Open PSU in case... Good idea or not?

[fragged]

Hey

Trying to make a compact wooden Media Center, and an ATX PSU is a real problem. My other option is buying a mATX PSU which are $70 upwards which is close to 1/6th of my budget. The idea popped into my head to open the PSU case, and have the components sitting in my case (with the bottom metal piece still attached to improve grounding) and have a 12cm fan directly behind it blowing outwards, would this be a good idea or would I end up with a perty smoke machine?

[Airbozo]

I've used an "open" psu in the past. I removed ALL the parts from the case and mounted the boards flat on a different piece of metal for clearance. I even had to do a little re-wire to make it fit right. To my knowledge the system had no issues until it met an untimely death at the junkyard...

[DaveW]

It would be pretty dangerous. If you don't know what you're doing, i'd avoid it, but if you think you can do it safely, then you probably don't know what your doing.

It's dangerous-well, more risky than dangerous. If you're willing to take the risk, then it's your call.

I'd make a new housing that fits in your case. It's a much safer option.

-Dave

[Airbozo]

It would be pretty dangerous. If you don't know what you're doing, i'd avoid it, but if you think you can do it safely, then you probably don't know what your doing.

It's dangerous-well, more risky than dangerous. If you're willing to take the risk, then it's your call.

I'd make a new housing that fits in your case. It's a much safer option.

-Dave


Too true! I did at least cover mine with an aluminum plate so no-one could touch the high voltage bits... (complete with warning sticker)

(...and I _knew_ how to do it safely since I used to build power supplys...)

[Cannibal23]

yes you can do it, but i would strongly reccomend against it. if you want to show off your parts, just make a window in your psu. leaving it exposed like that is like a big sign that says "drop a screw in here" or "touch this, it wont hurt much" even if you dont mean to do it, accidents happen and if its something that can take your life or your system's life, i wouldent mess arround

[Razors Edge]

yes the transistors or whatever have enough voltage to kill you. I highley recommend against it but you can do as you wish. As for it working, yes it will work, but I still advise against it.

[MitaPi]

Safety ALWAYS comes first for me... So I say save up your money untill you have enough to get a PSU that fits or mod your case so it fits. It's just too dangerous not only for you but your PSU too.

Blue smoke is purty... but it's never a good sign ;)
MitaPi

[fragged]

I'm not worried about if its safe to touch while running, more so of the fact that it might burst into flames

The thing is, you see alot of products on the shelf that have the equivalent of a PSU in side them (think about your lamp, radio, TV etc) they have double insulation or a grounding pin, there less likely to be opened by a geek than a computer, but this one will probbably be built, then once its working, left like that till the hardware inside is completely obsolete.

[Cannibal23]

I'm not worried about if its safe to touch while running, more so of the fact that it might burst into flames

some componants on your power supply will hold enough charge for you to get zapped even when its not running. this means that when you are working on it even if its off and unplugged you can still get killed so watch it

[Airbozo]

There are some smaller ps's on the market that may fit right inside your system. Look for a power supply for a 1u(or 2u) rackmount system. I have one behind me that is rated at 550 watts and it is only 1u in height. (about 4" wide and 10" long)

Here's one:

http://store.compute-aid.com/cgi-bin/category.cgi?category=103&item=PS420W1U-CW&type=store

or more here:

http://www.rackmountmart.com/ps/ups.htm

[fragged]

Basically my idea was to have a open PSU, grounded, with a 12cm fan to the side of it, the case will consist of a 12cm fan at the front, and one at the back left, as well as the CPU fan (unless things get heated, in which case i'll add another)

once i find a nice place to upload my google sketchup file (4mb) i'll show you my rough design, but till then i cant really explain it :(

[DaveW]

You could integrate the PSU into the case if you were clever. I'm planning something like that for a later mod, which involves a desktop box (don't even know what stanrd they are, shame on me.).

The ones that sit on their side.

-Dave

[fragged]

a desktop box is usually called a tower, and there are several different sizes of motherboards (also known as form factors) they are from biggest to smallest ATX, mini-atx (matx), shuttlepc, microatx, nanoatx... i've probbably missed out a few but i've seen motherboards sizes and the sites called them these :)''

thanks for the help all, looks like i'm going open psu // recasing the psu

-fragged

[The Black Pumpkin]

Missed FlexATX, ITX, and NanoITX. :)

edit: and I missed BTX. :D

[EPYK]

do a nano or pica psu

you can get a 200watt