I didn't connect all 3
pins together while checking on a dummy load and the psu went bang!
 
Thanks for the grown-up suggestions - problem solved - Radio Parts C1066
$22.

Don't mind the noise. Most of what I build goes into a car, so it creates a
realistic environment. Thanks for the warning on having to load the 5V line
though.

Apologises for clogging the NG with electronics :)
 
Bob Larter wrote:
Marc Hillman wrote:
I'm getting back into electronics after 35 years. Had this GREAT idea
for a cheap power supply for my breadboard projects - buy a cheap
computer power supply which provides +/- 5 & +/- 12V, put it in a box,
and voila! a simple cheap lab supply. Easy - right?

No - try as I might I cannot find a simple aluminium box with internal
dimensions at least 150x85x180 for under $100. Ideally I'd like one of
those tarnsformer enclosures that come with a handle, but where does
one get a largish aluminium box these days? Any suggestions greatly
appreciated.

A mini-tower PC should do the job nicely, & will cost bugger all.
Click to expand...
And while you're at it you could put a mother-board and hard drive in
and you'll have a free computer along with your power supply.
 
Marc Hillman wrote:
I'm getting back into electronics after 35 years. Had this GREAT idea
for a cheap power supply for my breadboard projects - buy a cheap
computer power supply which provides +/- 5 & +/- 12V, put it in a box,
and voila! a simple cheap lab supply. Easy - right?

No - try as I might I cannot find a simple aluminium box with internal
dimensions at least 150x85x180 for under $100. Ideally I'd like one of
those tarnsformer enclosures that come with a handle, but where does one
get a largish aluminium box these days? Any suggestions greatly
appreciated.
Click to expand...
A mini-tower PC should do the job nicely, & will cost bugger all.


--
W
. | ,. w , "Some people are alive only because
\|/ \|/ it is illegal to kill them." Perna condita delenda est
---^----^---------------------------------------------------------------
 
"Marc Hillman" <7owsx1j02@sneakemail.com> writes:

I'm getting back into electronics after 35 years. Had this GREAT idea for a
cheap power supply for my breadboard projects - buy a cheap computer power
supply which provides +/- 5 & +/- 12V, put it in a box, and voila! a simple
cheap lab supply. Easy - right?

No - try as I might I cannot find a simple aluminium box with internal
dimensions at least 150x85x180 for under $100.
Click to expand...
If you're just after a computer switchmode power supply, can't this be
obtained from any computer left out on the street for council pickup?

Nick.
 
On Thu, 22 Oct 2009 16:54:13 +0800, Davo <Dave@gmail.com> wrote:

Bob Larter wrote:
Marc Hillman wrote:
I'm getting back into electronics after 35 years. Had this GREAT idea
for a cheap power supply for my breadboard projects - buy a cheap
computer power supply which provides +/- 5 & +/- 12V, put it in a box,
and voila! a simple cheap lab supply. Easy - right?

No - try as I might I cannot find a simple aluminium box with internal
dimensions at least 150x85x180 for under $100. Ideally I'd like one of
those tarnsformer enclosures that come with a handle, but where does
one get a largish aluminium box these days? Any suggestions greatly
appreciated.

A mini-tower PC should do the job nicely, & will cost bugger all.



And while you're at it you could put a mother-board and hard drive in
and you'll have a free computer along with your power supply.
Click to expand...
Don't laugh. My desktop machine has the +12V taken out through the
rear panel to a flying lead. Comes in *very_handy* (tm) when
programming two-way radios.
 
"who where" <noone@home.net> wrote in message
news:e8t1e55fvooh6114rbct9bg8ejo64oih8k@4ax.com...
On Thu, 22 Oct 2009 16:54:13 +0800, Davo <Dave@gmail.com> wrote:

Bob Larter wrote:
Marc Hillman wrote:
I'm getting back into electronics after 35 years. Had this GREAT idea
for a cheap power supply for my breadboard projects - buy a cheap
computer power supply which provides +/- 5 & +/- 12V, put it in a box,
and voila! a simple cheap lab supply. Easy - right?

No - try as I might I cannot find a simple aluminium box with internal
dimensions at least 150x85x180 for under $100. Ideally I'd like one of
those tarnsformer enclosures that come with a handle, but where does
one get a largish aluminium box these days? Any suggestions greatly
appreciated.

