Re: G4 MDD ATX mods
On Feb 19, 8:53 pm, Brielle br...@2mbit.com wrote: If I could find a source for the proper molex connectors to plug into the G4 mobo, it would be even easier to build the kits. Which connectors does the G4 Logic Board use? Are the Mini-Fit Jr. connectors as they've used on earlier machines? If so, most of those are available from Digi-Key. For example: http://search.digikey.com/scripts/DkSearch/dksus.dll? Detailname=WM3709-ND See also: http://www.kennedybrandt.com/supermac_insider/support/ psconversion.html for an example of a power supply adapter for a different machine. However, I was wrong about the Mini-Fit BMI working in that application. I would think that the biggest challenge to doing a G4 power supply conversion, after the cable adapter, is the fact that the G4 power supply is kind of long and thin (IIRC). It's not a standard ATX box shape, is it? It would probably be helpful if you could identify a power supply with the needed shape. Jeff Walther -- You received this message because you are a member of G-Group, a group for those using G3, G4, and G5 desktop Macs - with a particular focus on Power Macs. The list FAQ is at http://lowendmac.com/lists/g-list.shtml and our netiquette guide is at http://www.lowendmac.com/lists/netiquette.shtml To post to this group, send email to g3-5-list@googlegroups.com For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/g3-5-list
Re: G4 MDD ATX mods
Newegg too. The thing is that I really wouldn't dump TOO much cash into G4s, but if the kit's $30 and I owned G4s that needed them, I'd probably buy them. Good luck! Illirik Smirnov Messages are mostly sent GPG signed! Learn more about it by googling GPG. The ugly text is used to make sure it comes from me! My public key is in the MIT database under Illirik Smirnov. On Sun, Feb 20, 2011 at 4:02 AM, Alex Barnes kab...@gmail.com wrote: You can actually get cheap power supplies from CompUSA. I got an Ultra 500 watt supply for a gaming PC (sorry I'm not paying $1200 for an iMac with an old GPU) and it has lasted 1 year and it is still going good. On Feb 19, 2011, at 7:53 PM, Brielle wrote: Hello All, I'm actually a member of the LEM list, but I figured this would be a more appropriate place to post on given its about the G4 series. I've been working on my skills with soldering, rewiring, etc and have made really good progress with retrofitting the G4 MDD macs with ATX power supplies. I know that there was someone who was making adapter kits a while back, but he stopped doing it for one reason or another. So, my question is, if I started offering a kit/adapter for the MDD and other mac models, would anyone be interested? Its fairly trivial for me to do, and I could do something where if you sent me the wire loom from your dead power supply and let me know length, amount of hard drive power cables, etc, I'd be willing to build custom kits on request. If I could find a source for the proper molex connectors to plug into the G4 mobo, it would be even easier to build the kits. In the end, it would probably be 20-40 bucks total per kit, versus 100+ for a new power supply. I'm a big fan of the classic mac and power mac series, so bringing these machines back to life is a hobby of mine, and it just doesn't seem right not to offer my skills to help the mac community as a whole. Brielle -- You received this message because you are a member of G-Group, a group for those using G3, G4, and G5 desktop Macs - with a particular focus on Power Macs. The list FAQ is at http://lowendmac.com/lists/g-list.shtml and our netiquette guide is at http://www.lowendmac.com/lists/netiquette.shtml To post to this group, send email to g3-5-list@googlegroups.com For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/g3-5-list -- You received this message because you are a member of G-Group, a group for those using G3, G4, and G5 desktop Macs - with a particular focus on Power Macs. The list FAQ is at http://lowendmac.com/lists/g-list.shtml and our netiquette guide is at http://www.lowendmac.com/lists/netiquette.shtml To post to this group, send email to g3-5-list@googlegroups.com For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/g3-5-list
Re: G4 MDD ATX mods
On 2/20/11 3:13 AM, Illirik Smirnov wrote: Newegg too. The thing is that I really wouldn't dump TOO much cash into G4s, but if the kit's $30 and I owned G4s that needed them, I'd probably buy them. Good luck! Illirik Smirnov Biggest problem I've come across to date is that unless I can find someone who makes decent sized power supplies with enough wattage and still fit inside the case, your pretty much left either modifying your case to fit it, or putting the power supply outside (which is what I usually do). I did find a few that are thin enough, but they put out 300w or less, which on a MDD, is a bad idea. Its kinda tricky, but with enough moving around, bundling, and pushing, you can fit pretty much all the cables you need for drives, mobo bundle, and the 4 pin extra bundle in the hole meant for the IEC plug on the back of the MDD. Esp. if you get a modular one that the PSU just has connectors on the back of it to plug in your own choice of cables, this works extremely well. The wire bundles aren't that difficult to make, but its one of those things where if your going to do it, you have to do it right or you'll either fry the board, damage the heat sink when a cable gets in the way, or even rip the power headers off the mobo. But, that is why I was offering to build the necessary cabling if people were interested. If I could find a vendor for the power supply, then I could probably offer to build whole power supplies - but like you said, there comes a point where you may be spending too much to keep an old machine alive. -- Brielle Bruns The Summit Open Source Development Group http://www.sosdg.org/ http://www.ahbl.org -- You received this message because you are a member of G-Group, a group for those using G3, G4, and G5 desktop Macs - with a particular focus on Power Macs. The list FAQ is at http://lowendmac.com/lists/g-list.shtml and our netiquette guide is at http://www.lowendmac.com/lists/netiquette.shtml To post to this group, send email to g3-5-list@googlegroups.com For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/g3-5-list
