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[Tutorial] Dual 330W AC Adapter Mod


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[MENTION=119]Mr. Fox[/MENTION], I'm getting the equipment together to perform this mod. I've got an additional PSU coming but wanted to create a setup similar to your v3.0 (cast aluminum with plug in connectors). However to do this I need an additional wire to connect from the project box to the computer itself. Since I don't need the whole PSU setup I was contemplating on purchasing an 150W M15x PSU and just chopping off the wire portion and using this. However I'm not sure if the M15x or other Alienware laptop PSUs have the same signal wire connection as the M18x. It would also be drawing more current through the wire then an M15x would but I'm not sure if that matters. Do have any expertise here?

Also I noticed an option in my BIOS that lets me deselect the computers checking for a official PSU, though I'm not sure if works. Does your v3.0 also connect the signal wires just like your v1.0?

Thanks,

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[MENTION=119]Mr. Fox[/MENTION], I'm getting the equipment together to perform this mod. I've got an additional PSU coming but wanted to create a setup similar to your v3.0 (cast aluminum with plug in connectors). However to do this I need an additional wire to connect from the project box to the computer itself. Since I don't need the whole PSU setup I was contemplating on purchasing an 150W M15x PSU and just chopping off the wire portion and using this. However I'm not sure if the M15x or other Alienware laptop PSUs have the same signal wire connection as the M18x. It would also be drawing more current through the wire then an M15x would but I'm not sure if that matters. Do have any expertise here?

Also I noticed an option in my BIOS that lets me deselect the computers checking for a official PSU, though I'm not sure if works. Does your v3.0 also connect the signal wires just like your v1.0?

Thanks,

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I just finished reading through this thread and found it very enlightening. I had recently purchased a couple 780m's and a 2960xm and was all excited to get into some overclocking. To my utter dismay, every attempt at overclocking, be it the memory, GPU, voltage or combinations thereof, and I mean every attempt resulted in a worse benchmark score then the stock settings. I gradually increased each setting to avoid damaging parts, but my rig refused to give me any gains. Since my GPU temps never went above 79C I suspected a power issue and then subsequently found this thread.

Using my recently obtained 'kill a watt' I found my system drawing a peak load of 309W with everything at stock. I believe this is already uncomfortable territory for a 330W PSU. Here are the results of my power draw

Stock Setup (780SLI)

both GPUs: 850MHz

both Memory Clocks: 1,250MHz

Power Draw: 309W max

3DMark11 GPU score: 15,300

Best overclock i could manage w/o the system crashing

GPUs: (1) 1,010MHz (2) 930MHz

Memory Clocks: (1) 1,300MHz (2) 1,250MHz

Power Draw: 318W max

3DMark11 GPU score: 15,000

For whatever reason it looks like my primary card will overclock a little more then its partner, however this is still what I would consider a very mild overclock. A loss of 300 GPU points in 3DMark11 I believe could be considered within the margin of error for the same setup, however that the performance actually decreases when the clock increases worries me.

I believe my issue is just related to power, but if I'm missing something else here feel free to chime in. Am I correctly asserting that my performance decrease with the increase in clock is power related? Could I expect a good overclock with a dual PSU setup?

Thanks, and Mr. Fox, you're awesome.

I am pretty certain your issues are power-related also, and this dual AC adapter setup should help you overclock higher without losing performance or stability, or having the system abruptly shut down from lack of power. Your assumption would be right. If the system begins to become power-started your performance will suffer. Thank you for the compliment.
@Mr. Fox, I'm getting the equipment together to perform this mod. I've got an additional PSU coming but wanted to create a setup similar to your v3.0 (cast aluminum with plug in connectors). However to do this I need an additional wire to connect from the project box to the computer itself. Since I don't need the whole PSU setup I was contemplating on purchasing an 150W M15x PSU and just chopping off the wire portion and using this. However I'm not sure if the M15x or other Alienware laptop PSUs have the same signal wire connection as the M18x. It would also be drawing more current through the wire then an M15x would but I'm not sure if that matters. Do have any expertise here?

Also I noticed an option in my BIOS that lets me deselect the computers checking for a official PSU, though I'm not sure if works. Does your v3.0 also connect the signal wires just like your v1.0?

Thanks,

The BIOS setting only disables the warning about an unsupported adapter being connected. Getting a really cheap AC adapter for something like an M15x to steal the cord off of it is a great idea. Most Dell and all Alienware laptops for a number of years have the same type of ID chip arrangement and use the same size barrel and center pin connection. Yes, all three versions of the AC adapter box that I built maintained use of the signal wires. Open the box on the donor AC adapter and de-solder the ends from the PCB and save the strain relief boot (instead of chopping it off) so you can use that on your adapter box.

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Thanks [MENTION=119]Mr. Fox[/MENTION], saving the strain relief boot is a great idea. I'll be putting it together in the next couple of weeks and let you know how it goes. Also I'm just curious in your benchmarking with the M18x are you using any type of laptop cooler or upgraded fans? I seem to remember a post a while back stating that you could get 11.7 cfm fans to replace the stock fans but I couldn't find anything with that spec on e-bay. Also I've read that if you just elevate the laptop, it will be just as good as a dedicated cooler. Do you have any advice here? Thanks again.

