Erfolg Posted March 10, 2016 Share Posted March 10, 2016 I have a switching power supply. It has an out put of 12v @ 0.5a and 5v @ 2A. Could it be used for example to drive a typical lipo charger? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Julian Edgecombe Posted March 10, 2016 Share Posted March 10, 2016 Yes, I have converted several for myself and friends, use them on my Accucell6 . Make sure you bunch as many of the +12v leads together, this will keep the amperage up, I routinely charge 4s LiPo's using mine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Ovenden Posted March 10, 2016 Share Posted March 10, 2016 If the 12V output is only 0.5A it won't be capable of charging LiPos of any real capacity. Charge rate will be limited to less than 0.5Amps. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Julian Edgecombe Posted March 10, 2016 Share Posted March 10, 2016 as I said I've done several of these, I have never seen one with just 0.5Amps output at the 12v leads. One of mine runs my 2mtr radio at 5watts output with no problem, so in my humble opinion 0.5 is possibly not the correct value. Not saying I'm correct, nor do I want to start an argument, just my 2c. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PatMc Posted March 10, 2016 Share Posted March 10, 2016 Julian, a 12v 0.5A (6W) output isn't going to cut the mustard for charging typical capacity lipo batteries at 1C. Edited By PatMc on 10/03/2016 16:03:23 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Julian Edgecombe Posted March 10, 2016 Share Posted March 10, 2016 Her's a video that should help Erfolg. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Ft6gRNCuzE Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Julian Edgecombe Posted March 10, 2016 Share Posted March 10, 2016 Sorry. I assumed Erfolg was talking of a "computer" supply, obviously .05A is not going to do the job. Was just trying to help, maybe some one else could try? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geoff S Posted March 10, 2016 Share Posted March 10, 2016 This is the type of power supply you need. They're quite cheap, or were when I bought mine, but are capable of supplying several chargers form the 12volt 47 amp output. They need a few links to be made but it's all laid out by PDR who knows what he's talking about. Geoff Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Erfolg Posted March 10, 2016 Author Share Posted March 10, 2016 The transformer is from a small Computer supply, I am pretty sure you are telling me it will not drive a typical Lipo charger. The out put is 0.5A, 0.05A is a typo. Edited By Erfolg on 10/03/2016 16:17:31 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PatMc Posted March 10, 2016 Share Posted March 10, 2016 Erf, they usually have several outputs, 12V @ 0.5A is no use. I've converted a few & IIRC the one with the lowest useable output is 12V 8A. Last year I bought this one , the type that Geoff linked to from Ebay for £20 inc P&P. A quick search on Ebay turned this one up from a different seller. If you do decide on one from the Bay check out the P&P before bidding. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Erfolg Posted March 10, 2016 Author Share Posted March 10, 2016 Patmac , I came across it whilst clearing out my modelling room. I will put it out with the rest of the junk. I do have a stabilised power supply that I use with my charger, i just thought maybe another PS could be useful, in this case it is a NO! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Privett Posted March 10, 2016 Share Posted March 10, 2016 Or somewhere inbetween a computer PSU and the Proliant server PSU is an Xbox PSU. Available off the bay for about a tenner, the older ones are apparently best as they have a higher current output. Mine is rated at 16.5A at 12v (198W) and happily drives my Quattro B6 charger, though I don't charge anything bigger than 2600mAh LiPos (but it will do 4 at a time) There's a little bit of "surgery" required to chop off the old plug (the one that would have plugged into an xbox, not the mains plug!) but this is documented on various sites on the web. F'rinstance here (you might want to turn the volume down off first!) but essentially just connect all the black wires together for 0v, all the yellows together for +12v. Either put a switch between the blue and red, or (as I did) just solder them together for permanently 'on'. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete B Posted March 11, 2016 Share Posted March 11, 2016 Simon Chambers described the Xbox PSU surgery with pics on the first page of this thread. Mine's still in use as my main PSU three years or so on... Pete Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Privett Posted March 11, 2016 Share Posted March 11, 2016 Well remembered, Pete! I think that thread was what prompted me to buy mine - though it was nearly a year after Simon's post that I got my PSU. Probably because I bought the Quattro charger at about that time and would have been looking for a more capable PSU to feed it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AJ Posted March 11, 2016 Share Posted March 11, 2016 A 0.5A supply will charge your lipos it will just do it very slowly, so perhaps not the best way. Instead connect it to a spare BEC and use it to power a servo tester. AJ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kevin Wilson Posted March 11, 2016 Share Posted March 11, 2016 Posted by AJ on 11/03/2016 06:31:40: A 0.5A supply will charge your lipos it will just do it very slowly, so perhaps not the best way. Instead connect it to a spare BEC and use it to power a servo tester. AJ No need for the BEC AJ. Erflog said it had a 5v output. I have a converted PC PSU and use the 5v output for bench testing radio setups, servo testers and the like. Might be worth keeping for that purpose. Stick a servo style connector on it I keep my eyes open at work for discarded wall wart PSU. many of those are 5v at a few amps. Sometimes even hit the jackpot and find a 12v one for charging small foamy batteries. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eagle 899 Posted March 19, 2016 Share Posted March 19, 2016 Posted by Geoff Sleath on 10/03/2016 16:08:06: This is the type of power supply you need. They're quite cheap, or were when I bought mine, but are capable of supplying several chargers form the 12volt 47 amp output. They need a few links to be made but it's all laid out by PDR who knows what he's talking about. Geoff My Proliant server PSU arrived this morning but Geoff's Link above has ceased working! Anyone got details of the pins to short please? Shep Edited By Eagle 899 on 19/03/2016 13:14:20 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Privett Posted March 19, 2016 Share Posted March 19, 2016 Shep - RCMF (where Geoff's link is) seems to have database connection issues this morning... Hopefully it will be fixed soon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Privett Posted March 19, 2016 Share Posted March 19, 2016 Try that link again now, Shep - it works for me. Looks like they got RCMF back online around an hour ago... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Privett Posted March 20, 2016 Share Posted March 20, 2016 Sorry - looks like it's broken again... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MattyB Posted March 20, 2016 Share Posted March 20, 2016 Posted by Eagle 899 on 19/03/2016 13:13:58: Posted by Geoff Sleath on 10/03/2016 16:08:06: This is the type of power supply you need. They're quite cheap, or were when I bought mine, but are capable of supplying several chargers form the 12volt 47 amp output. They need a few links to be made but it's all laid out by PDR who knows what he's talking about. Geoff My Proliant server PSU arrived this morning but Geoff's Link above has ceased working! Anyone got details of the pins to short please? This should help I think... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eagle 899 Posted March 20, 2016 Share Posted March 20, 2016 Thanks John and Matty, I'll get the soldering iron warmed up Shep Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eagle 899 Posted March 20, 2016 Share Posted March 20, 2016 Up and running, a 47 Amp 12v power supply for £14.95 delivered free, excellent Shep Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Privett Posted March 20, 2016 Share Posted March 20, 2016 And now the RCMF link is back again! Good to see you got it sorted, Shep! Edited By John Privett on 20/03/2016 14:05:41 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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