Find alternative power sources for desktop pcs and GPU connector burnnings
https://www.msi.com/Motherboard/PRO-H610M-12VO Read about MSI PRO-H610M-12VO
https://gamersnexus.net/guides/3568-intel-atx-12vo-spec-explained-what-manufacturers-think Intel ATX12VO vs. 12V Spec Explained & What Manufacturers Think
https://www.mini-box.com/M3-ATX-DC-DC-ATX-Automotive-Computer-car-PC-Power-Supply Automobile PC power supply
https://www.cartft.com/catalog/il/1425 DC to DC ATX Power Supply 1
https://www.cartft.com/catalog/il/1175 DC to DC ATX Power Supply 1
https://www.newegg.com/p/pl?d=atx+dc-dc+power+supply Newegg
Burning GPU power connectors, nonstop growing GPU and whole desktop computer power consumption, no cheaper options for backup power and DC-AC, AC-DC power convert losses. This is my journey to Power up desktop computers and some household electronics more efficiently, right to repair devices and availability. How ultimately all bad factors contribute to the environment, e-wastes and drains your money in the bank. Really, I want a sustainable solution not loved by corporations. True end-user's happiness.
Welcome to my technical and practical dream!
Furthermore, from now on, I will call word call research rather than just dream as a common noun. In this main research contains my own wide range of research, practical experiences are contributed to find about can we power up desktop computers using an alternative power source such as equal to input power sources of internal components directly and bypass expensive AC-DC power supplies when using backup power for same kind of customize environments. The second topic is energy crisis on graphic cards. That is way more hesitant than any other internal PC component, every new graphic card consumes more power than it's predecessors. Wait! In here I’m talking about growing power consumption not by performance factor.
Why so special on desktop computers by ignoring whole tiny cute portable laptops, portable ITX motherboard-based PCs and Mac minis and studios and single board computers? We are unable to forget such a vast level of topic to limited profile. For follow my main topic I will much specialize on desktop PCs. According to Statista.com desktop computers ship worldwide 70 million in total in 2023 way low compared to 157 million units back in 2010. However, portables are almost single volt function easy to convert when with simple hack or designed for direct battery supply. If successful enough to manage simplification of desktop power supply and distribution would be a super advantage.
With fast growth of semiconductor chip industry dissolve the thick partition between portable and desktop PC market but I still able to address desktop PCs are true hero of DIY guy who don’t care about storage footprint. Desktops are unique to it's own desktop form factor, performance, power consumption patterns, multilevel compatibility for customization is virtually up to unlimited literally you can touch the sky, you can install hardware as much as your motherboard is supported such as extend up to PCI express, SATA limitations, proper ventilation and more space. Then even if that is not enough, you can make your custom PC cases, cost effective and much more continues running for long period of time. And finally, no need for rocket science service toolkit to open the case.
That’s why desktops exist no matter how much, which types of portable PCs are innovated.
Massive trouble of power convert for electronic devices includes silicon semiconductors. Your household’ electric supply from the national grid is Alternating current (AC) that is easier to step up or down within AC current not to DC convert and much deep level of hard for clean regulated DC output. And don’t need to deep on much more advanced in sensitive silicon chips, over 90% average of average circuit units of electronics are low power DC voltages.
Before complicated high tech, back in when transistors were ruling the monarch, your old friend radio and other some of electronics need proper DC power supply for internal electronics too. Back then AC to DC conversions were simple, bulky and less efficient compared to modern demanding standards. Used transformers that directly feeds mains AC voltage and 50Hz or 60Hz frequency the get reasonable step-down AC output and simple or bit advanced DC convert and regulation using simple easy steps such are rectifiers for polarity separation capacitors for fatten the AC curve. Need more advance? It is still possible day to day with current tech. But this way still exists for certain kinds of applications and fast replacing with switch mode power supply, or SMPS.
Now modern Solidstate applications have much advantage those are efficient and mostly low DC operation. Like your modern LED TV use SMPS for whole unit but old CRT is much complicated needs direct main input unless specially made for battery operation.
