Posted: Mon Mar 14, 2011 19:15 Post subject: Computer Power Supply to Power Router
Hello,
I'm looking to make a single, small box which houses a small computer and a wireless router. I would like to see if the power supply which is already powering the computer can be used to power the router.
I'm wondering if anyone with more electronics savvy than me has worked out a way to use one of the 12v leads from a computer power supply and have it power a small linksys router?
Using the 12V and a ground, I would slip on a piece of heat shrink on the positive wire and solder in a fuse holder and put in a 1 amp fuse, mayyybe a 2 amp. Heat shink the exposed wire. Then solder & heat shrink the appropriate power connector to the fused positive and unfused negative. Plug 'er in and you are a go! Take note of the polarity of the plug!
Joined: 10 Jan 2011 Posts: 145 Location: West Coast, Canada
Posted: Tue Mar 15, 2011 15:08 Post subject:
These routers do not pull a lot of current. I heard max 12 watts at 12 Volts for a grand total of 1 amp. There are no moving parts so there is no rush in currents. Your hard drives will spin up before the router can power on so that isn't an issue either. The hard drives pull about 7-15 watts but they can use up to 30 watts during spin up.
Your router would be acting like a hard drive at idle as far as power usage.
I'm sure there would be no back feed but if you wanted to make sure, you could solder in a diode in line with the fuse. Again, observe polarity.
Power supplies in a computer are weak when we talk about power supplies in general; however, they are fine for what we use them for. The constant changing hard drive usage, the cpu usage, fans, etc etc... a router would be a nice break for the power supply.
Joined: 04 Jan 2007 Posts: 11564 Location: Wherever the wind blows- North America
Posted: Tue Mar 15, 2011 16:04 Post subject:
Most 12V power supplies in a PC are in the +10A range....the router will only use as much as it needs...so a high current rating is better and no detriment to the router.
redhawk _________________ The only stupid question....is the unasked one.
Joined: 10 Jan 2011 Posts: 145 Location: West Coast, Canada
Posted: Tue Mar 15, 2011 16:07 Post subject:
If you are referring to my comment about the router being a nice break for the power supply, I just meant for the components inside the power supply without the 'large' constant change of amperage like a hard drive or fan would have.
Easiest and dirtiest solution to this is cut off the connector on the routers power brick, strip the wires and stick them in the appropriate connectors on a power supply. This will work perfectly fine, although it wont be too pretty. Simple molex 8981 compatible pins can be made from 12awg solid conductor wire and some heatshrink tubing if you want something more secure.
