Why the heck would you spend $16 on a psu tester???

[cyber mouse45]

Why the heck would you spend $16 on a psu tester when you can make one for free???


Theirs:

 

[cyber mouse45]

Mine: And it was free too.

 

[Wonko The Sane]

probably bcause most people don't know that a PS can be truned on by shorting the power good pin to the standby pin (pins may be wrong, but that's the idea).

 

[Novex]

How did you do it? You plug in a wire into the holes and turn it on, is that how it works?

 

[craigiz1]

Isn't that a dead short without any resistance in it?

 

[cyber mouse45]

How did you do it? You plug in a wire into the holes and turn it on, is that how it works?

I bent some wire and stuck one end in the hole with the green wire and the other end into a black one next to it.

 

[Novex]

I was just looking at a psu that i have laying around and my colors for it are different from yours. I have the green in the same spot but I have 3 black wires to the right. Also it doesnt look like the wire is plugged into the wire next to the green. Might just be me though.

 

[PsycoPhreak]

well, just jumping the "power on" line to ground will turn on the PSU...but to get an acurate reading if you are testing one you have to load up the +5 line, thats why theirs costs $16...because it not only turns on the PSU, but loads it up at the same time. It is a bit expensive, but for those with no electrical knowledge, it's a decent tool for them...since it is already wired with a plug, the load and a LED...( although anyone can place a load on the +5 by using a resistor....4 ohm 10 watt i believe...i keep forgetting though...so don't quote me...heh heh )

Without a load on the +5, most ATX PSU's will either give inacurate results on testing or may even shut down if a load is placed on the +12.....

just my $.02....

 

[Ugmore Baggage]

I agree with psycophreak, plus if you were a tech, it would be easier in the long run to test power supplies with a foolproof tool. That way you always know you did it right without having to really "work". No guessing, no doubt.

 

[cyber mouse45]

I was just looking at a psu that i have laying around and my colors for it are different from yours. I have the green in the same spot but I have 3 black wires to the right. Also it doesnt look like the wire is plugged into the wire next to the green. Might just be me though.

Sorry about that, I didn’t realize I scanned the back of it. Here’s a better pic. One end of the wire goes in the green (blue arrow) and the other end can go in any of the three black ones (red arrows).

 

[stool]

If the wires are different colors, it doesn't really matter. What you are looking for is pin 14 and any ground, like this;

 

[Novex]

where is the +5 line? And how would you wire the resistor and LED?