A few years ago, someone on this forum taught me a little trick to convert nearly-useless old PC PSUs into fancy lab powersupplies. Admittedly, it took a few years of him teasing me and proverbially kicking my butt to get into action and actually modify a PSU. But ever since, things haven't been the same anymore.
We're now a few years on and about half a dozen PSUs have been converted, and the tricks of the trade have been shared with a few friends who now have also modified a few PSUs of their own. And we've no one for it to blame but a fellow on a slightly-deserted island on the other side of the world....
Maybe he'd like seeing some of the stuff people have done, thanks to his gentle (and sometimes not so gentle....) prodding:
This is the PSU that gets used the most - doesn't look the part, but definitely a workhorse: 2.5-24V adjustable, at 0.25-10A current, also adjustable.
The more luxury and better looking variant, but used much less often:
A lab powersupply, consisting of one standard conversion, 2.5-28V @ 10A, and a 2nd PC PSU that has been modified with a full-bridge rectifier to yield 15-55V @ 5A. (there's a 3rd, non-modified industrial PSU in it as well to supply standard +/- 5, 12 and 24V)
Above, another PSU; originally a 48V/30A phonecompany batterycharger, that has been hacked; only the power bits have been left in place, the actual controller has been replaced with a TL494 hack-job to give a 5-58V/30A powersupply.
And the above project is in the works: similar to the 30A PSU above, but this one for 100A. Originally a 3-phase 48V batterycharger (defect), that is being modified to 220V single phase and 5-60V output, at up to 100A (not 100A @ 60V.... at least, not without blowing the house circuit breaker....)
And then there are the various other projects, where an Oztules-modded PSU is powering everything.... as in this CNC controller....
Anyway, the reason for this post.... am now building a hotwire styrofoam cutter.... and guess what it will be powered by.... So figured some credit was due.
So thank you, Oztules. Your help and patience haven't gone by unnoticed in my life. And thought you might be interested in seeing these projects, which have been largely, or at very least partly, inspired by it.
Just wanted to say that.