Power Supply

[Investors]

I just took out a power supply from my testing PC in which I plan to trash when I take apart all the components.

Should I open the power supply? Is it safe? I heard somewhere that it is not safe to open a power supply. I know what's inside though: Rectifier and transformer.

Steps down and up - transformer?
AC to DC - rectifier?

I took out my RAM as well. Should I trash this? No one is going to use 128MB of Synchronous ram. Everyone seems to use DDR.

 

[pretendo]

open your power supply why would you do that? but i think it would be safe as long as you unplug it lol

 

[Nodsu]

If the PSU is not plugged in, then it's OK to open it. Mind the bigger capacitors though - they may hold a charge for a while. You will find lots more components in that PSU than your trivial textbook PSU example though

SDRAM is the price of gold nowadays since everyone is using DDR. You can sell that stick or help out someone with an older computer and low budget.

 

[Investors]

Did I mention that I plan to take the A+ exams in this upcoming summer? I plan to learn as much as I can before the exams.

I did take 1 of 2 A+ prep. courses. I have one more to go. I have a test computer that I can play with. This is an old one, bought this in 2000 for my sister.

Of course, it is unpluged. I took the power supply out of the case.

Yeah, I forgot about the Capacity that holds a charge. How long does it hold a charge for? For a second? For an hour? I remember hearing a second.

So, it is safe?

 

[Sean]

There called capacitors buddy, and the one's used in psu will discharge quicky, wait a few minuets to be safe. Just make sure the voltage is discharged, and dont use a esp wrist strap. The strap will actually make you more vaulnerable to getting shocked, and also, people dont try to open CRT moniters. My computer application teacher showed us, thoes moniters can hold there charges in the cathode tube/caps, for over 2 years. :hotouch:

 

[Investors]

Capacitor. Right. I acutally typed Capacity. LOL

I will go ahead and open it and see everything for myself. Capacitor, transformer, ractifier!

steps up and down - transformer?
AC to DC - Ractifier?

 

[Investors]

Okay. So I did open my PSU. I see a transformer wrapped in a big yellow thing. I also see a capacitor cylinder, two of them. Where is the rectifier? semi-conductor? transistor? other important components?

 

[Investors]

Okay. So a rectifier is a device that converts AC to DC, and a transformer is a device that steps up and down a voltage.

Which one works first?

 

[erwin1978]

I've done something similar. I have a Dell that won't turn on so I guessed the power supply went to hell. As many of you know Dell doesn't follow ATX standards. I took my standard ATX power supply and simply rerouted the appropriate voltages to the Dell connector and soldered extra wires. I have yet to test it on the Dell PC but the power supply does turn on. The hardest part was pulling out the pins off the connectors.

 

[Investors]

Triboelectrification! There is a new term!

 

[CrossFire851]

I just took out a power supply from my testing PC in which I plan to trash when I take apart all the components.

Should I open the power supply? Is it safe? I heard somewhere that it is not safe to open a power supply. I know what's inside though: Rectifier and transformer.

Steps down and up - transformer?
AC to DC - rectifier?

I took out my RAM as well. Should I trash this? No one is going to use 128MB of Synchronous ram. Everyone seems to use DDR.

I thought AC to DC was a called a converter and a DC to AC was called an inverter?

 

[Investors]

Yes, But I am asking which inside PSU component converts AC to DC? I think it is a Rectifier and can't identify which one it is in my testing psu.