How to Convert ATX Power Supply to DC
Converting an ATX power supply to a desktop DC power supply has many benefits and is not an extremely tough task. An ATX power supply usually has overload protection and power regulators, so it is the ideal pick for a good DC power supply. An ATX power supply can deliver three different voltages: 3.3 volts, 5 volts and 12 volts.
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Instructions
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1
Unscrew the case of the ATX power supply.
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2
Select the wires according to your voltage requirement. An ATX power supply has many wires, but you only need to use five colors. The orange wires give 3.3 volts, yellow gives 12 volts and red gives 5 volts. The other two colors you need are black for ground and green for power on.
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3
Cut the other wires from the circuit board using the scissors, leaving only the five colors specified in the previous step. This operation is not mandatory, but is recommended for achieving a better air flow through the power supply.
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4
Use the drill to make four holes in the case of the power supply for the electric terminals. The position of the holes is not important, as long as you have enough room to fit in the electric terminals.
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5
Group together the red wires, the yellow wires and the orange wires. Each of the three groups of wires will consist of several wires of the same color. Also group the black wires, but leave one of them free.
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6
Insert the electric terminals into the holes, and connect each group of wires to a terminal using the soldering gun.
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7
Connect the green wire to the free black wire. This keeps the power supply on. Optionally, you can also connect a switch to be able to manually switch the power supply on or off without unplugging it.
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8
Make sure all connections are done properly and there are no loose wires. Put the case back and screw it together.
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Tips & Warnings
Label your terminals to know how much power each one gives.
Before starting work, make sure your power supply is unplugged from power.
Even though the color codes for the voltages are standard, some Dell products use other color codes. If you are dealing with such a product or you are unsure of the voltages, use a multimeter to measure them or you might end up with a malfunctioning DC power supply.
