[megamu]

I came up with this a few days ago. It's probably been done before, but I've never seen one.

External Powersupply
- If you are building a minimalist case, and trying to make it as small as possible, 3 issues arise...
1) Overheating
2) Lack of space
3) Lack of good airflow (catalyst to #1)

I figure, by getting rid of that huge 5"x4"x3" hotbox, you can at least improve these problems.

You could go about this fairly easily...
1) Build some sort of case for the PS, make it look good, because it will be visible.
2) Get some 12v computer power port heads and a male & female cable heads with enough prongs to accomidate, and alot of wire
3) Wire all of the outgoing cords from the powersource to the male cable head, (with ~6ft of slack) and wrap it with heat-shrink to make it look a little better build the female cable head into your case, and connect the powersource extentions to the prongs of the female.

You now have a computer with no PS, and a box w/ a PS in it, 125v power cable from wall to box, self-made cable (w/ outgoing cords inside) to computer, and then you have all of your powerneeds in the case, without the big hot box.

This concept is used in alot of computer periphials I have, for example my scanner, cable from wall to box to scanner.

You think this idea is doable? Or have any comments/tips. I'm really considering it.

:)

[eko]

(Edited by Ekostudios at 7:17 pm on May 11, 2002)

[KinKyGoOsE]

Better yet, just put a 120mm fan on the top of your case as exhaust... it works really well, just make sure u have good intake.

[megamu]

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Quote: from KinKyGoOsE on 12:59 am on May 12, 2002
Better yet, just put a 120mm fan on the top of your case as exhaust... it works really well, just make sure u have good intake.

I don't think you understood me. My case is going to be tiny. I came up with this idea when I was trying to figure out how the #### I'm going to fit all this crap in one tiny box, and still have room for moving air.

External! Whee!

[Cookie Mobster]

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Quote: from KinKyGoOsE on 10:59 pm on May 11, 2002
Better yet, just put a 120mm fan on the top of your case as exhaust... it works really well, just make sure u have good intake.

Yeah, if you want your computer to sound like a semi-truck.

I have never seen an external powersupply but I would assume that it is possable. Be sure that you make it well insolated.

Cheers Sam

[The Neoracle]

One thing to consider, resistance. You can't make the cables too long because then the volts on the other end will greatly decrease.  I'd use very high quality wire.

Other than that, I think it's a great Idea. I'm thinking of building an iPC (a pc that looks like an iMac, or is similar to the style) and I might borrow your design if you decide to do that. ;)

[megamu]

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Quote: from The Neoracle on 8:20 pm on May 12, 2002
One thing to consider, resistance. You can't make the cables too long because then the volts on the other end will greatly decrease.  I'd use very high quality wire.

Other than that, I think it's a great Idea. I'm thinking of building an iPC (a pc that looks like an iMac, or is similar to the style) and I might borrow your design if you decide to do that. ;)

Oh I forgot about resistance! What type of wire has the least resistance? Hope it's not too expensive.

The cord from the pc to the box won't be any more than 6ft, so resistance could be a limiting factor, but not a massive problem. I will consider buying a gold-alloy or something similar with little resistance.

If I ever get enough money to build this mini-monster I'll document it all ;).

And feel completly free to try it out. I'd like to see it done. :)

[The Neoracle]

Gold has the least amount but a 6ft gold cable would be #### OF expensive. They make different grades of copper wire, I'm sure any one at an electronics store could tell you.

[supersloth]

radio shack sucka f00, radio shack.

[objekt404]

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Quote: from smckone on 8:55 pm on May 12, 2002

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Quote: from KinKyGoOsE on 10:59 pm on May 11, 2002
Better yet, just put a 120mm fan on the top of your case as exhaust... it works really well, just make sure u have good intake.

Yeah, if you want your computer to sound like a semi-truck.

I have never seen an external powersupply but I would assume that it is possable. Be sure that you make it well insolated.

Cheers Sam

does anyone really care about the amount of sound a case makes (other than my sister-in-law)?  case in point (no pun intended), when i lived w/my brother, his wife would ask that i shut down my machine for an hour either side of them going to sleep.  i don't have that many fans, but i did it.  now i've been working in a 'small' server room for a month & can tell ya that 4 Dell servers are much louder than my computer (####, there louder than my wall banger A/C). </offtopic>

anyway, it maynot be stylish, but try a TRS-80 enternal floppy disk (5 1/4").  It'll be more than large enough to hold your PSU & the screw pattters are similar to moder drive rails (and room at the front end for dual 80mm fans to boot).  i did this on my 486 case mod & used the stock TRS-80 PSU for the drive to power the neons (still had Molex power conn.  double+ cool.)

[megamu]

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Quote: from objekt404 on 11:09 pm on May 12, 2002

Quote

Quote: from smckone on 8:55 pm on May 12, 2002

Quote

Quote: from KinKyGoOsE on 10:59 pm on May 11, 2002
Better yet, just put a 120mm fan on the top of your case as exhaust... it works really well, just make sure u have good intake.

Yeah, if you want your computer to sound like a semi-truck.

I have never seen an external powersupply but I would assume that it is possable. Be sure that you make it well insolated.

Cheers Sam

does anyone really care about the amount of sound a case makes (other than my sister-in-law)?  case in point (no pun intended), when i lived w/my brother, his wife would ask that i shut down my machine for an hour either side of them going to sleep.  i don't have that many fans, but i did it.  now i've been working in a 'small' server room for a month & can tell ya that 4 Dell servers are much louder than my computer (####, there louder than my wall banger A/C). </offtopic>

anyway, it maynot be stylish, but try a TRS-80 enternal floppy disk (5 1/4").  It'll be more than large enough to hold your PSU & the screw pattters are similar to moder drive rails (and room at the front end for dual 80mm fans to boot).  i did this on my 486 case mod & used the stock TRS-80 PSU for the drive to power the neons (still had Molex power conn.  double+ cool.)

style doesn't matter, as this little box will be on the floor, behind the desk. No one will see it.  Thank for the tip, I'm look into that.

As for sound, yes, I do care alot about a computer being as silent as possible. I don't want the silence hindering the performance and cooling, but as quiet as possible. That's alot of the reason for this idea.

Silent PCs rock.

[megamu]

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Quote: from The Neoracle on 10:22 pm on May 12, 2002
Gold has the least amount but a 6ft gold cable would be #### OF expensive. They make different grades of copper wire, I'm sure any one at an electronics store could tell you.

That's what I was thinking. I don't really feel like spending over 贄 on WIRE.

High-grade copper will probably end up costing me over ฤ, but low resistance is a must.

[KinKyGoOsE]

A lot of the newer larger wattaged PSUs have 2 fans on them... but FYI, I have 4 120mm Sunons... it freaking insane... but hey, my CPU and everything runs freaking peachy :)

[gneato]

I've seen several computers that are very small and include the power supply internally...

If you do external power supply, remember that you have to run cables for the motherboard and EVERY device that needs power, unless you use many "y" adaptors...

just buy a micro case with psu internal. It's quieter that way.

http://www.directron...nlight7180.html
(this one is just an example)

[The Neoracle]

I think we are talking WAY smaller than that case. I think eko is talking like, Thin Client small.

[gneato]

http://www.thinkgeek...ting/59ef.shtml