Whoa, i've never seen someone lamenting a vacation There are two ways you can do the dual PSUs. One way is to take the green wires from the PSU on the ATX connector and wire them together on one connector, then take the black wire next to it from both PSUs and wire them together. As far as I know that will work, or you could also get a 12v relay. A relay is somewhat like a switch except that instead of hititng it with an extremity it switches on if it recieves power. A 12v SPST relay (usually used in a car) will cost the princely sum of $1. You would take a spare molex connector and connect the relay between the yellow and black wires. Then take the ATX connector from the other PSU and get the green and black wire from it. Wire them up to the relay too. When you turn on PSU one, it sends 12v through the relay, causing the relay to short the green and black wire on PSU 2 and turn it on. Where you conenct the wires is dependant on the relay, I would reccomend this relay http://www.partsexpress.com/pe/show...22&St3=82836465&DS_ID=3&Product_ID=9683&DID=7 and the wiring diagram for it http://www.partsexpress.com/pe/show...2&St3=82836465&DS_ID=3&Product_ID=11006&DID=7
Thanks! Thanks very much for the prompt response and i'll see if i can get hold of one of those relays. Problem is i live in the uk so ill have to find a different site Thanks anyway! -Nathan
looks nice, it will a be a lan pc right, i'm gonna start a thread later this month about that you can "transport" the leds to your frontbay looks very cool, or make a ledbar that indicates the cpu or network activity simple and fairly cheap just what a student like me and you needs.
Thanks for the comments! Yep it will be a lan pc. The network activity LEDs etc. i'm very interested in. i'll have to look up how to do it. -Nathan
Thanks for the links but I've just found a tutorial which seems easier to understand than relays and all. Please take a look and reply with any thoughts: Tutorial -Nathan
You couldn't use that tutorial directly if you wanted them both to power on at the same tame. That tutorial basically makes a power switch, which will work fine but to power on your PC you will need to hit the button on the front and flip a switch. If you wanted to use the switch on the front of your PC to power on both the power supplies you could use the relay method (which sounds pretty straight forward) or possibly splice your power switch (just an idea, not certain on the specifics). Interesting project though, curious about the end result.
Because the 2nd power supply is only going to be powering the gizmos in the case i don't need it to turn on at the exact time of the actual pc components. so it'll probably only be on when i want the lights etc to work Thanks for comments guys!
i dont know if you are still looking for perspex but pop into your local b&q or homebase or country store, they all seem to sell exactly the same stuff. EDIT: failing that as u r 13, do you get on with your D & t teacher? if you ask them nicely and pay up front they will probably get what you need with their next order.
That Gideontech solution is crude. The relay design is nearly as simple and much better. A relay is very easy to hook up.
You could easily use the gideontech soloution, and mount the toggle switch on the case somewhere. This would solve the problem of having to turn off multiple components (CCs, LED fans etc) You couldn't, however splice your main pc switch and your second psu switch as one is a momentary switch, while the other is a toggle switch... Good luck with whatever you choose to do, and can't wait for updates...
the relay system is dead easy. all you need is a female moxel (with cable), then you just solder 4 wires.
Well yea I do get on with my D&T teacher, he's helping me mod the case so I could ask him to get some perspex and when i go back to school after the holidays i'll ask him whether the switch or the relay would be easier. thanks for the feedback guys! ps: really B&Q do perspex??? jesus i live about 200 metres away from a b&q store. lol
For the PSU's...Overclockers.com has an article on exactly how to do that. Perhaps someone has it bookmarked, but I don't know exactly where it is. It involves moving a gray and green wire around, I think, but I don't know for sure.
Minor Update: OK so I was going to cut the side window today at CDT but the teacher was a bit grumpy with having to mark GCSE coursework so he wouldn't help me. However some jackass from our class just left so he's quite happy now. I'll try and get it done tomorrow. -Nathan
Sorry everyone but this project is temporarily on hold. I'm only just coping with the amount of work we have at the moment so I really don't have any time. Project should commence when I get some tools of my own.
Woohoo! Summer hols! OK, well since I've got nine weeks of absolutely nothing, I'm going to finish this project. But I'm changing it slightly. The front will be custom made in plexi, and it will be metallic racing green instead of blue (too much blue around anyway). I've done one panel, it's sanded and ready for painting, and i've taken some pics: Pictures 1-6: the sanded side-panel. And the paint, primer and lacquer: Painting will start tomorrow!
