M3-ATX 125 watt Smart Automotive Power Supply - Page 2

2k1Toaster · 02-28-2008, 11:56 AM

Quote:

Have you tried the "custom" timer setting ?
It defaults to 30sec/30sec but the manual says you can program the settings to whatever you want with the serial connection.

BTW I cannot find how to do this in the manual, but it looks like this is what you want to do.

Yeah you have to buy some serial cable (as I said in my post). But the options there are pretty stupid. Why would you want the button to signal the PC off, and then hardoff the PC at once. It makes standby unuseable. So right now I am doing it manually when I get in and out of the car.

Quote:

Its sad that the M(1)(2)(3)-ATX get such a bad rap from people who don't know how to use them correctly. Its always the same story, have now heard it with all 3 versions. Personally I own 2 m2-atx's and I've never had one problem with either. But, then again, I did the math to make sure each rail was within spec for my system, and hooked up the secondary and primary wiring correct every time.

One of these days I'm going to order the M3 since it is also within spec for my embedded via

I love my M2. If it didnt die, I would still be using it. Since my M2 did so well, I thought I would try the M3. Since it is not really what I want, I am thinking I'll just get another M2.
Wanna trade?

Quote: Originally Posted by nobb

I dont think its because people didnt do their math. The M-series just doesnt seem to be that high quality. There's so many horror stories about people's M2/M1s just randomly frying their motherboards (some low power Via systems too) after working fine for a period of time. My M2 is running fine for now, and I hope it stays that way. Maybe the M3 is of higher quality?

But I do wonder why 2k1toaster's SDC would just "burn out."

M3 is just the picoPSU that has been around for a while. Even the parts say "picoPSU"

And most of the horror stories are because of user error.

I bought an VoomPC2 case as well, and it had a molex cable to connect power and amp lines. Well I just assumed the molex to be good as it was brand new, but apparently there was a strand of wire from the amp+ to amp- wires, so that plugged into my M2. Gave it power, and immediately smoke. The amp+ and amp- lines fused together and melted the entire wire, blackening the molex. The only damage was to the M2's SDC and amp turn on. The power regulation still works fine.

So for being shorted with who knows how many amps, and not completely dieing or taking my new mobo/ram/cpu/hd is good.

Just dont overload the M1/M2/M3 and it will work as it should. Like I said, that M2 was 2 years old and still kicking, and died due to a new case with a bad connector.

john05srt4 · 03-12-2008, 04:52 PM

Quote: Originally Posted by RevheadKev

Have you tried the "custom" timer setting ?
It defaults to 30sec/30sec but the manual says you can program the settings to whatever you want with the serial connection.

BTW I cannot find how to do this in the manual, but it looks like this is what you want to do.

Ditto..anyone?

john05srt4 · 03-13-2008, 03:08 PM

You need this for CUSTOM settings..
ok i found out on my own...
you need this "serial" cable and software you can find here.

cable - http://www.mini-box.com/Serial-Cable-Harness-M3-ATX

software - http://www.mini-box.com/site/resourc...ATX-serial.zip

nemoid · 03-26-2008, 09:13 AM

Quote: Originally Posted by 2k1Toaster

I bought an VoomPC2 case as well, and it had a molex cable to connect power and amp lines. Well I just assumed the molex to be good as it was brand new, but apparently there was a strand of wire from the amp+ to amp- wires, so that plugged into my M2. Gave it power, and immediately smoke. The amp+ and amp- lines fused together and melted the entire wire, blackening the molex. The only damage was to the M2's SDC and amp turn on. The power regulation still works fine.

So for being shorted with who knows how many amps, and not completely dieing or taking my new mobo/ram/cpu/hd is good.

Just dont overload the M1/M2/M3 and it will work as it should. Like I said, that M2 was 2 years old and still kicking, and died due to a new case with a bad connector.

Does the M3 fit inside of the VoomPC2 case with no problems? I am looking into that set up.

monkeyracer · 03-26-2008, 09:46 AM

Quote: Originally Posted by 2k1Toaster

lose the AC-DC PSU and the "M3-ATX". The M3 is a piece of crap.

That was from last year about May '07. But that was a different M3-ATX (one that retained use of the A/C power supplies.) It's interesting to note that the other one isn't really around, and that was good advice.

THIS M3 though looks like a good solution for someone with an all in dash computer or someone needing a compact install.

