Power Supply LED AC-DC 12v PSU

Max Harrison

Chassis Packer
Original poster
MRH Systems
Mar 27, 2020
13
57
Hello all! This is my first post so please feel free to inform me if there are any guidelines I'm not following correctly.

Anyway, I've seen these LED AC-DC PSUs laying around, they provide 12v @ up to 33A. I was wondering if these could conceivably power a small pico PSU for the motherboard and power the rest of the build directly via custom EPS/VGA cables off of the 12V rail from the ac-dc psu? Thanks.
 

Piewalker

Trash Compacter
Jul 3, 2018
47
76
I've wondered the same thing -- if an ultra thin 12v LED driver unit would do the trick or if the output isn't filtered and doesn't meet ATX current ripple standards needed for stability. I would think it'd be fine pairing with a Pico for the motherboard and bypassing the pico straight to the GPU. But I'm not sure if they have over-voltage correction and if they're solely passively-cooled. And what is their efficiency? Give me a Platinum and I'd be interested. The fact that most have terminal interfaces is great and is a step up on network server PSUs, which use proprietary gold finger or other type of connectors for output and control. Those are more difficult to deal with but have higher power output generally than LED drivers. But if someone can point out a reasonably small 12v LED driver PSU above 50a (600w), it may be worth considering if it could fit in a SFF build, at least for testing/proof-of-concept.
 

Max Harrison

Chassis Packer
Original poster
MRH Systems
Mar 27, 2020
13
57
I've wondered the same thing -- if an ultra thin 12v LED driver unit would do the trick or if the output isn't filtered and doesn't meet ATX current ripple standards needed for stability.

That's my worry, I'm worried it just isn't stable enough, as there is a difference between just powering an led and powering a computer in terms of required accuracy. They're only like 25 euros shipped so I might give it a crack and read of the voltages and see what it delivers on an old test board.

I would think it'd be fine pairing with a Pico for the motherboard and bypassing the pico straight to the GPU. But I'm not sure if they have over-voltage correction and if they're solely passively-cooled. And what is their efficiency? Give me a Platinum and I'd be interested.

I'm reasonably well versed when it comes to electronics, but am still not too experienced, I'm only 20 years old, all though I have been tinkering with computers/tech since about the age of 9, but I wouldn't know how to test for the over-voltage correction - or even what that's explicitly used for aha -

In terms of efficiency I'm not too bothered, I will probably not use the full 400w yet also, but I'd rather have more wattage ready for the inevitable upgrade.

The fact that most have terminal interfaces is great and is a step up on network server PSUs, which use proprietary gold finger or other type of connectors for output and control. Those are more difficult to deal with but have higher power output generally than LED drivers. But if someone can point out a reasonably small 12v LED driver PSU above 50a (600w), it may be worth considering if it could fit in a SFF build, at least for testing/proof-of-concept.

I fall into a rather specific case here, as my build is definetely SFF oriented, but not all that small. I'm going for a full custom loop watercooled system retro fitted into an old cockpit voice recorder that I was gifted (Something similar to this) with dimensions of around 180 * 120 * 320mm. I am going to lengthen it to arround 400mm vs the 320mm it is currently, allowing me to fit larger radiators and, in this case, it'd be perfect to fit one of these 400w LED drivers along the length of it as it is 334*53*22mm in dimensions and it'd fit nicely in my current plans.

Oh and to make matters harder I've decided to make this my first hardline watercooled build. That should be fun..
 

Choidebu

"Banned"
Aug 16, 2017
1,196
1,204
Please don't. Search this forum for '12v guide', we have some infos and options for you there.

In short,
1> ripple needs to be <120mVp-p
2> poor regulation. led drivers are mostly constant current (to some degree), constant voltage is not even on the requirement.
3> very cheap components and design, leading short life and very low efficiency, we're talking 60% area here.

If a 400W brick is 30usd while a proper medical grade 200W supply is 50usd, do think twice...
 
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Max Harrison

Chassis Packer
Original poster
MRH Systems
Mar 27, 2020
13
57
Please don't. Search this forum for '12v guide', we have some infos and options for you there.

In short,
1> ripple needs to be <120mVp-p
2> poor regulation. led drivers are mostly constant current (to some degree), constant voltage is not even on the requirement.
3> very cheap components and design, leading short life and very low efficiency, we're talking 60% area here.

If a 400W brick is 30usd while a proper medical grade 200W supply is 50usd, do think twice...
This was my worry, I'm still going to order one of those as I need a 12v psu for the LED's I have in my pool, and I will check it out while I'm at it I might as well, but won't be plugging it into anything unless it's somehow the holy grail ahaha