How to power M2-atx in the house?

**MrGee** · 07-17-2006, 06:35 PM

Hi everyone,

I am currently in the process of putting a carpc into my car and would like to test everything in my home before taking it to the car... I have a M2-atx power supply running a M10k board with a 40gig drive at the moment, I would like to make sure everything is working before running all the wires through my car... What are some options for me to supply the M2-Atx with 12v power? as well as ignition and ground in the home? Has anyone tried to do this before? I searched but came up with nothing, might not be searching for the right things. Thanks in advance.

**ZtH01** · 07-17-2006, 06:40 PM

Originally Posted by MrGee

Hi everyone,

I am currently in the process of putting a carpc into my car and would like to test everything in my home before taking it to the car... I have a M2-atx power supply running a M10k board with a 40gig drive at the moment, I would like to make sure everything is working before running all the wires through my car... What are some options for me to supply the M2-Atx with 12v power? as well as ignition and ground in the home? Has anyone tried to do this before? I searched but came up with nothing, might not be searching for the right things. Thanks in advance.

Heh, you must not have searched very well... You need a 12V power supply. And old PC power supply works nicely. 12V in and IGN are the same thing, as far as testing goes.

**Tidder** · 07-17-2006, 06:41 PM

Any atx power supply for that matter. Though you wanna make sure that it's a high enough wattage.

**ODYSSEY** · 07-17-2006, 06:43 PM

Car battery charger.

**MrGee** · 07-17-2006, 06:48 PM

Originally Posted by ZtH01

Heh, you must not have searched very well... You need a 12V power supply. And old PC power supply works nicely. 12V in and IGN are the same thing, as far as testing goes.

By saying that 12v in and IGN are the same thing, does this mean I could connect a 12V line from my 120V ATX power supply and connect that to the 12V and IGN and just ground the supply and it should work? By saying connect that to the 12V and IGN I mean do I bridge the two connections in order to turn the M2-atx on so that it senses power from IGN and 12V? or would have have to use two seperate 12V lines from two seperate molex connectors? I am confused and appologize if this doesn't make a lot of sense but I am new to this and would rather do all the testing and work in my house rather then after I put it in my car... much more comfortable

Plus I have a 300W power supply that I no longer use and would be willing to hack apart some Y adapter molex connections for the 12v lines... Would really help me to be able to do this... Just the 12V and IGN lines confuse me as to whether I have to bridge the 12V line across the 12V and IGN or use two seperate 12V lines to power both seperately?....

**ODYSSEY** · 07-17-2006, 06:53 PM

Hook a YELLOW wire to the 12+ and IGN and the BLACK wire to the GND.

If you are using an ATX PSU you will need to short pin 14 (usually a GREEN wire) on the ATX connecter for the PSU to turn on.

**MrGee** · 07-17-2006, 09:08 PM

Originally Posted by ODYSSEY

Hook a YELLOW wire to the 12+ and IGN and the BLACK wire to the GND.

If you are using an ATX PSU you will need to short pin 14 (usually a GREEN wire) on the ATX connecter for the PSU to turn on.

By short do you mean I would have to tap the green to the ground wire on the molex connector? Or would it have to be a constant connection? I have a momentary switch I'm thinking about attaching to this part of the hacked psu I'm making right now... Just not sure if it should be constantly connnected or if it should be just a quick tap or momentary connection to ground... Would really appreciate some clarification.... Thank you in Advance.

**DarquePervert** · 07-17-2006, 09:13 PM

Short pins 13 & 14. You could also short 14 & 15 (pins 13 & 15 are both ground wires).
That will fool the ATX power supply to thinking it's on. You'll get power to all the HDD connectors. Run power from the yellow and black of a HDD connector to your M2ATX. Yellow to the ACC line of the M2ATX will trigger power up. I have a switch on that line on a quick-connector I made for powering my setup inside.

**MrGee** · 07-17-2006, 09:24 PM

Ok, sorry I just need clarification now on what shorting means? Should I use a momentary switch that will cut the current off to the green pin 14 connector or should I connect it to be constantly connected through splicing the wires together?

Originally Posted by DarquePervert

Short pins 13 & 14. You could also short 14 & 15 (pins 13 & 15 are both ground wires).
That will fool the ATX power supply to thinking it's on. You'll get power to all the HDD connectors. Run power from the yellow and black of a HDD connector to your M2ATX. Yellow to the ACC line of the M2ATX will trigger power up. I have a switch on that line on a quick-connector I made for powering my setup inside.