Modding That hot wiring PSU thing

Hi guys, hope you can help me out here.

Ive got some cheap computer cathodes which I want to power outside of my computer, and I also have an old PSU to power them. Because there wont be a motherboard, I'll need to short the green and any black wire from the mobo header woith a paperclip to make the PSU run. Anyway, what I need to know is whether the paperclip will need insulating because of the charge? I dont want the PSU to discharge on me while I jam it in after all!

Thanks a bunch

 

Ive done it before with just a paper clip. I dont think theirs any charge going through it your just grounding the pin

 

why not add a momentary switch to it? there isnt that much current going through it

 

Because a momentary would require you holding it down all the time for lighting. The momentary short is recognized by the motherboard, and the motherboard makes a continuous short to the ATX_ON and GND pins.

As for insulating it, it can't hurt. I'm pretty sure there's not much current running through that line, but better safe than sorry, eh? Put a toggle switch on there, too, so you're not forced to remove the paper clip whenever you want to turn off the PSU.

 

I would insulate it but not because it is live (not live since it is grounded out) but because you don't want it to accidentially ground something that shouldn't be.

 

Thanks alot, yeah the PSU has an on/off switch on it, so thats how i'll power it up and down. I've accidentally touched a charged capacitor (?) in a psu before which gave me the biggest shock ever, definately something I'd never wanna try again, so thats why im a bit weary about doing this. The above idea was a pretty good idea, so I'll insulate anyway.

 

Another thought for you: If you are only going to use this PS for lights and such, why not cut all of the mobo wires off at their source, leaving the green one just long enough to ground it inside the case. Not only will you not have to worry about the wire shorting something else out, but it will clean up the inside of your case considerably as well.

 

Or you could buy a mains power adaptor like you would use to power a gameboy or similar. They vary in voltage up to 12-15v and give out enough amps to power a few cathodes. Altho it would involve spending money

 

Yeah, but this way, you can get several different voltages, 12v, 7v, 5v, 3.3v. etc. for running things other than CCFLs, if you need to.

I've zapped myself on a large capacitor before. It's not fun.

 

question, can the green wire be jumped to any black wire? i ask because i am now doing this to an old psu of my own.

 

Any black wire should be ground (unless they are all black!)