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| Modifying ATX Power Supply PS-350WXMH to provide 13.6V |
🔍 Quick Summary: In this complete tutorial, we will transform a common PC ATX power supply into a robust 13.6V power supply capable of delivering up to 22A. Ideal for charging batteries, powering automotive sound systems and various electronic projects. Follow our step-by-step guide and make the most of this modification!
Hello, electronics enthusiasts!
Ever wondered how to transform that PC power supply sitting in your lab into a versatile and powerful tool? ATX power supplies are easily found and most technicians have at least one stored away, waiting for a second chance.
With this simple modification, you can power automotive sound systems, create efficient battery chargers, develop electronic projects that require higher current and much more. Best of all? With minimal cost and using components you probably already have!
For this tutorial, we will use an ATX power supply from the brand iMicro, model PS-350WXMH, with 350W power. This model is quite common and serves as a perfect base for our modification.
Why Modify an ATX Power Supply?
💰 Cost-Effective
ATX power supplies are abundant and cheap, often obtained for free from old computers.
⚡ High Current
Capable of delivering up to 22A, ideal for projects that require high power like automotive sound systems.
🔧 Versatility
Perfect for charging batteries, powering high-power LEDs, testing components and much more.
We'll Follow Step by Step to Facilitate Understanding
Before we start with the modifications, we need to check if the power supply is working correctly. After all, it doesn't make sense to modify something that doesn't work, right? Think of it as a complete check-up before surgery!
⚠️ Safety Tip: Always work with power supplies disconnected from the electrical grid. Even when turned off, internal capacitors can maintain residual charge for some time.
To test the power supply, connect a wire (or a piece of solder, as in our case) short-circuiting the connector with the PSON "Green Wire" and the GND "Black Wire", as demonstrated in Figure 2 below.
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| Fig. 2 - Turning on the power supply using the PSON and Negative connection for initial test |
After verifying that everything is working correctly and confirming that the fan spins and the voltages are present, we can proceed with our modification!
LET'S START THE MODIFICATION
1st Step - Identifying the Controller Integrated Circuit
The first step is to identify the type of IC controller present in your power supply. In our case, we are working with the Integrated Circuit SD6109, as we can see in Figure 3 below.
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| Fig. 3 - Controller Integrated Circuit SD6109 found in the ATX Power Supply |
💡 Important Information: About 90% of ATX power supplies work in a similar way. If your IC is different, don't worry! Just consult the corresponding Datasheet to identify the correct pinout of your controller.
The SD6109 Integrated Circuit is a Chinese component, which made it a bit challenging to find its complete Datasheet. However, we managed to locate a document with sufficient information for our modification. In Figure 4 below, we can identify the pinout of this IC.
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| Fig. 4 - Datasheet of the IC SD6109, with pin identification |
For our modification, we will use pin 17, which corresponds to the error amplifier with a voltage reference of 2.5V. This pin provides us with an adequate range to adjust the output to 13.6V, which is ideal for charging lead-acid batteries (like those in cars and motorcycles) and powering automotive sound systems.
🎯 Why 13.6V Specifically?
The voltage of 13.6V is ideal for lead-acid batteries because it represents the perfect "float charge" level to keep the battery charged without overcharging it. This is the voltage that quality charging systems use to keep batteries in optimal condition for long periods.
2nd Step - Necessary Materials
For this modification, we will initially need:
- ✅ A 10K resistor (Brown, Black, Orange, Gold)
- ✅ A 10K potentiometer (or 47K, 100K, 250K or even 500K as we used)
- ✅ Soldering iron and solder
- ✅ Multimeter for measurements
- ✅ Wires for connections
- ✅ Heat shrink or electrical tape
🔧 Practical Tip: In our video, we used a 500K potentiometer because it was what we had available at the moment. However, values between 10K and 250K will work perfectly for this application. The difference will be only in the sensitivity of the adjustment.
3rd Step - Preparing the Adjustment Circuit
Now, let's assemble the circuit that will allow us to adjust the output voltage. Make an arrangement of the potentiometer and the resistor in series, as illustrated in Figure 5 below. Solder a wire at one end of the Potentiometer, the resistor at the center pin of the potentiometer and another wire at the end of the resistor, thus leaving two ends for connection.
