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Using a second power supply WITHOUT connecting to mobo

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Your paper clip will get very hot, and eventually melt if whatever you've connected doesn't have a fuse or breaker or some kind of overload protection.

Have you ever seen the results of a paperclip stuck in a wall socket? A guy at my high school did that once. Before the fuse in the outlet blew itself, the wall for 3-4 feet around the outlet was scorched and the glove the guy was wearing when he stuck the paperclip in had the fingertips burnt off. If you stick a paper clip in the wrong pins of a power supply, the internal parts can start a fire or explode. Modern power supplies usually have protection circuits, so I don't think they would be as violent, but you can still damage them. A few years ago I was testing an older Dell power supply, accidentally hit the wrong pins, and it blew the back side off :)
 
I stick the paper clip in everytime with the unit powered on...

No issues.
Ditto.

There's not enough current going through the green wire to melt a paper clip either... Shorting the green wire to ground tells the PSU to turn on, be it using a paper clip or your case's power button.
 
Someone should close this thread. It's getting nowhere lol. There are only 2 issues being discussed here- Electrocution and how to make the PSU on continuously.
 
Electrocution is Nature's way of "thinning the Herd" it's worked since we were sitting around naked covered in mud saying "uggh."

And then the other guy said "Ughhh."

And then the thrid guy get's struck by lightening.

But its always the 4th guy who talk too much; "uggh uggh ugghh" who leans over and prodes his buddy's dead flaming carcass with a stick and gets to invent fire.

What is the lesson learned?

If Grasshopper cannot figure out how jump PSU regardless of type, Grasshopper may have leak soon.

Sorry just trying to cheer things up, with my cheery humor :)
 
It all good and fun until someone gets electrocuted. And yes I agree but sometimes a little insanity lightens things up (like a light-bulb).

Dam I can't stop with these "shocking" jokes. Shame on me I should get the "Chair" dammit...
 
AFAIK, and from experience, you won't electrocute yourself by holding a paperclip to the green/black to turn it on. I've done this several times, with several power supplies, with my bare hand and a paperclip, and never been electrocuted. The green wire does not supply power, and the black wire is just a ground. If you're afraid of being electrocuted still, then just hold the paperclip with a clothespin or something. All you need is a momentary contact (while the power supply is plugged in and switched on) to start it. Stick the paperclip back in for 5 seconds or so and it will turn off. Just make very sure to only hit green and black or you're likely to fry something.

power supplies provide 12V, that'll never electrocute you
 
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