Introduction: Mod Internal Powersupply Into Mikrotik CSS326-24G-2S+RM Switch.

WARNING: THIS PROJECT HAS YOU DEAL WITH HIGH VOLTAGES, IF YOU AREN'T COMFORTABLE OR KNOW WHAT YOU ARE DOING, CONSULT AN ELECTRICIAN. WE ARE NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR ANY DAMAGES CAUSED TO ANY OF YOUR EQUIPMENT BY FOLLOWING THIS GUIDE.

With that out the way, in this project we will be building the power supply to be inside the CSS326-24G-2S+RM instead of using the bulky power adapter which is not meant for rack use. So stick a long as this won't take too long to mod.

Supplies

  • Mikrotik CSS326-24G-2S+RM switch

  • A screw driver

  • A multi-meter

  • Barrel jack cable (Amazon, but you probably have one laying around.)

  • A C14 power plug (Amazon, if you have any old electronics you could just pull it from one of them.)

  • Heat Shrink (Amazon)

  • A 12 volt power supply (Amazon)

  • If you do not want to solder you will have to by a spade connection kit and a crimper but I will not be doing that in this tutorial as I used what I had on hand.


Step 1: Cut the Power Cable (if Using an Old One) and See Which Wire Goes to Which Pole.

Skip to step three if buying already stripped wires.

  1. Cut the cable, pretty simple. You will need around 20 inches but more is better just to be sure.
  2. You want to strip the wires, this is pretty self explanatory, around half an inch is plenty!
  3. Then lastly you want to check which cable leads into the middle pin of the barrel jack using the continuity test on your multi-meter. In my case the one with the white line lead to the middle. This will be your positive wire so mark it.

Step 2: Open the Switch!

So by just removing the 5 screws on the top lid you should be able to just slide it off without even having to remove the rack mount ears. From there you should be greeted by a pretty empty case, this space is where we will place said power supply.

Step 3: Punch Out the Blanks in the Case.

On the case there should be a couple blanks which can be punched out simply by twisting a couple times, I was unable to take a picture before but you should be able to identify where they are on your switch. From there you should have two holes as shown in the pictures.

Step 4: Add Heat Shrink to the Connector.

For this step you want to see how much heat shrink you will need to fully cover the connector. Once you figured that out then you want to put it on top of the cables and ensure that it covers the solder, then use a lighter to heat it up and shrink it.

Step 5: Position and Mount the C14 Adapter.

In my case I installed it using the screws and nuts shown in the supplies. You could always use bigger screws but then it would be obvious you have modified the switch in case of a return since the hole would be stripped.

Step 6: Install the Power Supply.

WARNING, THIS STEP REQUIRES YOU TO MESS WITH HIGH VOLTAGES. IF YOU ARE UNSURE WHAT YOU ARE DOING, STOP HERE AND CONSULT AN ELECTRICIAN. WE ARE NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR ANY DAMAGES DONE!

In this step you will be putting the power supply into the case, in this step I haven't mounted it yet to ensure it worked before hand. All you have to do is wire up L (live) from the c14 connector to L (live) on the power supply, same with N (neutral) and E (Earth) but for E you would connect it to the ground terminal on the power supply.

Step 7: Run the Barrel Cable Through.

All you have to do in this step is run the dc jack through the tiny hole we punched out, then run it to the original connector on the board, which means you do not modify the board one bit at all! Just make sure to run it through the supports that are on the back as strain relief.

Step 8: Wire Up the Jack and Test!

On this step you want to connect the jack into the power connection on the power supply. In my case the wire with the white line would go to V+ and the other wire went to V- but again refer to step 1. But if all went well you should be able to plug it in and see it power up! The internal power supply should light up green and the power indicator on the switch should light up blue, if so, congrats! You have a working internal power supply, now for the finishing touches!

Step 9: Tidy Up and Mount the Supply Inside.

For this I just used two tiny strips of double sided tape to hold it in place, but you could screw in but again, I would advise against it as it would make it obvious you have modified the switch!

Step 10: Ensure Propper Grounding.

One you have it all nice and mounted you are going to want to ensure that it is properly grounded! This can be checked by checking continuity between the power supply case and the switch itself. If it beeps, your golden!

Step 11: Close It All Up and Enjoy Your Hard Work!

Congrats! You have been able to finish this project. Now time to enjoy your work and not needing to use a bulky power adapter anymore! Now all thats left is to install it into your rack!