Modern ATX or any standards are no return! Imagine your massive power-hungry PC trying to power with non SMPS that have massive transformer heavy, bulky, heat, space and less efficient that will end up with a power supply that is the same size as your entire PC. That’s why SMPS are here. SMPS are hidden with different technical or marketing names such as phone charger, AC DC adapter, ATX power supply and small black box with your laptop.
Now can we innovate a better answer than switching mode power supply is still not. In this main case study, your ATX has some disadvantages, the same as any electronic device. Those are using much complicated way to convert high AC voltage to lower regulated DC power with less than 5% tolerance, for keep such stable voltage range even idle load or sudden heavy load must need proper voltage feedback system for reduce or increase duty cycle. Technical complexity of SMPS will not end that point as summary of whole AC to DC convert process works like mains AC power rectifiers and convert to DC then convert to high frequency around hundreds of kilohertz to 1MHz pass that to ferrite transformer to reduce the high voltage. Then flow via feedback circuits during DC regulation process. Regarding all whole functionalities never be simple circuit when following electrical safety and efficiency standards and practices. Sometimes when it needs strict size limitations such as following ATX standers, the main board will stack over additional sub boards in some high-end products, that’s very hard to diagnosis. Less repairs means a lot of trash and money. Overcome the challenges of space, Proformance, durability, practicality, cost and ultimately easy to repair.
My conclusion must not only manufacture efficient power consuming electronics make those much access to repair and available to purchase years old techs. Then why? Brands like to treat high-end product lines with gold spoons. But the average user doesn’t want to stay upgrades with the newest hardware.
Highest power consuming hot spot in a desktop PC, silicon semiconductors in CPU and graphic card, those tiny buddies consume high power at small voltages. Your PSU deliver 12DCV to main boards whatever GPU or motherboard buck converters will reduce around one volt and x number of decimals to provide vcore. That whole multi-level of power reduction subject to voltage losses and transmission losses while A to B point. By considering transmission losses according to the ohms law shall we think doubling or tripling the GPU voltage when design could be chance for save connectors or some meme
suggestions like main’ power GPUs, sounds much interesting when doubling amperage would divide in half but we can’t forget about whole designs of other parts such existing standards and massive practical compatibility and technical designs of PSUs, such as doubling the output voltages require some major changes of DC regulation sections In all devices not only for PSUs. For get some kind of rough idea electrolytic capacitors are must be at least suitable higher than the margin above expecting voltage which means existing 16V capacitors never work on 24 volts or higher. That is just a one trouble of the whole process from sketching to complicated engineering practices and standards. Capacitors are more likely to increase or decrease relative volume depending maximum rated power, plate area, the plate spacing, the dielectric material and capacitance.
For an instance look at the difference between these 330uf 200v, 560uf 6.3v and 1000uf 16v capacitors.
Back to the power crisis, more about currently available options when you are planning to single volt input mechanism for powering desktop PCs, Trust me, those might have some advantages or drawbacks things are get more complicated from now. You can categorize those options depending on availability or purpose. If you have plan to cut down wasting and inverting process of UPS as a backup power or if you are own reasonable low DC single volt power unit you have more options ahead such as very rare and straight forward options like Intel ATX12VO but I only found as a product that exists MSI PRO H610M 12VO only more about later. Don’t run away! A few more options ahead if you are searching for automobile PC power supply mini-box.com offer you some kind of low wattage options, those are really input single volt somewhere in capable input power range, output would be existing motherboard connector.
Furthermore, Mini Box is offering more than old cheap friend PICO PSUs. PICOs are mostly available up to 150W or somewhere around but modules like M4-ATX-HV are offered 220W under ATX 20/24 pin standards. But be sure with those ITX and mini ITX power solutions might not readymade solution for your desktop ATX standards. But no worries combination of unfulfillable modules or packaged based solution from Mini Box could make the dream come true.
