I will use this thread as a place for tips/links of cheap DIY Lipo chargers, feel free to ask questions and submit links/info too.

DIY Tutorials

• From 1000W Server PSU: https://oscarliang.com/cheap-lipo-charger-psu/ by Ben Joslin
  
• From 400W PC PSU: https://oscarliang.com/diy-psu-lipo-charger-workbench/ by Konrad Stepanajtys
  

Tips

• Add fuses
  

While a fuse won't do any harm, ATX PSUs have overcurrent protection - specifically any single rail can't output more than 240w (according to ATX specs), that is 20a on 12v. This is the reason why more powerful gaming units have to have more separate 12v rails available.

EDIT: afterthought: it actually may be a good idea to use a fuse IF your PSU has more rails AND you soldered them together into one line, because overcurrent protection will kick in only after reaching 40 or 60 amps, depending on number of 12v rails available.

I made one of these a few years ago and I still use it, not as fancy as your's though.

On the 400W one, what is the switch for? i notice it's got the mains switch at the back.

Is it hooked up though the green and grey wire to power it up somehow?

(10-Oct-2016, 02:00 AM)mjcfpv Wrote: On the 400W one, what is the switch for? i notice it's got the mains switch at the back.

Is it hooked up though the green and grey wire to power it up somehow?

I can switch mains power on the back, but it will still stay in standby mode. Switch on front grounds green wire, activating the PSU.

First of all, thanks for the great tutorial using the DPS-800 (https://oscarliang.com/cheap-lipo-charger-psu/).

I bought this one: http://www.ebay.com/itm/112274380088 and followed the instructions (soldering the 2 jumper wires), but when I plug it in I get absolutely nothing. No green light, no fans, no voltage.

Is my PSU broken, or is the model different enough from the one in the example that I need different jumpers, or did I just do something wrong? Any ideas for things I can try?

The contact portion of the board was bent on arrival (in shipping I'm guessing, it was just in a padded envelope) so I'm wondering if that killed it. I'll try to get a refund if nothing else works, but wanted to make sure it really is dead first.



Thanks!

Nice, I just started noticing those little chargers without the power supply.  Looks cool!  ATXs are good cheap power supplies.  FYI, I picked one of these up from Banggood for a few bucks, but I admit I haven't tried it yet.  The PSU plugs right into the front of it.  Seems cool if it works OK and has some fuses too...

I have one too that I got from BG. It's very nice for a handy bench power supply. The power on shunt it's already done in the board.

(21-Aug-2020, 01:17 AM)JudgeRob Wrote: Nice, I just started noticing those little chargers without the power supply.  Looks cool!  ATXs are good cheap power supplies.  FYI, I picked one of these up from Banggood for a few bucks, but I admit I haven't tried it yet.  The PSU plugs right into the front of it.  Seems cool if it works OK and has some fuses too...


I could not find this on Banggood. Do you have a part number or the name of it?

I found one on Ebay.

I bought this one:

Geekcreit® XH-M229