Converting Computer Atx Power Supply To Lab Bench Power Supply

So i thought of converting one.

Converting computer atx power supply to lab bench power supply. I wanted a power supply to use on my desk with a breadboard for electronics based projects. While a commercial bench power supply is certainly a worthwhile investment there is a cheaper solution that you might want to consider. 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.

In this review and tutorial i will show you how convert a computer atx power supply to bench power supply using a cheap atx breakout board. In my sophomore year of college at the university of minnesota i started into my main electronics classes and needed a good power supply for working on lab projects at home. 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.

This design for an external adapter lets you use the power supply without modifying it. Atx to lab bench power supply conversion. Lab bench power supplies are very cost prohibitive but luckily power supplies for desktop computers can easily provide 30a for under 20.

How to convert an atx power supply to a lab bench power supply 30 march 2013. I find the output voltages appealing as it matches the common voltages you can get like from batteries. We had this old computer lying around that we don t use anymore and i needed a lab bench power supply.

It should be interesting to both those who want to do a conversion and to those interested in the evolution of a popular topic that has been done over and over on the site. By converting the cheap atx power supplies that can be found in any discarded computer. 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.

Inside the power supply you will. Computer power supplies have all the voltages you ll need and some very impressive current capabilities. This guide has almost every atx computer power supply to bench power supply published to date on instructables as of dec 2014 about 70 unique instructables.