External PSUs?

[Kanaric]

Anyone know where i could get an external ATX PSU?

I've seen some custom form factor cases that use AC-DC converters Like This which is simular to what is on a laptop for the power supply but none of them have the wattage that i would like and they are not ATX and would require considerable modding which i'm not capable of. Something that i'm looking for would be more simular to this:
http://www.digital-daily.com/editorial/computex-2004/index11.htm
Of course that isn't released....
Silence is not a factor that i'm really more concered about the wattage and my current PC is allready incredibly loud so i'm used to it. I'm looking to create a custom SFF case using a Sega Genesis/CD and having an external PSU would definately help a lot, i want to try to make one that doesn't use a micro ITX board so it can have more performance.

 

[SockMan!]

Why don't you try to use a regular ATX power supply and have it outside the case? Or, better yet, incorporate the power supply into your case mod?

Besides some wiring issues, there's not really anything to prevent you from having the PSU outside of the case.

 

[Ice Czar]

those are pretty cool

while technically this is a power issue
you are far more likely to get decent leads in the Modding Forum or the HTPC forum
so Im transfering you to modding.
(the more active of the two)

 

[shadow-13x]

Just mount it outside the case.

ThE sHaDoW

 

[xonik]

Or you could go the route I went: Mini-ITX with Pentium M based platform. You meet size, performance, and power constraints, though you will spend more. Otherwise, you could look into one of the Transmeta Mini-ITX boards, or a Single Board Computer, which encompasses all kinds of processors from Pentium IIIs to Pentium Ds (soon).

 

[Ice Czar]

Ive been thinking about this and that Zalman

I bet its based on a standard 1U rackmount supply thats upended
and a custom case
most such supplies (or redundant moduals)
employ the enclosure itself as a heatsink
(in addition to a fan, but since thats mounted vertically convection does alot
as well as those extra "wings" adding interface)

if your going to make such an animal
the main thing to worry about is the added resistance extra long wires and plug interfaces will add
1Us arent all that cheap

 

[FLECOM]

oh man how crazy is this, i was just thinking of a project along these lines... i wanted to make an external psu for my machine, but i dunno the logistics would be somewhat difficult...

i was thinking a single cable from the external psu unit to the pc and then some sort of breakout box inside the pc... but you would need quite a few wires for your +12 and +5 lines and a few for the +3.3... also there could be "unforseen" issues with extending the cables of a powersupply past their normal spec, but ive seen some server psu's with just insanely long cables so who knows?

my idea was like a 3U rackmount case with the PSU and then in the front analog meter movements... volt meters for 3.3v 5v and 12v and then ampmeters for the same... but get like old old old old school round meter movements and neon indicator lamps and make it look like it was out of the 20's or something hehe

 

[GlobalFear]

A picture of something a clan member did:

http://69.30.192.125/johnnymanson/hardrig2.JPG
http://69.30.192.125/johnnymanson/hardrig4.JPG

 

[delbert]

I caught a lot of crap for having an external 1U PSU. It was tucked away inside a cavity behind my desk. This was a couple years ago. Thread is long dead here, but still available over at bit-tech. I made sense to me then and I would consider it again.
link

 

[zoidberg3001]

1U in a external housing would be good cause they arent to big and have a decent amount of power.
Or a Shuttle PSU they are pretty much 1U size but i never seen one about 250watts which is fairly small. Cheaper than 1U most places ive seen

EDIT: FLECOM's breek out box idea sounds pretty good as well