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using a pc powersupply to feed led strips

Gryd3

Jun 25, 2014
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Jun 25, 2014
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I'm not sure I realized the power supply had a 3v3 rail.

does the power supply mention minimum loads anywhere?
Yessir.
In addition to the 12V, 5V, and 3.3V I mentioned prior, those power supplies also provide a -12V rail.
Some power supplies will also provide a -5V rail as well, but I seem to recall them being phased out... so they would be on older supplies only.

Remaining wires include an Active Low Power Supply ON input, and 5V Standby supply, and a status output wire. (I can't recall the behaviour of this wire)

More often then not, they should have a sticker on the side broken up into logical groups that show the absolute maximum current output for any given rail (usually excluding standby, and status output.)
Sometimes they are grouped though, and will provide an absolute 'power' for 2 or more rails at a time. So drawing the limit of the 5V and 12V rail may still push the total power handling capability of the PSU higher than designed.

I have a number of these strewn through the house... They are cheap and apparently abundant.
I've used one to power a car audio head-unit and amp, even used one to power one of those 'road-side' air compressors to inflate some balloons xD
 

(*steve*)

¡sǝpodᴉʇuɐ ǝɥʇ ɹɐǝɥd
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Jan 21, 2010
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Ah yes, but minimum current...

I have a couple of PC power supplies which explicitly state that the minimum load is 0A.

It would be nice to think that other manufacturers would do the same.
 

Den095

May 30, 2016
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Only when I loaded the 3.3V (10ohms), it started to work well for the other voltages 12 and 5...

it was impossible to make it work by loading 5v or 12v (even with 1 or 2 ohm resistors).
 

Gryd3

Jun 25, 2014
4,098
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Only when I loaded the 3.3V (10ohms), it started to work well for the other voltages 12 and 5...

it was impossible to make it work by loading 5v or 12v (even with 1 or 2 ohm resistors).
Good job figuring that out.
It's not something I have ever seen required to be honest.
 
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