Re: G4 MDD ATX mods
Biggest problem I've come across to date is that unless I can find someone who makes decent sized power supplies with enough wattage and still fit inside the case, your pretty much left either modifying your case to fit it, or putting the power supply outside (which is what I usually do). I did find a few that are thin enough, but they put out 300w or less, which on a MDD, is a bad idea. ATX PSUs fit within a defined form factor. 300W, 400W, 500W, 600W and even higher are available in the same form factor. The real challenge is the PSU-to-mobo cable, as almost all pre-MDD desktop Macs use an ATX form factor PSU, but each has a different PSU-to-mobo cable, and which is connected internally to the PSU by soldering. In this case, perhaps it would be best to standardize on a specific PSU, one which has NO external cables, but has Molex-type connectors for attachment of customer-determined cables, and then to supply a number of PSU-to-mobo adapter cables. The amount of required manufacturing tooling is amazingly small, as ALL the Molex Mini-Fit Jr connectors use the same manufacturing tooling. A crimp tool, a pin extraction tool, and that's just about it. -- You received this message because you are a member of G-Group, a group for those using G3, G4, and G5 desktop Macs - with a particular focus on Power Macs. The list FAQ is at http://lowendmac.com/lists/g-list.shtml and our netiquette guide is at http://www.lowendmac.com/lists/netiquette.shtml To post to this group, send email to g3-5-list@googlegroups.com For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/g3-5-list
G4 MDD ATX mods
Hello All, I'm actually a member of the LEM list, but I figured this would be a more appropriate place to post on given its about the G4 series. I've been working on my skills with soldering, rewiring, etc and have made really good progress with retrofitting the G4 MDD macs with ATX power supplies. I know that there was someone who was making adapter kits a while back, but he stopped doing it for one reason or another. So, my question is, if I started offering a kit/adapter for the MDD and other mac models, would anyone be interested? Its fairly trivial for me to do, and I could do something where if you sent me the wire loom from your dead power supply and let me know length, amount of hard drive power cables, etc, I'd be willing to build custom kits on request. If I could find a source for the proper molex connectors to plug into the G4 mobo, it would be even easier to build the kits. In the end, it would probably be 20-40 bucks total per kit, versus 100+ for a new power supply. I'm a big fan of the classic mac and power mac series, so bringing these machines back to life is a hobby of mine, and it just doesn't seem right not to offer my skills to help the mac community as a whole. Brielle -- You received this message because you are a member of G-Group, a group for those using G3, G4, and G5 desktop Macs - with a particular focus on Power Macs. The list FAQ is at http://lowendmac.com/lists/g-list.shtml and our netiquette guide is at http://www.lowendmac.com/lists/netiquette.shtml To post to this group, send email to g3-5-list@googlegroups.com For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/g3-5-list
Re: G4 MDD ATX mods
You can actually get cheap power supplies from CompUSA. I got an Ultra 500 watt supply for a gaming PC (sorry I'm not paying $1200 for an iMac with an old GPU) and it has lasted 1 year and it is still going good. On Feb 19, 2011, at 7:53 PM, Brielle wrote: Hello All, I'm actually a member of the LEM list, but I figured this would be a more appropriate place to post on given its about the G4 series. I've been working on my skills with soldering, rewiring, etc and have made really good progress with retrofitting the G4 MDD macs with ATX power supplies. I know that there was someone who was making adapter kits a while back, but he stopped doing it for one reason or another. So, my question is, if I started offering a kit/adapter for the MDD and other mac models, would anyone be interested? Its fairly trivial for me to do, and I could do something where if you sent me the wire loom from your dead power supply and let me know length, amount of hard drive power cables, etc, I'd be willing to build custom kits on request. If I could find a source for the proper molex connectors to plug into the G4 mobo, it would be even easier to build the kits. In the end, it would probably be 20-40 bucks total per kit, versus 100+ for a new power supply. I'm a big fan of the classic mac and power mac series, so bringing these machines back to life is a hobby of mine, and it just doesn't seem right not to offer my skills to help the mac community as a whole. Brielle -- You received this message because you are a member of G-Group, a group for those using G3, G4, and G5 desktop Macs - with a particular focus on Power Macs. The list FAQ is at http://lowendmac.com/lists/g-list.shtml and our netiquette guide is at http://www.lowendmac.com/lists/netiquette.shtml To post to this group, send email to g3-5-list@googlegroups.com For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/g3-5-list
