Converting Pc Power Supply To Bench Power Supply

Computer power supplies cost around us 30 but lab power supplies can run you 100 or more.

Converting pc power supply to bench power supply.

First a bit of background on a typical atx power supply. Computer power supplies have all the voltages you ll need and some very impressive current capabilities. For instance a computer power supply can make a great bench power supply for your workshop. Convert a computer power supply to a variable bench top lab power supply.

Computer power supplies are switch mode power supplies smps which use high frequency switching circuit elements to provide a high quality output voltage with good energy efficiency one side effect of this technology is the minimum load requirement that each power supply has. Converting an atx power supply into a dc bench supply this article is the first in the projects category. While a commercial bench power supply is certainly a worthwhile investment there is a cheaper solution that you might want to consider. Adapt an old computer power supply to use on your workbench.

The standard computer power supply unit psu turns the incoming 110v or 220vac alternating current into various dc direct current output voltages suitable for powering the computer s internal components and with a little bit of imagination it is possible to convert atx psu to a bench power supply. Prices today for a lab power supply well exceed 180. You can keep the 20 pin molex connector attached and connect directly into it or cut it off completely and group together the individual wires keeping the same colours together reds to reds blacks to blacks etc. There are a number of ways to convert a standard computer atx power supply unit into a usable bench top power supply.

By converting the cheap free atx power supplies that can be found in any discarded computer you can get a phenomenal lab power supply with huge current outputs short circuit protection and reasonably tight voltage regulation on the 5v line. There are already a lot of tutorials online that show how to convert an old computer power supply into a bench power supply but most of these designs require you to permanently modify it.