A mini-tower PC should do the job nicely, & will cost bugger all.



And while you're at it you could put a mother-board and hard drive in
and you'll have a free computer along with your power supply.

Don't laugh. My desktop machine has the +12V taken out through the
rear panel to a flying lead. Comes in *very_handy* (tm) when
programming two-way radios.
Click to expand...
A bit of skip raiding got me a pile of fibre-optic network repeaters, each
one contained a PSU module with separate switchers for the 5 & 12V outputs,
so either rail can be used on its own without loading the other.
 
ian field wrote:
A bit of skip raiding got me a pile of fibre-optic network repeaters, each
one contained a PSU module with separate switchers for the 5 & 12V outputs,
so either rail can be used on its own without loading the other.
Click to expand...
wow, you've got good quality skips :) I clearly need to look elsewhere.

Terry
 
Terry Dawson wrote:
ian field wrote:
A bit of skip raiding got me a pile of fibre-optic network repeaters, each
one contained a PSU module with separate switchers for the 5 & 12V outputs,
so either rail can be used on its own without loading the other.

wow, you've got good quality skips :) I clearly need to look elsewhere.

Terry
Click to expand...

The power station I work at had a big upgrade of its control system last
year. Some of the stuff thrown out would make you weep.
 
Davo wrote:
Bob Larter wrote:
Marc Hillman wrote:
I'm getting back into electronics after 35 years. Had this GREAT idea
for a cheap power supply for my breadboard projects - buy a cheap
computer power supply which provides +/- 5 & +/- 12V, put it in a
box, and voila! a simple cheap lab supply. Easy - right?

No - try as I might I cannot find a simple aluminium box with
internal dimensions at least 150x85x180 for under $100. Ideally I'd
like one of those tarnsformer enclosures that come with a handle, but
where does one get a largish aluminium box these days? Any
suggestions greatly appreciated.

A mini-tower PC should do the job nicely, & will cost bugger all.



And while you're at it you could put a mother-board and hard drive in
and you'll have a free computer along with your power supply.
Click to expand...
Indeed. ;^)

--
W
. | ,. w , "Some people are alive only because
\|/ \|/ it is illegal to kill them." Perna condita delenda est
---^----^---------------------------------------------------------------
 
who where wrote:
On Thu, 22 Oct 2009 16:54:13 +0800, Davo <Dave@gmail.com> wrote:

Bob Larter wrote:
Marc Hillman wrote:
I'm getting back into electronics after 35 years. Had this GREAT idea
for a cheap power supply for my breadboard projects - buy a cheap
computer power supply which provides +/- 5 & +/- 12V, put it in a box,
and voila! a simple cheap lab supply. Easy - right?

No - try as I might I cannot find a simple aluminium box with internal
dimensions at least 150x85x180 for under $100. Ideally I'd like one of
those tarnsformer enclosures that come with a handle, but where does
one get a largish aluminium box these days? Any suggestions greatly
appreciated.
A mini-tower PC should do the job nicely, & will cost bugger all.


And while you're at it you could put a mother-board and hard drive in
and you'll have a free computer along with your power supply.

Don't laugh. My desktop machine has the +12V taken out through the
rear panel to a flying lead. Comes in *very_handy* (tm) when
programming two-way radios.
Click to expand...
I've done the same thing when I've needed 5V or 12V for some device or
other. The easy way is to run an HD extension power cable out an unused
expansion slot.

--
W
. | ,. w , "Some people are alive only because
\|/ \|/ it is illegal to kill them." Perna condita delenda est
---^----^---------------------------------------------------------------
 
"Terry Dawson" <vk2ktj@gmail.com-fu> wrote in message
news:hbtaus$nlv$2@news.eternal-september.org...
ian field wrote:
A bit of skip raiding got me a pile of fibre-optic network repeaters,
each
one contained a PSU module with separate switchers for the 5 & 12V
outputs,
so either rail can be used on its own without loading the other.

wow, you've got good quality skips :) I clearly need to look elsewhere.

Terry
Click to expand...
There were 2 end user disposal warehouses nearby (sadly both gone now) they
took end user computer systems by the lorry load, often from supermarket
chains when they upgraded. I used to repair monitors for one of them.

One of them even sometimes put stuff by that they thought I'd like instead
of burying it in the skip.
 
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