Moving ATX (SFX) PSU into a Mac Pro PSU cage

[spence4]

First, let me start by saying that I have moved a SilverStone PSU into a Mac Pro PSU cage and everything is working perfectly. This is therefore not a super serious, functionality question. Rather, it is simply a question of vanity and aesthetics. I suspect some people on here can relate to that in the pursuit of the perfect looking case mod. I am currently using the SilverStone plug which is black. I would like to swap in the original Apple plug so that everything looks stock from the outside. When my original Apple cord is plugged in, one cannot see the black SilverStone plug, but if the cord comes out then you see the black, and for whatever reason I am finding that unacceptable. I am pretty sure a few trips to a shrink could help me with this problem, but I figure that 15 minutes and 3 cents worth of solder are far cheaper. I know how to do the plus minus and ground, but there is this little other wire attached to the SilverStone plug that looks like some kind of battery or something - there is also what appears to be a small PCB. How necessary is it to retain these things? Can I just connect the original Apple plug to the ground and then the two big wires that are wrapped around a green ring that are obviously the wires that go to the plus and minus of the plug. Thanks for the help.

 

[chaosdesigns]

Retain the extra fiddely bits. They will help any radios in your house from receiving any AM/FM interference that your power supply may emit onto the power line.

 

[eelhead]

Do not remove those items on the original socket lol or you'll be scrounging to redo all of those resistors and capacitors, trust me I know.


Is your PSU mounted securly yet in the Mac PSU casing? If not best thing would be to move it forward a hair and then buy a 1' power plug extension and plug the female end into the PSU and cut and solder the male end into the back of the Mac Pro PSU socket and then mount that into the opening of the power socket that you see from the outside.

Unless you are extremely good at desoldering and re-soldering those parts. Or are able to duplicate the pieces removed.


here was mine I removed and broke lol

I had to solder all these bits on the new socket of my G5 PSU mod it was a PITA because I needed to find the correct ones or risk burning out my PSU

Here was my after bits, I bought new resistors, was able to find those but I had to reuse the main capacitors as you can see.

So with the cord extension I was thinking something like this
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16812196295

 

[spence4]

Wow. Why are you so smart? How did you know what that thing was? I have put together a couple hacks, including one pretty sweet Cube, and am now helping my neighbor build a G5 hack, but I am still obviously such a rookie.

Two follow-up questions: Do I need to keep the tidbits if I do not have any AM/FM radios in the house? Will it interfere with cell radios/wi-fi etc? I'm guessing not, but just want to be sure. Second, all of those tidbits are inside the the plug, the two big wires go to the plug unit which has the little black box and PCB on it. I would have to do quite a big more work to reattach those guys to the original Apple socket.

I am tempted to not worry about the tidbits if the only thing they do is provide radio interference reduction. Thanks again for your help. Look forward to your next response.

 

[spence4]

Wow, I hadn't seen this when I replied to the first post. So what exactly do all of those things do? Why do I need them when they weren't on the Apple socket? I have already put my PSU in, but I have some wiggle room since it is an SFX PSU with 100x125x65 dimensions (original housing, obviously once I removed the exterior and the fan it is smaller). How would I connect the prongs from the extension plug to the original Apple plug? Thanks!

 

[chaosdesigns]

The dohickeys (typically capacitors and/or chokes/coils) across the input line are typically used to "protect" the A/C line from static blips that may be caused by the device.....in this case a computer power supply. I really would leave them there if possible as most electronic devices are "supposed" to NOT cause any interference with others and "accept" any and all interference that may be present. So you never know when that nice new plasma TV will "glitch out" every time your computer wakes from sleep.

 

[spence4]

So I am committed to leaving the doodads on there. Now I will just try to connect an extension cord that I fold once or twice to the wires of the original Apple plug. I am nervous about soldering the cut wires from the back of the Appel plug to the prongs of the extension cable. Could I just cut the end off the extension cable, break out the plus, minus, and ground and then solder them to the respective wires on the back of the Apple plug?

 

[eelhead]

I would cut the cord and solder the wires from the cut cord to the back of the apple socket. This way you can cut it down and not fold it all about inside the PSU case.

 

[spence4]

Thanks. I do like this site. Everyone is so helpful.

 

[spence4]

Just clipped the wire.... the inside has red, blue, and green wires. I assume that I attach these to the red blue and green wires on the back of the Apple plug? Green is universally ground? I would hate to flip them and blow up everything. thanks in advance for the assistance.