Help: Opus + Slave PSU

**ramy_zohair** · 01-04-2005, 01:08 PM

Hi y'all,
I was thinking of connecting the Opus to aother ATX power supply, that will be fine for powering a 3.XX P4 system with all peripherals. Please don't ask why a P4. Why not?? Where i live (Dubai), these parts are quiet cheap and epia MB are very rare to find. Why not get it and an extra $10 PSU for enough power. I intend to connect it to the car ECU and ODB + all other stuff.
I just wanted to inquire about the connection. Did anyone do it??
I think If connect the PSU to an inverter and solder an opus power wire to the MB power signal on the slave PSU it would work. In that way i'd make use of the Opus's reliability, shutdown/power option and get as much power as i want.
What do u think??? is it efficient.

**rando** · 01-04-2005, 02:15 PM

You'd probably need to make sure you're careful to keep the outputs from the two power supplies isolated. Moreover, the inverter powered ATX supply might have a floating ground that could lead to some nasty (and potentially dangerous) situations.

You can use the Opus to trigger the second supply but not quite like you stated. ATX power supply turn on leads (PSON) are active low signals. Thus the line needs to be pulled down to ground to turn on the supply. You can use a relay and diode to do this for you. Alternatively you could use the same solution to power on the inverter instead of the standard PSU. In that case, you'd just hardwire the PSON signal to ground. In this way your Opus would manage the sequencing of your inverter.

If you just want to use the Opus for sequencing only (i.e. no power), then there are probably cheaper solutions. Consider one of the startup/shutdown controllers mentioned in the forums. They provide most of the same capabilities of the Opus (and a few extras) without the hefty Opus price tag.

**ramy_zohair** · 01-06-2005, 08:44 AM

Thanks for ur reply.
I was thinking of usind just a startup/shutdown controller as you stated but as a read through this forum, i feel like the opus is the god of them all, and the rest are just crap. Most of the people here use Opus, despite it being at least double and sometimes triple the price of other solutions. It makes it look like it has a very big advantage over the others. Altough i feel that the ITPS and Carnetix are more flexible and maybe offer more solution, it looks like Opus is more reliable and efficient. But it has a big drawback besides its price, its low power. Can U please help me with choosing a suitable combination.
One other problem for me is that i live in Dubai and non of these parts are available here, I have to get them internatinally shipped from the states. Thus Its is difficult to get them and then start experimenting on them.

**rando** · 01-06-2005, 11:25 AM

I don't have any experience with most of them but based on your plan to use a standard supply and inverter, I would think a pure shutdown controller might be better. Look in the hardware forum or search for DSSC. There have been many threads of late discussing the various merits of the different controllers. What people like about the Opus is that they are the best 'complete' solution. That doesn't mean they are the best at providing power or the best at sequencing. In fact, I'm not aware of anyone else using the Opus just for sequencing.

Sorry I can't be of more help but pretty much all the information you need is in the forums. Lots of people have gone with inverter based solutions.

**ramy_zohair** · 01-06-2005, 07:01 PM

Thanks for your help anyways. I'll try to search more on this.

**Trance** · 01-19-2005, 11:34 PM

Dude i live in Dubai as well

I am running a carputer in my 206 and the thing is that i am using an inverter instead of the opus. You are right its hard for us to order those stuff since they'll be shipped internationally.