Video: How to power a 260w system off a 160w Pico PSU

[Josh | NFC]

Every day I receive an email in my inbox asking me how to stuff a GPU inside an S3 or upcoming S4 that technically fits, but guzzles more power than a Mad Max vehicle. I've had innovative customers even use TWO DC-DC PSUs with two power bricks to power one S3 system! While this is not my vision for the S3/S4, I love seeing customers get crazy with modding these systems and I want to help any way I can!

TL;DR
Use a big power brick (or a PSU like the Meanwell) and beef up the cables

This video was a rough draft, but I don't have time to finish it. So pardon the mess, and HAPPY MODDING!


Meanwell 350w PSU

With some paint and maybe a custom shroud you could mod the Meanwell to look pretty cool too. Here is the custom power cable I ended up making for it:

 

[confusis]

I've also had luck with a 180w system off a 80w Pico-PSU. I will watch the video when I get home from my day job!

 

[iFreilicht]

That's the main issue with these kinds of systems right now: A strong power brick.

Instead of using an Industrial PSU like that, you could also just buy a 1U or FlexATX PSU and mod the cabling so it's always turned on. Would make the mains supply quite a bit safer, too, and to make it look nice you'd only have to paint the enclosure.

 

[Regack]

FYI, I think you meant this 12v 350w Meanwell. The one linked above is for a 5v supply.

 

[Phuncz]

Awesome cable ! What company makes those plugs in shiny stainless ?

 

[Josh | NFC]

That's the main issue with these kinds of systems right now: A strong power brick.

Instead of using an Industrial PSU like that, you could also just buy a 1U or FlexATX PSU and mod the cabling so it's always turned on. Would make the mains supply quite a bit safer, too, and to make it look nice you'd only have to paint the enclosure.

Yup! As I stated in the video...(and perhaps poorly), the point isn't to say the Meanwell is the solution, but to get creative juices flowing concerning the potential of DC-DC units. Personally I like the idea of the HP Firebird 350w power brick.

FYI, I think you meant this 12v 350w Meanwell. The one linked above is for a 5v supply.

Yup...my bad.

Awesome cable ! What company makes those plugs in shiny stainless ?

Digikey! I eventually want to resell them to cover some costs...but you can order them direct there in fairly low quantities.

 

[confusis]

Excellent video. I would second the idea of rewiring the pico harness (all the wires) with 18awg just to be safe. At the tested wattage it's pulling almost 22 amps!

The reason this works is because the picopsu (and some other 12v dc-dc power supplies) doesn't regulate the 12v input, it just switches it on or off. Thankfully, it's only being switched at boot / power off, which is lowest load and thus least likely to blow the solid state relay/whatever they use to switch it.

Word of warning: your DC-DC PSU can only be as powerful as the ac-dc adapter powering it (and even then there are limits on the 12v units in the wiring and on the PCB traces handling the current). Also, you won't be able to achieve the same results with 19v dc or wide input dc-dc PSUs as the 12v rail is regulated on those models and thus the wattage limitation is of the regulators.