Then our last competitor would be slightly more expensive than all the above. Specialty with new PSU, which is a complete retail product rather than a simple module. That is called a DC to DC ATX power supply. In simple online search at first glance feels like old PSUs from many years ago or an enterprises solution. I don’t have practical experience with those massive silver color boxes, I done online research about two of them from a site called cartft.com. With a simple search I couldn't find anywhere else except that old looking cartft.com. I pick two of them might be only two products available to sell online come with 450 watts and 1000 watts. Those work as DC-DC buck converters, which means reducing the range of high input DC voltage to preselected or variable fixed DC volt. Surprisingly those are up to 4.7Kg aka 10.36 pounds in weight. I feel curious to research more about. If the product met our project conditions at some point in the future that would be a win. Then input voltage ranges are 9 to 36 DCV for small guy. 9 to 18 DCV for big guy. The second range is much narrower. Prices are minding boggling small box is 259 euros big one 1119 euros listed at same site. That would never successor as a clean option with our research. Unfortunately, unable to find mainstream online market placeless offer similar kind of products. I searched for DC to DC ATX power supply in Newegg that was cracked our old egg Mini Box with more than dozens of varieties. Don’t forget that it is a marketplace!
Need to learn about ATX standards do and rare projects like Intel ATX12VO
According to my previous mention I found one individual motherboard about Intel ATX12VO standards but according to my research and mainstream tech news those are unable to purchase as retail products. In simple words those are for prebuild systems for government bodies. Let’s get back to our topic.
Within ATX standers we can find out the main three voltages that consume high power. Those are as below in DC voltages 3.3 volts, 5 volts and 12 volts as main separate lines come out from your average PSU. But instead, as a single wire per section distributed as multiple single voltage lines for same section that’s why you see multiple same color wires per same section.
Now why your PSU converted for bunch of voltages separately then use massive number of wires instead one big single voltage line. That’s all about electronics, practicality, productivity and cost effectiveness.
Imagine if above separate lines compress into one single line with massive load of power consuming without load balancing, power distribution to your tiny nitty-gritty small, massive number of sections inside and outside of your motherboard would be technical blast of your motherboard when try to buck converting massively complicated power handling.
One single VRM (Voltage regulator module) failure leads to kicking off whole board to a trash bin or board level repair shop. You will suffer from common risks associated with power handling units from your motherboard.
For your knowledge I would like to simplify where the end of mainstream power lines is, not only where you plug in the connector.
Seem 12 volts connection use for heavy consuming sections use VRMs down much more lower voltage ranges with high amperage feed Vcores in processors and devices like fans. In some boards, PCIe bus bar, also Rams uses under VRMs.
5 volts line also using for some special areas 3.3v unable to fulfil USB, 5v standby, HDMI ports, SATA and another few areas might include audio compartments.
However, 3.3 volts line is much common and very important for PCH’ main power source but before the deliver to PCH is use Voltage regulator module known as VRM to reduce to somewhere around 1.05 volt. and SATA for Power Disable (PWDIS).
My conclusion on GPU connector melting's and cost-efficient way to even use backup battery system directly bypass power inverter waste chose above existing solution or need to make new level of power module can manage ATX PSU and batteries both.
For melting connectors as a straight answer trouble is everywhere wires to connectors! If any kind of device consumes some electrical power, all the conductors carry power to the device, conductors must sufficiently deliver the right amount of power that device needs. And that do not stop from there all removable connectors must tight one's user plugged correctly. For an instance in normal conditions
1500w load at it's rated power 12 volts basically according to the ohms law that consumes 1500/12=125 Amps, now with energy loss with wires that must sufficient. My final solution is GPU connectors and wires must be replaced with new standards for better future challenges. much thick and something like screw nailed lockable touch contacts power connectors with 90-degree angle for space with minimum length of nonflexible metal connectors for before bending wires from card’s side, according to wire gauges. That is just an idea for a new type of connector, that would be helpful for manufacture connectors small as possible and without patching existing standers wipe faults. Finaly no need to spend an additional 50 USD for extra adapters.