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Need some hardware help please
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gryhnd:

--- Quote from: BobA on March 17, 2010, 05:19:32 pm ---Most PC cooling fans are 12V so a cheap 300W ATX PS will give you lots of power for lighting and fans.  USB hubs are 5V so I would recommend a PC PS to compliment you laptop.

--- End quote ---

Ditto. My cabs run a second cheap AT power supply or left over wall warts for all the add ons (fans, LEDs, etc). I prefer to keep the added stress off the computer's PSU, as well as reduce any additional paths of PC blow outs due to a wiring short or component going south.

I've used this one from Newegg: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817338010

for my upright cab which runs 12V incandescent bulbs in the coin mechs, 3 large fans, and various other goodies. All it requires is you plug it in, and turn it on with its switch. It's ultimately controlled by a smart strip.

For my cocktail, I used 1 12V wall wart for everything. Since I was just driving 2 fans and some LEDs, it didn't need to be big and powerful. It too is plugged into a smart strip so it's only on when needed.
Nacimroc:

--- Quote from: BurgerKingDiamond on March 18, 2010, 02:52:45 pm ---So if I just buy a small seperate PSU, how do I go about connect different things to it? Will it run by itself, not connected to the MOBO? Sorry, I admit that I am ignorant when it comes to electronics. I've never built or modified a PC.

Oh, the things I'm planning on connected are a few fans, maybe an LED bar and a coin mech.

--- End quote ---

You need to short pins 14 with 15 or 16 as far as I remember. That was the green with either of the blacks beside it! This will make it turn on when you plug it in. Otherwise it will sit dead.

Then take any of the yellows for 12v and black for ground. If you want 5v, just use red, and black for ground again. Simple as! Just make sure not to short the cables.

A tip for installing fans! A fan will only spin when connected the correct way, therefore before installing it, plug it in to your 12v and ground and reverse cables if necessary to get it moving, only then install it. Reason is, I installed mine, then wired them, but figured out they were blowing the wrong direction and had to remove and reinstall the opposite way!

(Disclaimer: I have blown up a few items over the years but this worked for me)
markronz:

--- Quote from: BurgerKingDiamond on March 18, 2010, 02:52:45 pm ---So if I just buy a small seperate PSU, how do I go about connect different things to it? Will it run by itself, not connected to the MOBO? Sorry, I admit that I am ignorant when it comes to electronics. I've never built or modified a PC.

Oh, the things I'm planning on connected are a few fans, maybe an LED bar and a coin mech.

--- End quote ---


Yeah, when I wired up my power supply to work on it's own, what I did was short the green wire and connected it to a black ground wire.  Then it will turn on whenever you have power.  I've been told that some power supplies simply have a power switch on them you can use on it's own, but I haven't come across any of those myself.

You can then use a "smart strip" or something similar.  Like this:
http://www.amazon.com/Smart-Strip-SCG5-Autoswitching-Technology/dp/B000L9FQUO
So when your computer shuts off, it will cut the power to all the other devices hooked up to the strip.


If you were thinking of trying to get a smaller device to power the lights, as I linked before, its just important to make sure it will be supplying enough power to work your fans and LEDs.  So you would need to add up the power requirements for all those devices and get the one that has enough power.   
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