Sent from my SM-P900 using Tapatalk

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[MENTION=119]Mr. Fox[/MENTION], so these puppies came in the other day, got the same ones you recommended in your post 65. They didn't come with any wiring diagrams or direction though. I'm guessing the pillar looking things with small holes on them at the top are what I need to connect the wires to. The center connection appears to be connected to the center post (+ve) and I'm guessing outside connection are the surrounding -ve. What I don't see clearly is where the signal wire is connected. Does the signal wire connection pass through these little devices? If so, what pillar is it connected with? If not, how did you make a plug in box with signal wire functionality? Thanks,

post-32156-14495000690095_thumb.jpg

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@Mr. Fox, so these puppies came in the other day, got the same ones you recommended in your post 65. They didn't come with any wiring diagrams or direction though. I'm guessing the pillar looking things with small holes on them at the top are what I need to connect the wires to. The center connection appears to be connected to the center post (+ve) and I'm guessing outside connection are the surrounding -ve. What I don't see clearly is where the signal wire is connected. Does the signal wire connection pass through these little devices? If so, what pillar is it connected with? If not, how did you make a plug in box with signal wire functionality? Thanks,

[ATTACH]15862[/ATTACH]

To answer your question, below is an image that @Nospheratu posted in his dongle tutorial thread.

The signal wire is handled exactly the same as the original mod with the cables hardwired. You are merely soldering the wires inside of the box to the center pin (labeled ID line) on the socket.

NuImkRl.jpg

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  • 1 month later...

Hey Guys, Just joined...

i have a X51 R2 that i am trying to merge to From my Mid tower desktop,

reason Being is i am working out of town, so im always away from home, and the X51 for me was the best option for me

but i have put my Gtx 980 in it, but i dont have a 330W Power supply yet. so all i can do ATM is Web stuff.

i found this forum when trying to find a way to get more than 330W.

is there a way anyone has this Mod already made and would be willing to sell me?

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  • 1 month later...
hi every body

can i use 50A 1000V rectifier?

I just tried to build one with this, it doesn't work, only lets me max out at 360w or so. Not sue if it was the rectifier or something else. I'm getting the 40A, 200V version from mouser and going to try it again.

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Here's some pics of my build. Unfortunately it doesn't let me pull anymore then about 360w. It may be because I used a different bridge rectifier (I used the 50A 1000V version). I'm getting the correct one from mouser and going to try it instead. The cable going to the computer was ripped from a much cheaper M15x PSU and fits in the M18x like a champ and the ID wire works perfectly. I'm not sure if this may be an issue as well or not.

I'm using the power jack connections pictured in one of the posts above. Of note I initially tried out the mod with just one power adapter going through the power jack connections and tested performance. It does result in a slightly reduced performance when wired through a power jack connector as compared to plugged straight into the computer.

With this current setup, even with 2 PSU's and overclocked cards, I actually get reduced performance from what I get with just a single PSU plugged straight into the laptop. The duel setup will only pull about 360w at any amount of decent overclock and simply crash. It is stable at higher clocks and voltages though as compared to just a single PSU.

[MENTION=119]Mr. Fox[/MENTION] if you have any ideas I'm all ears otherwise I'll just see if swapping out the bridge rectifier will work.

Adapter with just one PSU connected to test the power jack connection (caused slightly reduced performance as compared to plugged straight it)

post-32156-1449500126431_thumb.jpg

Final Result (setup maxed out at 360w and actually reduced performance as compared to a single PSU plugged straight in)

post-32156-14495001265155_thumb.jpg

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Might be the bridge rectifier. The smaller capacity seems to do better for some reason. If using the one recommended does not work, then I'm not sure. I've built three of them and they all work good for me.

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Another thing I can think of is that the M15x power cord that runs to the laptop just has one white wire, whereas I believe the M18x cord has two (at least according to the pictures in [MENTION=119]Mr. Fox[/MENTION] 's guide). I don't know if this would make a difference or not since the power should all run through the center pin in the connector that plugs into the laptop either way.

My plan so far it to first try the new bridge rectifier, if that doesn't work I may just bypass the bridge rectifier all together and see what happens, if that doesn't work I'm going to chop into my PSU cables and hard wire the whole thing. It may take me another week or so to find the time to do this but I'll let you guys know what happens.

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  • 3 weeks later...

Update:  I've just rewired my design using the correct bridge rectifier and still have no luck.  For whatever reason, whatever overclock I place on my system, it will actually reduce the performance in 3DMark11.  Additionally, I'm not able to pull more then 370W or so from my setup.  I'm now wondering if it's something to do with the R1 circuitry as compared to the R2 which @Mr. Fox and most others use.

I noticed in an earlier post that @Prodigal was going to try the mod with an R1 but didn't post any follow on comment as to whether this was successful.  If anyone has successfully used this mod with an R1 I would be most interested to hear from them.

Any other ideas from anybody on what might be the issue I'm all ears.

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6 hours ago, Rengsey R. H- Jr. said:

@Mr. Fox , Is there a turotial for the 2nd revision of the mod ? 

No. The only differences between the 1st and second is using the sockets instead of hard-wired. 

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Hi guys my adapter  came with 330watt AC 100-240v  4.4A 50-60hz input, DC 19.5v 16.9A output, what is the point of using rectifier? i mean if i got same 2 DC output adapter do i need to use rectifier for doubling up? OR is it just enough soldering all the wires directly without rectifier?

 

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