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| Fig. 5 - Configuring the Potentiometer and the Resistor in series for voltage adjustment |
4th Step - Identifying the Correct Pin on the IC
Identify pin 17 "In our case" on our IC. Remember that all ICs have a notch or marking to identify pin 1, as suggested in Figure 6 below, which shows the pin arrangement according to the Datasheet.
After identifying pin 17 at the top of the IC, carefully turn the circuit board. ATTENTION: the pins will be inverted when viewed from the solder side! Correctly identify the corresponding pin and mark it with a pen or make a small mark on the trace. This care is essential to avoid errors that could damage the IC.
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| Fig. 6 - Pinout of the IC SD6109 showing the location of pin 17 |
⚠️ ATTENTION!
It is essential to correctly identify pin 17. A wrong connection can permanently damage the controller IC and render your power supply useless. If you have doubts, consult the datasheet again or ask for a second opinion before proceeding.
5th Step - Connecting the Adjustment Circuit
Solder one end of our arrangement (resistor + potentiometer) to the negative of the power supply GND and the other end to pin 17 of the IC.
Technical explanation: The 10K resistor serves as protection, ensuring that when the potentiometer is at its minimum position (zero ohm), there is no direct short circuit between pin 17 and GND. Without this resistor, the IC could trigger or, in extreme cases, suffer permanent damage.
⚠️ SAFETY FIRST!
It is of utmost importance that you use a short-circuit test when turning on the power supply for the first time after the modification. We recommend the traditional test in series with an incandescent bulb. We have a detailed post on how to build a low-cost Series test:
- Building a Switchable Series Bulb Test from 50 to 650W
DO NOT touch the primary heat sink of the power supply when it is on! You could suffer a Electric Shock serious. "IT GIVES A SHOCK" and can be fatal.
Turn on the power supply with caution through the SERIES TEST, and measure the output voltage with a multimeter. Adjust the potentiometer slowly until you reach the desired voltage (13.6V) or as far as the power supply can provide without triggering the protection.
After setting the ideal voltage, disconnect the power cord from the outlet, DISCONNECT THE POWER, and desolder the two wires of the arrangement (Resistor and Potentiometer).
You may also be interested in these projects!
6th Step - Determining the Fixed Value of the Resistor
With the multimeter, measure the total resistance of the series arrangement (potentiometer + resistor). In our case, the resistance was 56.70K, as shown in Figure 7 below. For a commercial resistor, we can use a 56K (standard E12 value).
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| Fig. 7 - Series arrangement resistor and Potentiometer measuring 56.70K |
As we didn't have a 56K resistor available in our workbench, we created another combination to replace the potentiometer. We connected two resistors in series (we know that when we connect resistors in series, their resistances are added).
We used a 47K resistor + the 10K one, totaling 57K, a value very close to what we measured in the original arrangement with potentiometer.
Then, we applied Heat Shrink to insulate the two resistors in series, as suggested in Figure 8 below. This set will be soldered permanently in place of the temporary arrangement, that is, between the PIN 17 and the GND.
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| Fig. 8 - Arrangement with two resistors in series to get the value of 56K |
NOTE: After soldering everything, carefully check if there is no short circuit. Use the multimeter to measure the resistance between the GND and Pin 17, if the value is very low, there may be a problem. In addition to the heat shrink, we applied electrical tape to ensure complete insulation.
7th Step - Load Test
🔬 Why is the Load Test Important?
A load test checks if your modified power supply maintains the desired voltage under real demand. Without load, the voltage may seem correct, but drop drastically when requested. This test validates the effectiveness of our modification.
For our test, we will use a 12V, 55W Halogen lamp. By Ohm's Law, we can calculate the expected current:
- Formula: P = V × I (Power = Voltage × Current)
- Isolating the current: I = P / V
- Applying: I = 55W / 12V
- Result: I = 4.58A
Therefore, our test load will consume approximately 4.58 Amperes. Below, in Figure 10, we can see the Halogen lamp 12V 55W that we used.
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| Fig. 10 - 12V 55W halogen lamp used for load test |
In Figure 11 below, we can observe the voltage without load, where the multimeter marks 13.65V, exactly what we wanted to achieve!
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| Fig. 11 - Voltage test after modifications, before load (13.65V) |
Test Under Load
Now, the moment of truth! We connected our 55W lamp as a load. As we can see in Figure 12 below, we observed a voltage drop from 13.65V to 12.82V under load.
