Power Supply Powering an Intel NUC plus other hardware

[Amy Worrall]

Hi! I'm currently building a theatre lighting control console. It'll contain an Intel NUC computer, plus some stuff to control it (a custom keyboard, a few motorized sliders, some SK6812 LEDs to backlight the keys, a couple of OLED displays, and all driven by a pair of Teensy boards).

I'm currently looking into how to power everything. I want the entire power supply (including AC->DC) inside the unit.

The NUC has its own DC->DC regulator, and can take an input of 12-24V DC. For the rest of my components, I definitely need both 5V and 3.3V lines, possibly also 12V.

I guess I'd get an AC->DC supply that outputs something the NUC can accept. Then connect the output from that to both the NUC's input, and also to a DC->DC board to power the rest of my components. Does that sound reasonable?

Current draw will be low compared to the builds I'm reading about here! The NUC normally comes with a 65W 19V power brick. And while 120 LEDs will draw a non-negligeable amount of power, that still won't put things in the ball park of you guys who are running huge graphics cards!

I was looking at a Meanwell AC/DC supply paired with a Pico X. I'd probably get the lowest wattage. Does this sound reasonable?

Given that the NUC can take input between 12-24V, is there an advantage to picking any specific value for the output of my AC/DC PSU?

 

[SFF EOL]

Hmm,



The NUC can power itself so for simplicities sake letting it do its thing seems a good solution- as in run it from its brick? Also, note I am UK so we are using a nominal 220V and a standard plug socket is supposedly 13amp, but most things are rated around 10 amp so there is plenty of headroom.


Then all you are looking at is 3.3V and 5V and one good thing about that is single board computers use that extensively (exclusively even). SBC are things like the Raspberry Pi, a few follow their own more PC power but most are consistent with the Raspberry Pi, that’s good because there is loads of stuff available. When I find I need more juice than a wall wart is going to supply, which is common as they are often only 3a at best, is start with a decent 1V PSU, usually the type described as for CCTV, then a couple of chokes to drop down my voltages to 3.3V and 5V. All that can go in some box and I tend to use USB2 sockets for the wiring- not saying you should because USB2 sockets aren’t that robust and you can use what you want.


So I basically have a PSU with two outputs, 3.3v and 5v- plus 12v if I need it, normally I just wire a 12v as it is handy to have, but note USB2 is only rated for low power 5v. To keep things as safe as possible I make sure the AC is dealt with by the 12v PSU, so everything after that is DC/DC. You can get 5V PSU that drop from mains AC down to 5v DC but they are fully exposed whereas the 12v (and it doesn’t have to be 12v BTW) will come in its own case and so be better protected, and it will end up in a plastic box as well along with everything else. You end up with (at least in UK) two fused plugs, one for the NUC and one for the PSU. It’s frowned on but I usually just wire into the one plug as long as the wattage isn’t likely to be an issue to save on tying up plug sockets.

This is an example of what I don’t use as it is mains to 5V,

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Skynet-S...611662?hash=item2cdaa202ce:g:R0wAAOSwNJpbjhfM



The one I use will take any DC up to 40v and drops down to 5/3.3v. Some will be variable so you can dial in what you want but you need a voltmeter to get the right setting (it’s an unmarked ‘dial’) I will try and find a link if it sounds like the sort of thing that would help. I use two, one for each voltage. Often I need 12v, 5v, and 3.3v and this set up gives me that- the 12v doesn’t have to be but it is a common voltage for things that can be triggered/operated by 12v relays via the Pi voltage (normally the 3.3v). Again it doesn’t have to be 12v but obviously mains throws up greater safety concerns.

Does that sound something like you are looking for? I’m guessing you are OK with the other stuff like the LEDs and so on and just are wondering about how to provide a range of voltages? If so I'd get along to a Pi/SBC forum because they do a lot of automation stuff.


*Probably not an issue as you will have considered voltage drop but I normally go with 5.2v to allow for that, partly it is a Pi thing really as it is very sensitive to voltages- it won’t work at 4.8v and you can hit that easily over short runs I find (or it may be my wiring).