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Re: Can a power supply have too much current?

Michael J. Mahon wrote:

> Tristan Mumford wrote:
> 
>> Still on topic I believe. Is there a way of providing a load to a supply
>> without connecting it to "real" electronics like a computer? And if so
>> how many voltages need to be loaded to stabilise it? Just the one?
>> It's just I have a few supplies, all XT unfortunately, that were stored
>> for aeons with the dead clone. I want to be able to check them with the
>> only maximum potential fatality being a few cm of fusewire in the house.
> 
> I use a 5 Ohm 20W resistor for the +5v and a 10 Ohm 20W resistor for
> the +12v lines to check out supplies.
> 
> One is usually enough, but verifying that both positive voltages
> are in spec at about 1A makes me more comfortable that the supply
> is actually OK.

Those are some big resistors. What you suggest have about the same power
dissipation as a car indicator globe.

Yesterday afternoon in a quick burst of activity i patched together a rather
pathetic but usable temporary power solution. And all I needed to do was
destroy yet another dead AT supply. I hate throwing out their shells. Does
anyone know a good use for them?
Back to the point. I used the male AT power connector which already had the
makeshift power adaptor soldered to it for the clone.
I used one of the two motherboard connectors from the said butchered supply.

The used connector had wires swapped in from the other connector so they
would have correct-ish colours for the voltages. However an AT connector is
one pin too short so the slightly altered automotive wirejoin crimp
connector was reused for the second earth pin. It fits snug over the pin.

Now the next problem is the supply itself. Its an XT supply so it's about
2/3 the size of the IIgs, on about 30cm of wires. Still, it is only
temporary.
I still haven't had a chance to try it out further than turning it on for 30
seconds.

Tristan.

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