XBOX 360 Power Supply to 12V Accessory Adapter

This Instructable is a tutorial on how to make your own high current 12V source for powering your Car accessories, Carputer, or anything 12V that requires a lot of juice. The adapter makes use of the common Xbox 360 Power Brick and it's 16A current handling capabilities (old style 200W Brick) and combines it with a 12V Triple Socket Adapter. Pictured is my concept adapter that i built with a LM317 voltage regulator circuit for testing. I found the design circuit at Ladyada.net.

Disclaimer: I, or anyone linked from this instructable, accept(s) no responsibility for any injuries or damages that may occur as a result of this tutorial. Anyone building this adapter does so at their own risk. That being said my hope is that you will find this Adapter as useful as i have.

Step 1: Tool List

Here's a list of the tools you will need for this tutorial:

-Drill with a 9/64" Drill bit
-Glue Gun
-Needle Nose Pliers
-Wire-strippers
-Side cutters
-Soldering Iron
-Gun type Soldering Iron with plastic melting tip or a Rotary Tool with cutting disc will work too
-Flux
-Solder
-Desoldering Braid
-No. 0 Phillips Screwdriver
-No. 10 Torx Screwdriver
-Utility Knife or Safe Package Opener
-Pick or Flatblade Screwdriver

Safety Gear: Safety Glasses and a Multimeter

Comments

[pezbodut]

To enable the 12V supply using the ~1.5 to 5V, are there any consequences from using the extremes of those voltages (1.5 and 5V)? I'm guessing that using 3.1V would be the best idea. Also, how much current is used by this power enable pin?

[gunadai]

Shorting PWR ENABLE directly to +5VSB with a meter reads 0.75 mA on my 203W power supply.

[kd5snu]

When removing the connector, I found that flooding the connections with leaded solder (rosin cored) would allow for my solder sucker to work much more effectively. The new RoHS solder, while environmentally friendly, just doesn't work as well as the good old fashioned stuff.

[Nemesis201077]

Brilliant instructable.
I've built my own incubator which runs at 12v, but managed to blow the power supply I intended to use as it couldn't handle the current required.
I have 12 quail eggs due here in 2 days and needed a solution quickly.
I just hacked the connnecing plug apart from the Xbox supply to expose the wires, pulled them all out and connected them up with a switch between the sense wire and 5v and it works great. I'm sure I could have just connected these together rather than use a switch here though as I would use the wall switch to turn the power on/off.
I might tinker some more now as the digital thermometer and hygrometer take a 'aaa' battery, might as well make this mains powered too, and add a light with a switch to the incubator .
I'd have been in real trouble if I hadn't seen this instructable, so thanks for putting this up.

[Skater_j10]

Thanks for the positive feedback! Sounds like a pretty worthwhile application :)

[GreenD]

This will NOT go over 16 AMPS right? I mean if I shorted this??

Thanks man this is almost exactly what I needed and this instructable was clear as a bell whatever that means

[Skater_j10]

The 16A rating refers to the maximum draw that the PSU can handle but I'm guessing that if you shorted it out it could go much higher than 16 Amps but I'm sure the internal fuse or a component would blow pretty quickly if that happened. Please be careful not to short it out for your safety and for the PSU's sake.

[dog digger]

It's an advance switchmode PSU. It has several protection devices including a short circuit protection device. It just turns the LED red!

[Skater_j10]

So I looked into it (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/906101/de) and while, yes, you are correct that the power brick has short circuit protection built-in, and it won't blow any fuses or components, it is not advisable to short out the power supply at any time. Short circuit protection doesn't kick in instantly and you can do damage to the circuit or yourself due to electricity arcing and/or over-heating the board or components before it kicks in. Remember what Louie the Lightning Bug says: "You gotta play it safe around electricity!"

[zack247]

how are you powering that computer? a pico PSU? or did you hook up the xbox brick to the right connections?

i am intending on using a xbox brick for a pc, i would really like to know how.

TIA, zack247

[Skater_j10]

Yep you are exactly right! I was supplying the 12V from the Xbox 360 brick to a pico PSU much like this one: http://bit.ly/npqxL3 which converted the 12V to the rest of the voltages needed by the mini-ATX mobo.

[Padlock]

Might I suggest adding a USB port? It's producing 5v, why not use it?

[Skater_j10]

Not a bad idea :) If I end up using this adapter quite often for charging I think i just might have to add one!

[cdousley]

you should add the resistors to make it an ipod charger!

[junits15]

this is great!  I now have a power solution for my 168 watt TEC, that thing has been sitting around for years because i dont have an adequate power supply.  Well I'm off to ebay to find one!

[GreenD]

Will the switch be handling the current?

What rating for current should the little bugger have?

[Skater_j10]

Thanks for the positive feedback! To answer your question about the switch: it doesn't handle much current at all since it is just directing the standby voltage [5V] to the PWR ENABLE signal line. It's unrelated to the 12V supply [besides the shared ground I should say].

[GreenD]

Nice job!! This is an awesome instructable!!!! WOOOOOOO I LOVE IT! Maybe it's just the sugar high

[Th3H4rRy]

Was that a Xbox case mod or XP installed on an Xbox?

[Skater_j10]

It was a Xbox case Mod, yeah it was a bit of dremel work :)