Quote: Originally Posted by blk02si

Couple Q's

1. Does the entire PSU plug right into the ATX socket?

2. How many Molex connectors does it have?

3. What is the wattage available on the 12v rail?

1. Yes.

2. HDD, SATA HDD, and Floppy disk.

3. It looks like @12V it's drawing 6A, so it seems it would be 72 watts, with a peak of 8, so 96 watts peak.

Quote: Originally Posted by nemoid

Does the M3 fit inside of the VoomPC2 case with no problems? I am looking into that set up.

You might have to get a short extension to get it to mount horizontally rather than sticking right off the mother board.

I hope I've added some good stuff for this FAQ thread.

2k1Toaster · 03-26-2008, 03:07 PM

The M3 fits the case vertically no problems.

nemoid · 03-26-2008, 03:08 PM

awesome! thanks.

john05srt4 · 03-26-2008, 07:59 PM

I have been using the M3 for almost 2 weeks now..works great..
BUT the custom programming isnt the best.

RevheadKev · 04-10-2008, 07:57 AM

Can you explain your post with some detail John.
Is it hard to get the software to run or are the choices very limited ?

steven765 · 05-30-2008, 12:19 PM

Got one for my in progress car computer. Works nice, fits vertically in the voompc chasse.

My only feature wish is that for a pair of pins to connect an override startup button if the ign is off, or override the shutdown sequence if pressed. This would allow the best of both worlds, leave the car and forget about it, but also turn it on w/o the car or sit in the car with the engine off.

john05srt4 · 05-30-2008, 12:51 PM

Quote: Originally Posted by RevheadKev

Can you explain your post with some detail John.
Is it hard to get the software to run or are the choices very limited ?

Sure what would you like to know?

I bought the cable to set up the custom shutdown times but i havent tried it.
ALso yes an extra pair of jumpers for a reset switch would be nice.
I had to wire in series a toggle switch incase the PC locks up to reboot the power supply.

Jistari · 06-10-2008, 05:22 AM

Well Ive had an M3 for about four months now. The first one I received as part of the system had conventional sized jumpers installed by mistake (so it was getting intermittent set up information as the too large jumpers were not reliably setting it to power up in the configuration the jumpers were physicaly set). This combined with a motherboard problem led to having the MB and PSU RMA'ed.

The new (same model) MB and PSU started up and ran fairly reliably (as far as the PSU was concerned) for a while. Little by little (about every ten start-ups at first) the PSU failed to start the PC when the vehicle started. This problem has grown worse over time to the point now that more often than not the pc does not start when I start the car (it starts the PC about two in ten times I start the car).

I also notice that its not shutting the PC down properly (about three times in ten). Normaly it goes to "preparing to hibernate", when bar fills up, PC shuts down. About three times out of ten now it goes "preparing to hibernate", bar starts to fill up, screen goes black (PC fan still running), then screen comes back and says "preparing to stand by", bar starts to fill up but before bar fills up PC shuts down.

Battery is fine, alternator is fine, ground should be good (same oem ground point as other processors in car and no errors in OBD, and this car had nine oem computers in it before I added the car pc, if there were ground or power issues, I would get codes).

Im still using what we consider to be a problematic MB (waiting on a replacement, different MB) but aside from that, I cant see what Im experienceing with the start or / shut down as being anything other than PSU related.

The red lead going to the PSU is off of a 20a fuse with a fuse tap (nothing else on that circut) via 16 ga copper (same guage as used from the molex to the PSU inside the system case). The only thing (other than the MB) that the PSU is feeding is the monitor (a Xenarc 700 IDT) via a power connector off the PSU.

Anyone having problems with longevity (are they lasting under use) with the M3?

Just an update : I guess the last time I pulled into the garage I was foolish enough to not watch the display like a hawk, because it must have put the machine into standby instead of hibernation . . .so . . .today when I went down to the car it was dead as a doornail. Gotta love my "intelligent" (but suffering from Altzhiemers) power supply.

john05srt4 · 06-10-2008, 08:49 AM

Ive been using mine daily for 6 months..been perfect so far.

Gerard48 · 06-17-2008, 10:53 PM

hmm, there are some mixed opinions on here. I am planning on getting this for my current setup. anyone else have any input?

john05srt4 · 06-18-2008, 09:01 AM

Well i am building another carPC for my new tahoe and im gonna use this again for sure..