Any useful parts in a ATX Power Supply? - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / beginners

author: blewisjr
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: March 31, 2013, 10:22:56 pm
content: I know a lot of people like to mod out ATX supplies they have laying around but I have no use for a beast like that way too much current for anything I can conceive of doing at the moment. So my question is I have an ATX supply laying around I think it is a 350W supply. Is there any parts in there worth salvaging besides the 300V rated wire and the mains power switch?

author: mariush
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 31, 2013, 10:41:16 pm
content: The capacitors could be reused - generally they're 1500, 2200 or 3300uF 6.3v/10v/16v (some for 3.3v rail and 5v rail , some for 12v rail).There's one or more optocouplers that you could reuse, they're pretty generic.You can also re-use some of the inductors, for example if you want to play with some switching regulators like mc34063...Other than that... lots of passives like resistors, some diodes, but usually they're either surface mounted or the leads are too short to be of any use.Some have some a 7912 and maybe even a 7905, to produce -12v and -5v, these are jellybean linear regulators..The transformers are probably the least useful for hobby stuff.I don't advise taking it apart, it could be useful in the future for some projects ...

author: c4757p
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 31, 2013, 10:41:44 pm
content: Sure. Piles of magnetics, huge diodes, huge transistors, big caps, optocouplers, etc.

author: c4757p
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 31, 2013, 10:44:12 pm
content: Quote from: mariush on March 31, 2013, 10:41:16 pmI have a relatively recent one (3-5 years, maybe) that blew up and I didn't really feel like repairing it, so I tore it down. Not a single SMD part except on a separate pre-made module board. There were a couple massive TO-247 Schottkys and a couple TO-247 and TO-220 MOSFETs - quite useful. Piles and piles of useful inductors and caps. Kept the transformers (quite a few of these too!), just in case.

author: Mr Smiley
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: March 31, 2013, 10:46:59 pm
content: You'll find probably two. definitely one TL431 1% voltage references, several schotty diodes, possible a few toroid cores, a power mosfet or transistor, a 5v fixed regulator, low ohm high wattage resistors, if the caps are ok then several high temp low esr caps, possibly a few high precision resistors around the TL431's and other bits and bobs, don't forget the fan, the iec connector and a few heatsinks, also a few transistor isolation pads and washers.Note, the TL431's will be the 1% versions, not the 2% you buy from ebay.So, not much really

author: blewisjr
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: March 31, 2013, 10:57:09 pm
content: I clipped all the connectors off as they are not really useful and kept the wires. I did not disassemble the supply yet but left about 12 inches or so of every wire still hooked to the supply in case I want to convert it. I opened it up and looks like there is some surface mount stuff in there and some really huge caps and inductors. The IC's in there that I can see are all PDIP so it might be possible to get them out but there is a lot of glue all over the place in the darn thing. Looks like a few of the inductors are glued to the heat sinks and some of the IC's have glue all over them. Might not be worth the trouble. Might just need to convert it as you never know when you need 17A going down a 12V rail I guess or 20A going down a 5V rail.

author: SeanB
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 01, 2013, 04:31:12 pm
content: If it has been used for any length of time the caps on the output side will be iffy, they tend to be toasted both from outside and from high ripple current inside. Often they run so hot that you find the sleeve is brown ( when it should not be) or has shrunk down.

author: AlphZeta
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: April 01, 2013, 05:48:33 pm
content: ATX power supplies are one of the more useful ones to salvage parts in my opinion since they hav a ton of useful ICs and discrete. Depending on the particular ATX power supply you are salvaging from, you might also find LM339, thermistors, MOVs, bridge rectifier, etc.Plus, you can always reuse the heat sinks and three-prong power sockets.s