Charger power supply

[Smoothound]

Also some chargers are extremely fussy about getting a genuine 12v supply ie 13.8v

[Jamez]

I have an old PC power supply, What you have to do is locate the largest set of cables (thickest) and cut of the plug from the end. If you read on the side of the psu, it should say which cable's do what, for example red +12, Yellow +5, Black - (or ground), white -12v, and if it is a switching psu there will be a pair to switch it on remotly. Mine has a Plastic plate bolted onto the top with 3 M6 bolts through (just the plastic and seperate from the metal case). i used the +12v, the +5v (handy for electric testing when there is no rx pack around!!!) and the Ground (-). Then all you have to do is clip your charger or whatever to the correct set of 'PEGS' and of you go.....

Tell you what I will post a couple of picks......

[marktigere1]

Just make sure the PSU can provide the correct current.

I tried this with a 200W PSU. Current is therefore 200/230 = 800 mA

When I plug in my LI-PO charger, the PSU shuts itself down each time.

I just cannot believe that the thing is incapable of powering the charger alone??

Its an ATX type. Anyone got any suggestions?

Cheers

Mark

[Jamez]

Should say on the side what current they can deliver at what voltage. Mine does 5a @ 12v and 15a @ 5v, Mark makesure you have the correct colour wire for your + 12v as there is a remote +12 but this onyl runs at about 200ma, Also that is 200w at the output voltage therefore it should be 200/12 so it should put out about 16amps

Have a look at this I just found

http://www.wikihow.com/Convert-a-Com...b-Power-Supply

[marktigere1]

Hi James

Thanks for the link.

What colour is the remote +12 Volt?

I've tried all the yellow +12V cables and as yet not been able to power the charger let alone charge a battery!!

Cheers for any help. Need to get this going as funds do not allow a dedicated charger at the moment and I'm charging batteries at work which is not very convienient.

Cheers

Mark

[Jamez]

Ah i think that it was acutaly the max current it will take to switch it off using the remote. Its the brown wire and if it is connected to the ground it will switch it off.

Yellow wire should be the one to use. Black should be ground (it seems a common set of colours)

3 pics of mine in my gallery now

[marktigere1]

Thanks for the pic's.

Looks as though you have the old style of power supply.

Mines the new fangled ATX type. Think I need to connect a few more wires to give the thing a load before it is happy.

Will publish my findings if I get it to work.

Cheers

Mark

[cypher007]

in short

yes, some PC power supplies seem to need a load on the +5V and +3.3V rails to regulate the +12V rail properly. my guess is it's probably the lower priced PC power supplies that behave like this.

[marktigere1]

Hi

Found the answer.

ATX power supplies do indeed require a load on the supply lines to keep active otherwise they shutdown. (Cheers cypher007)

So last night I connected the charger BEFORE turning on the ATX and Bob's your Uncle I have a free 12 volt 6 amp charger for all my batteries.

Well chuffed as I can now look to replace my stuffed gyro

Cheers to James for the link.

Happy charging.

Mark