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| Fig. 12 - Load Test and voltage drop with Halogen lamp (12.82V) |
📊 Analysis of Results
The voltage drop observed (from 13.65V to 12.82V) is normal and expected. Halogen lamps, especially when cold, consume more current than specified. For applications like battery charging, where the current is not so high and constant, the voltage will remain more stable, generally above 13V, which is perfect for charging lead-acid batteries.
After several tests with battery charging, we obtained excellent results! The power supply remained stable and efficient. As for the automotive sound system, it also perfectly supported a Taramps module of 400W RMS connected to a Pioneer Player, without causing losses or significant distortions.
Conclusion
We are very satisfied with this project! Its simplicity and versatility make it ideal for various applications, from battery charging to powering automotive sound systems. The modification met satisfactorily all our expectations, transforming a common ATX power supply into a powerful and functional tool.
For those who want to see the assembly details in practice, we leave below the complete video for you to follow each step of the process:
🎯 Project Ideas with Your Modified ATX Power Supply
🔋 Battery Charger
Perfect for charging car, motorcycle or UPS batteries in a safe and efficient way.
🔊 Power Supply for Automotive Sound System
Power automotive modules and amplifiers in a domestic environment for testing.
💡 Power Supply for High-Power LEDs
Ideal for powering LED strips or lighting projects that require high current.
FAQ: Winget Upgrade Command - Common Questions Answered
The Windows Package Manager, Winget, is a powerful tool, but it's normal to
have questions. Below, we've answered the most frequently asked questions to
help you master the
winget upgrade
command.
1. What is Winget and why should I use it to update apps?
Winget (Windows Package Manager) is an official command-line tool from Microsoft to install, configure, update, and remove software on Windows. Using it to update apps is efficient, fast, and automates the process, avoiding the need to check for updates for each program individually.
2. What's the difference between
winget upgrade
and
winget update?
In the context of Winget, the
upgrade
and
update
commands are functionally identical. Both are used to update installed
packages to their latest versions. The
upgrade
command is the more common and traditionally used term, but
update
was added as an alias for greater clarity and consistency with other
package managers. You can use either one.
3. How do I update ALL my apps at once?
To update all apps managed by Winget that have a newer version available,
use the command: winget upgrade --all
Winget will list the found packages and ask for your confirmation before
proceeding with the update for each one.
4. The
winget upgrade --all
command asks for confirmation for each app. How can I automate this?
To run the update for all apps without needing confirmation for each one,
add the
--all
flag along with the
--accept-package-agreements
and
--accept-source-agreements
flags. The full command is: winget upgrade --all --accept-package-agreements
--accept-source-agreements
This is useful for scripts and scheduled tasks.
5. How do I update a specific app instead of all of them?
First, find the exact ID of the app with
winget list. Then, use the
winget upgrade
command followed by the app's name or ID. For example, to update Visual
Studio Code, the command would be: winget upgrade Microsoft.VisualStudioCode
6. Why are some apps not updated with
winget upgrade --all?
This can happen for a few reasons:
1. The app was not installed via Winget.
2. The Winget repository (source) that manages that app may not have
information on a newer version.
3. The app might have been installed with an installer that does not
support silent or automatic updates.
4. There might be a conflict, or the app is in use.
7. What does the error 'No installed package found matching input criteria' mean?
This error means that Winget could not find any installed application that
matches the name or ID you provided. Check if the app name is typed
correctly or use
winget list
to find the exact name as Winget recognizes it.
8. Is it possible to exclude a specific app from updating when using
--all?
Yes. You can use the
--exclude
flag to ignore one or more apps. For example, to update everything except
'Microsoft.PowerToys', the command would be: winget upgrade --all --exclude Microsoft.PowerToys
You can list multiple apps by separating them with commas.
9. How can I see which apps need to be updated before running the upgrade?
Use the command
winget upgrade. Without the
--all
flag, it will list all apps that have available updates but will not
update them. It's a great way to check what will be changed before
confirming the action.
10. Does Winget work in Windows PowerShell and CMD?
Yes, Winget works perfectly in both the Command Prompt (CMD) and Windows PowerShell. It is also compatible with Windows Terminal and the Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL), allowing you to manage your Windows applications from the Linux environment.
Original article published on FVML (Portuguese) – December 12, 2018
👋 I hope you enjoyed it!!!
If you have any questions, suggestions, or corrections, feel free to share them in the comments — we’ll be glad to help and improve this guide together!
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Best regards,
The ElCircuits Team ⚡
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