Mounting PicoPSU + PowerBrick in ATX PSU location?

fjodor2000 · Post by **fjodor2000** » Sat Mar 13, 2010 7:21 am

Hi,

I'm considering replacing the standard ATX PSU in my computer with a PicoPSU + a Power Brick. Now, I just wonder if there is any way to mount the PicoPSU + a Power Brick in the same computer chassis location as the ATX PSU currently is in?

I guess what I'm looking for is some kind of 'mounting frame' that can hold the Pico PSU + Power Brick, and that can be mounted in the ATX PSU location of the computer chassis. Preferrably the mounting frame should also be able to hold a 120 mm fan if possible, to blow air out of the chassis.

Does any such mounting solution exist? Or how do you normally mount a PicoPSU and Power Brick in a computer chassis?

bonestonne · Post by **bonestonne** » Sat Mar 13, 2010 8:31 am

The PICO goes directly on the motherboard ATX header, that's how it supplies power.

There's a long power lead on the PICO to attach to the back of your computer somewhere (i chose a honeycomb fan grill because it fit).

Generally the power brick is kept outside the computer to allow the heat to be kept away from the computer.

fjodor2000 · Post by **fjodor2000** » Sat Mar 13, 2010 9:29 am

Thanks. But what if I want to mount the Power Brick inside the computer chassis as I described? Isn't there anybody who has done it that way?

nutball · Post by **nutball** » Sat Mar 13, 2010 10:29 am

fjodor2000 wrote:Isn't there anybody who has done it that way?

Yeah I've done this. I just used double-sided sticky tape to fix the power brick to the metal of the case - this was a desktop-format HTPC case, so it was sat on a horizontal surface - the tape wasn't supporting it just stopping it shifting about. For mounting on a case side-wall you might need to get more creative.

The bricks do give off a bit of heat but not so much that it's remotely a problem in my experience. They're inherently smaller than an ATX PSU so there's a fair bit of room around them if you fit them in the same location, and by definition the amount of power being drawn by the whole kebang isn't particularly large.

It all depends on your case really, if it's fairly roomy I can't see there'd be a problem putting the brick inside the case.

fjodor2000 · Post by **fjodor2000** » Sat Mar 13, 2010 2:40 pm

Thanks!

In my case there will be plenty of room, since I intend to remove the existing ATX PSU.

Just wondering though, did you replace an ATX PSU with the Power Brick, or was there no ATX PSU in the first place? If there was an ATX PSU, did you use anything to cover the 'hole' in the case that results from removing the ATX PSU?

Also, how did you mount the power cable to the power brick? Is the connector of your power cable inside the chassis, so that it cannot be removed or disconneccted without opening the case?

Jay_S · Post by **Jay_S** » Sat Mar 13, 2010 3:39 pm

Just curious - why do you want the brick inside your case? Aesthetics? I mean, you're going to have a cable to the wall anyway, is a cable w/brick that much worse?

fjodor2000 · Post by **fjodor2000** » Sun Mar 14, 2010 1:29 am

Yes, I don't like having more 'external stuff' attached to the computer than absolutely necessary. It becomes more messy. Same reason why I don't like having e.g. permanently attached external USB accessories, or external hard drives. I want to keep as much as possible inside the computer chassis.

JamieG · Post by **JamieG** » Sun Mar 14, 2010 2:58 pm

See the top photo and explanation in this SPCR article for an idea about mounting the brick internally.

If you want a really neat looking rear of the PC, you could cut some modder's mesh so that it fits over the rear of the ATX PSU holder and use some nuts and bolts to hold the mesh in place. I did this with my Lian Li Q07 (see 2nd last pic from link in my sig). You'd have to cut another hole out in the mesh for the power cable to pass through, of course.

fjodor2000 · Post by **fjodor2000** » Mon Mar 15, 2010 9:45 am

Thanks! It was something like that I was looking for.

I was however hoping that there would have been a factory made mounting frame for the power brick that could be mounted in the location where an ATX PSU normally would sit, with a neat standard power connector on the back and optionally room for a 120 mm fan as well.

Perhaps there is some clever product manager out there that see this as a business opertunity for a new product. Until then I guess I'll have to stick with some home made solution as the one you referred to...

StardogChampion · Post by **StardogChampion** » Tue May 10, 2011 8:13 pm

You might be interested in something like this: http://outsidethestb.blogspot.com/2011/ ... s-for.html

It mounts the jack (where the AC adapter plugs into the picoPSU's jack) in the PSU opening and can have a 80mm fan (ATX) or 60mm fan (SFX). The brick however would be outside the case.

Mounting PicoPSU + PowerBrick in ATX PSU location?

Mounting PicoPSU + PowerBrick in ATX PSU location?

Re: Mounting PicoPSU + PowerBrick in ATX PSU location?