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I am looking for a cheap way to get +24V DC max 3A from computer power supply. I prefer easy soldering solution like DIP, and standard components that do not need to be purchased over internet. Any ideas, please?

avra
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    If the PSU has two 12V connectors (and it should), maybe you could just use them connected together? – AndrejaKo Dec 08 '10 at 11:15
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    If you connect two +12V supplies together in parallel, you will get a +12V supply that can source more current. – W5VO Dec 08 '10 at 11:59

5 Answers5

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You can open the supply and look for the TL431 chip. There will be two resistors forming a voltage divider from the 5V rail to the 2.5V that the TL431 compares against. If you calculate the right resistor values, you can set this divider to output half the voltage it currently does. Then you can get the output up so that the +5V rail becomes +10V and the +12V rail becomes +24V. You will probably need to install new output filter capacitors of higher voltage rating as well. And if you modify an ATX supply this way, please cut off the ATX connector and install something else, so it won't plug in to a motherboard.

markrages
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    I did exactly this with one of my supplies. You'll also have to disable the overvoltage protection, if it has any. In my case it was just an SCR so bridging gate-anode stopped it from tripping off. Before disabling that, mine was limited to about 13.5V. I made mine adjustable, using a potentiometer. See: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mK_rIs7uFlo – Thomas O Dec 08 '10 at 17:38
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    I'm aware this is ancient, but I wonder - how does this affect current sourcing ability? Aside from eventually tripping overtemperature measures, could you source the same content on say 18V as is the specified maximum for 12V? Or would you be limited to the same maximum output power? – towe Jan 10 '19 at 18:12
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I have done this in the past using 2 supplies in series. The ground for the supply is the wall ground so to make it work I had to take one of the supplies apart and mount the board on nylon bolts to isolate it from the case. Then that supply floats and can be put in series. Not quite sure what happens around the current limit of the supply.

russ_hensel
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    The ground on most computer power supplies should be completely isolated from any mains conductor, including earth/safety ground. You can safely parallel two supplies together. – Thomas O Dec 08 '10 at 17:39
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    But that does not seem to be the pratice, check some out, it has been some time since I did. – russ_hensel Jan 06 '11 at 15:08
  • @ThomasO That’s not the case in the US. Every ATX PSU I’ve seen has its case connected to both the input ground pin and to the - output. – Navin May 24 '22 at 15:00
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I am not sure you can get 3A out of it, but there are both +12V and -12V leads in ATX. You have -12V on blue wire, 0V on black, and +12V on yellow. So it's 24V betweeen blue and yellow.

If you need +24V from black wires, you'll have to arrange a boost converter and draw about 6A from the 12V. You'll likely want to use more than one lead then.

Yann Vernier
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  • Is there any reason why it wouldn't be possible to connect two 12 V grounds together and use two +12 V wires as a 24 V source? – AndrejaKo Dec 08 '10 at 11:46
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    Yes, there is a reason it will not work. That would be putting two 12V sources in parallel, which would still give you 12V. You would need to put the two supplies in series, but that is probably impossible since the grounds are connected internally. – W5VO Dec 08 '10 at 11:57
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    @W5VO I meant, use the two +12 V wires as + and - connectors, that is to put them in series. Still, I missed the internal GND connection. – AndrejaKo Dec 08 '10 at 12:04
  • @W5V0, unless I do not know something about computer power supplies it should be 24V from -12V to 12V. This will do what @Andrejako wants. – Kortuk Dec 08 '10 at 14:18
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    Be aware that the -12 V rail (and all negative rails in modern PSUs) are relatively very weak. It is not likely able to sink 3 A. – Nick T Dec 08 '10 at 14:46
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    -12V usually uses a 7912 regulator. That can pass a maximum of 1A, but probably much less in practice. – Thomas O Dec 08 '10 at 17:36
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Another way can be by modifying the -12 V rail:

If you see the schematic of the power supply, you can see that there is no difference between the +12 V rail and the -12 V rail, except the rectifier diodes and the electrolytic capacitor in the output.

If you get the rectifier diodes (from another PC power supply) you can put the high current rectifiers in the -12 V. In this way, if you use -12 V to +12 V rail you will get 24 V with 7 A at least if the +12 V is specified with 15 A.

Huisman
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jsturnio
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http://cdn.makezine.com/uploads/2014/04/da87333a_atx24-1bcq.jpg The blue wire is -12v, as @Yann Vernier said. Computer PSU, even the oldest one is a switching power supply, has no 7912 or anything like that, should handle 3 amps. I had a PSU from old computer that has 29 amps on +12v rail and 19 amps on -12 v rail.

adrian dabski
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  • Please use the image button as links get replaced, the images will be there forever. Thanks. – Voltage Spike Apr 11 '16 at 19:49
  • This answer has already been posted, six years ago. – pipe Apr 11 '16 at 20:43
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    _"I had a PSU from old computer that has 29 amps on +12v rail and 19 amps on -12 v rail."_ - I sincerely doubt that. The -12V on ATX supplies is mainly to drive RS-232 serial ports, which require very little power. Most ATX PSUs can drive in the neighbourhood of 0.5A on -12V. – marcelm Aug 10 '17 at 21:46