Dual PSU mod

[Blacksmith1]

I needed more power to run 3 video cards for folding. james86 posted a link to a thread on another form on how to rig a second PSU.
here's my take on that.
my original case is a T_t Tsunami Dream. not enough room for 2 PSU's
so, I took this case

And started the layout By measuring my case to see where I needed it to cover

Created a template to keep it even

Drew the basic design on the empty case

realizing that I didnt want the embossed Compaq lettering (lucky for me I had an hp case that had an exact fit for the side)

and then the cutting

the dremmel didn't cut it (literally) So I broke out this puppy

It did a butcher job

so I needed something else to do the custom cutting.

I recommend this to anyone cutting a steel case!
It makes really nice cuts.

[Blacksmith1]

Light pressure on the top and some gentle tapping with a rubber mallet later

.

.

Then I needed a way to make it stay closed, so some 1x2 and a couple cuts with the circular saw

a few drywall screws (all I had on hand, they will be changed)

.

and some holes for the LED's

.

But I burned them both out hooking them to to much power....Soooo...
I started looking around to see what I had that I could make work. because i absolutly did not want to run this without some way to tell at a glance if the 2nd PSU was on.
I came up with this...

sorry for the crappy pic but the camera batteries were dying and it wouldn't autofocus..
More to come 'cause I ain't done yet.

[Joshua_Mahr]

That's pretty cool man! Love the no cost mods! Led's were a nice touch also.

[Blacksmith1]

the orignal led's were replaced with the T-t emblem (fan grill), a 12 volt led cabinet light, and some custom made colored lenses (more on that when I get the camera batteries). I had stuck a late '60's mustang emblem in the led holes at one point (stroke of luck they were the right distance apart) but I couldn't leave it with out a power indicator. and the tail stuck off the side due to the hole placement.
[edit] got it to take one more pic

that gives a much better idea of what it looks like.[/edit]

[James86]

nice looks really good

[zachig]

Looking good. I really liked your mod. Nice and neat. WELL DONE!

Sent from my Samsung Galaxy S II using Tapatalk

[swmeek]

very nice indeed !

[Blacksmith1]

there's more to come.... just gotta get a few things (so much for the $0 mod)

[swmeek]

There's always a wrench thrown into the works at some point.

[James86]

I forgot to ask how did you set up the second PSU "paper clip?" or did you set up an external switch of some kind?

[Blacksmith1]

I guess I should have put that up there. Awhile back I took apart some old PSU's for the fans. Since I was tossing the rest anyway, I took the on/off switches out of them. In the front of my case was a small rectangular hole. So just to see, I test fit one of them in it. With a minor trim using an exacto it fit. Look at the fuzzy pic it's the black spot just under the cardboard (I lost the original covers somewhere). the plan back then then was for some extra lighting. when I did this I used that switch so I can turn the PSU on and off easily. It will be getting replaced with a heavy-duty 12 volt relay so that it will turn on and off with the other PSU.

[Blacksmith1]

ok, got some more pics for this.
to power the second PSU you have to short the #4 pin (traditionaly green) with any one of the grounds.
wanting a more secure connection with less chance of a short to the case i decide to remove the free floting pins I had stuck in to it and replace them with the connector from my old mother board.

Trying to de-solder it was a waste of time



I used this tool to cut it loose from the M/B.



I cut all but the 2 pins i was going to use, again to reduce the chance of shorting.


Got it soldered on to the wires


Taped it up nice and neat


And broke the pins while putting it back together... as soon as I can order a brand new one I'll fix it again. Till then the soldered wires are in the pin holes and the insulation on them is making me feel reasonably safe.

So now on to the more aesthetic aspects.
while I was at it I removed a 90mm fan I had put in and replaced it with a 120, I also added another 120. and played with an idea for the "looks" of the case. added some filters also after seeing the hidden dust on my old mother board.

Wire management? check!




newest fan on the window


replacement fan on the M/B side of the case





the filters and the "experiment" ( it looked good till I took the side off to re-route some wires)

[Blacksmith1]

next I think I'm going to get my water loop out of storage and make it fit this.

[James86]

that's a nice side panel
what r your temps like
I'd prolly run the case without the side panel but if you have cats nogo

[Blacksmith1]

with the three 120's as intake , 2 120s as exaughst, and the pull from th e 2 PSU's the temps stay just below the thermal limits of the parts. CPU 68-69 c chipset?? I forget ATM but within limits or i'da done someting about it, and the GPU's are all well under their limits.
but none of that matters till I replace the antec. it crapped out last night while my oldest was playing on the system. being out of school for the summer I let him stay up and wnet to bed. this morning he tells me it was acting funny just before he shut the game off, and sure enough it was blackscreen and no power to system board this morning. I can get the fan to go in the psu by shorting the wires that are used to turn it on/off but it will not power the board. I'll put the multi meter on it this afternoon and see what's what, but I think this project is on hold for now.
thinking about this one...
http://www.compusa.com/applications/...877&CatId=2533