[Stupid Question #2] Why we are still using 12v on the ATX power source?

[leotron]

As the title says do you think it would be useful for modern PCs to use more DC voltage ? I know you can compensate the lack of voltage giving more AMPs but still at this rate we should be using 36v at least. Also why we can't connect an badass AC turbine (110~220) inside the case?

Delete the thread if its garbage please.

Regards and thanks for you patience.

[petehall347]

12v is easier to find in the ghetto .

[eccerr0r]

(1) There needs to be some intermediate voltage, and it will still be a double conversion (120/240 line -> 12V or whatever -> 1.5V or whatever the ICs need, and this wire needs to be really thick as it could need to deal with upwards 50 amps...). 12V is ubiquitous anyway and it's needed for hard drives and other peripherals anyway.
Note that in server farms they typically use 48VDC but this too is a historical number and may well could have been 36V. We should be focusing on using less energy anyway.

(2) There's no 120V fans due mainly to cost - to ensure that it meets grounding safety requirements.

[redwire]

Power mosfets in the 30V league are optimized for cost, use in laptops and motherboards, so you could go higher than 12V but not to 24V.
Intel's new ATX 3.0 standard (for 600W gaming video cards!) is still 12V. They added a connector but seem OK to go to 50A. Nobody likes the standard yet.

[leotron]

Thanks for the honest answers, maybe I forget that the big tech companies make money selling servers and such (BIG LEAGUE) desktop gaming pc it's just 5 dollars per piece if I recall correctly, the earning are in the ideas ("look i have an algorith or a diode that reduces 5w in pwr compsunsion, etc")

.............

Another question: Wouldn't be cool if the GPU came with their own PSU ?

[diif]

Google's servers use 48v.

Why would it be cool, what's the benefit ?

[desert-rat]

The old (ww2 era) aircraft tube radios had a small motor/ generator for the tube plate voltage ( 150-300 vdc typically)

[brethin]

They way Video Card requirements are going I wouldn't be surprised to see a 24v or higher PSU introduced in the next year or so.

[brethin]

Originally Posted by diif

Google's servers use 48v.

Why would it be cool, what's the benefit ?

more power less connecters.

[brethin]

It's the same reason battery yard tools went to 80v vrs 40v.

[Topcat]

I've kind of wondered this a little as well..... I'd love to see the little kiddies playing inside their PC's when there's a motherboard full of exposed metal with 80v present!!

[ratdude747]

24V works great in my world. Pretty much *the* standard for industrial controls wiring (PLCs, automation, etc.).

Per OSHA (and other codes) Low voltage ends at 50V... which is why POE is considered low but 120V isn't. Which technically means the 90V on phone cords isn't low voltage either!

[desert-rat]

With the battery system on the new electric cars around 800v ,I can't wait until d I y ers with poor electrical skills start messing with them.

[TechGeek]

Originally Posted by ratdude747

24V works great in my world. Pretty much *the* standard for industrial controls wiring (PLCs, automation, etc.).

Per OSHA (and other codes) Low voltage ends at 50V... which is why POE is considered low but 120V isn't. Which technically means the 90V on phone cords isn't low voltage either!

Unless there's ring current, then it's basically trickle-charge levels of current available.

[Topcat]

Originally Posted by TechGeek

Unless there's ring current, then it's basically trickle-charge levels of current available.

~100v @ 20Hz will still sting you.

Those old magnetos from hand crank phones can be a lot of fun sometimes!

[ratdude747]

Originally Posted by Topcat

~100v @ 20Hz will still sting you.

Those old magnetos from hand crank phones can be a lot of fun sometimes!

OT: Took some digging, but I found a better smiley for you in this case:

[Topcat]

Added.

Good find, especially for this place!

[sam_sam_sam]

Originally Posted by Topcat

This is a good one