Info on Converting PC power supply to mac?

[Computer_Phreak]

Does anyone know where I could find some information, preferably a step-by-step guide, on converting a PC power supply to a Powermac power supply?

Specifically, I want to convert a pc power supply to work in a G4 I am building based around the Gigabit Ethernet motherboard.

 

[hvfsl]

PC and Mac power supplies are the same, except some Macs (mainly the newer ones) have different connectors. It is very hard to convert a PC power supply to a Mac, since you would probably need to change the connectors. The easiest sollution would be to ask a shop that sells Macs for a Mac power supply. You could just say that your Macs power supply has gone and you need a new one.

Edit: If you search the net, some places are selling Mac power supplies, ebay is a good place to start.

 

[Computer_Phreak]

Originally posted by hvfsl
PC and Mac power supplies are the same, except some Macs (mainly the newer ones) have different connectors. It is very hard to convert a PC power supply to a Mac, since you would probably need to change the connectors. The easiest sollution would be to ask a shop that sells Macs for a Mac power supply. You could just say that your Macs power supply has gone and you need a new one.

Edit: If you search the net, some places are selling Mac power supplies, ebay is a good place to start.

Ya, essentially they are the same excecpt the Gigabit Ethernet motherboards have 22 pins, and the extra 2 pins provide 28 volts to power the ADC connector. I've read that a PC supply can be modified to output these voltages, but how?

Besides that problem, it would just be rearranging the connectors to match the motherboard, which should be simple enough.


Edit: I would buy a mac power supply, but there are 2 problems:
1. Price
2. Noise

Either I could buy a loud, cheap PC power supply, or splurge and get a quiet, expensive one, but the mac's would be both expensive and loud ( > 30 db)

 

[vincentmeanie]

*cough cough google cough*

http://www.xlr8yourmac.com/systems/ATX_G4_AGP_conversion/G4_AGP_to_ATX_case_pg2.htm#next

IMPORTANT NOTE: This article used the motherboard from the original "Sawtooth" pre-summer 2000 (pre-Gigabit G4) model. Later models (Gigabit G4, Digital Audio, Quicksilver and later) have a different power supply and motherboard that passes 28 Volts DC from the power supply to a connector for the ADC port graphics card. (28 VDC is passed to the Graphics card ADC port to power Apple's ADC monitors, introduced in Summer 2000 MWNY.)
A standard PC ATX Power Supply does not have 28V DC and will not be pin compatible with the Gigabit G4 and later G4 systems. I wanted to clearly note the ADC/28V issue for anyone thinking of using a standard PC ATX supply for a conversion with the summer 2000 and later G4 systems. For all but the Mirrored Drive Door G4s (which use a non-standard form factor power supply) - the original Mac Power Supply will fit in most ATX cases, if the cable(s) will reach the motherboard of course just use your original Mac P.S. (You can sometimes find Gigabit/Digital Audio and Quicksilver Power Supplies for sale at Ebay if your PS has failed.)-Mike

 

[Computer_Phreak]

Originally posted by vincentmeanie
*cough cough google cough*

http://www.xlr8yourmac.com/systems/ATX_G4_AGP_conversion/G4_AGP_to_ATX_case_pg2.htm#next

IMPORTANT NOTE: This article used the motherboard from the original "Sawtooth" pre-summer 2000 (pre-Gigabit G4) model. Later models (Gigabit G4, Digital Audio, Quicksilver and later) have a different power supply and motherboard that passes 28 Volts DC from the power supply to a connector for the ADC port graphics card. (28 VDC is passed to the Graphics card ADC port to power Apple's ADC monitors, introduced in Summer 2000 MWNY.)
A standard PC ATX Power Supply does not have 28V DC and will not be pin compatible with the Gigabit G4 and later G4 systems. I wanted to clearly note the ADC/28V issue for anyone thinking of using a standard PC ATX supply for a conversion with the summer 2000 and later G4 systems. For all but the Mirrored Drive Door G4s (which use a non-standard form factor power supply) - the original Mac Power Supply will fit in most ATX cases, if the cable(s) will reach the motherboard of course just use your original Mac P.S. (You can sometimes find Gigabit/Digital Audio and Quicksilver Power Supplies for sale at Ebay if your PS has failed.)-Mike

Does that means its impossible for the Gigabit ethernet?

 

[Nermal]

It's quite tricky because the 28V supply simply isn't present in a standard PC power supply. You might be better off finding a GigE power supply and using that, try www.macresq.com

 

[solvs]

http://www.xlr8yourmac.com/ is a good place to start, and yes, do a google search for links to people who have already done this. It is possible, but it is pretty hard to do, and almost as expensive as a new Mac. That's one of the reasons most people don't do it. If you've already got the parts, and don't want to sell them (and feel you are experianced and knowledgeable enough enough about such things), it could be fun. And a good learning experiance.

But it requires a lot of time, patience, and it may be better just to buy a Mac compatible power supply.