My First Project

This is probably the first project I’d done and it was when I worked at Mostek. I used a piece of scrap perfboard, some TTL ICs and sockets, and a few Old Style LEDs – big, old, current-consuming, 1982, RED LEDs. And some wire-wrap wire – it was all I could find, so that’s what I worked with.

1982 TTL Dual Dice - Top View
1982 TTL Dual Dice - Top View

The circuit is from Don Lancaster’s “TTL Cookbook”. It has worked for years and years, and uses almost any 6 to 9 volt Wall Wart. Unfortunatly, about 10 years ago a wire or two came loose from underneath (a rats-nest of misused wire-wrap). I finally got around to fixing it and actually replacing a rare burned-out LED.

A Rats Nest of Wire-wrap Wire - not the best choice, but it's what I had.
A Rats Nest of Wire-wrap Wire

I have no idea why I chose Wire-Wrap wire, other than it was something we had laying around or scrapped. It’s some of my earliest, gloppiest examples of soldering that I have. Wish I had that old Radio Shack P-Box that I build back when I was about 12.

ATX Desktop Supply Adapter

Built one of the ubiquitous ‘Desktop Power Supply’ from a recycled, ATX-form, PC power Supply. Actually used it occasionally to power a 12V charger in the garage. Unfortunately, it fizzled an electrolytic capacitor and it’s really not worth reparing.

So, I rescued all my hardware and built a reusable adapter for ANY standard ATX power supply.

Parts List:
1 ATX Power extender – this is an extension to the wide plug that goes to the motherboard, usually about 9 inches or so (like this one: http://www.directron.com/atxextension.html).
All of the other hardware bits needed to alter an ATX supply for desktop use (binding posts, a switch, a 10 ohm / 15 watt resistor (I used a Dale, metal-cased).
And an enclosure – a wide, thin, Radio Shack enclosure I had on hand.

The 10 ohm 15 watt resistor goes from the +5V rail to Ground. This is needed so that the supply can sense a load – otherwise, it will not start.

Excellent how-to’s everywhere on the net, but this one is great: http://web2.murraystate.edu/andy.batts/ps/powersupply.htm

Great current ratings here: http://web2.murraystate.edu/andy.batts/ps/PowerRatings.htm. The +5 and +12 rails can supply a good deal of power and these ATX switcher supplies are very efficient.

This adapter will provide desktop power supply access for a recycled ATX Supply.
ATX Power Supply Adapter