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Acid Mods Community Area => Discussion Boards => General Discussion => Topic started by: sinrockets on June 25, 2014, 03:32:09 AM

Title: Question about wire gauge on a psu
Post by: sinrockets on June 25, 2014, 03:32:09 AM

I've been tearing my hair out trying to figure this out, basically I'm external-ising a psu for my ps3 orginal 60gb backward compatible. My question is about the main 12v rail. The psu has a output of 12v at 32 amps. I'm trying to figure out what awg wire I need to run from the psu to the ps3. The ps3 just has pins that come out of the mobo into the psu.
I've read up on it but can't find me a good answer, I have a bunch of computer psu wires 18awg but I'm not thinkin those will work, and I think using a 6 awg wire is a little overkill but I'm not sure. I could proboly get away with a 8 awg wire and it wouldn't look to bad.
But I have a bunch of 18 awg computer psu cable.
All I really need to know is what's the smallest wire I can get away with and
Not have any heat off wires. Also at most it would proboly be like 3 feet wire but proboly
More like 2 feet. Any help I would really appreciate!!

Title: Re: Question about wire gauge on a psu
Post by: Modded Matt on June 25, 2014, 06:07:30 AM

copper 14AWG has a max chassis load of 32amps... 18AWG is around 16amps. so you should use like a 12awg wire.

Title: Re: Question about wire gauge on a psu
Post by: Crumbz on June 25, 2014, 06:13:08 AM

Well the PS3 wouldnt take much more then 2AMPs at most. So i doubt you would need much more then a 25 guage or even a 20 guage..

If you wanted you could even look at the guage used for the actual power cord to the PSU and use the same guage.

All a PSU does is invert the inbound voltage from AC to DC current.


Hope this helps!


- Crumbz

Title: Re: Question about wire gauge on a psu
Post by: Modded Matt on June 25, 2014, 06:54:09 AM

lol I didnt even think of the application, only the math based on his load calcs of 32 amps.....

Title: Re: Question about wire gauge on a psu
Post by: sinrockets on June 25, 2014, 07:35:45 AM

So should be good with the 16 awg then? So from what I gatherd the ps3 will only pull 2amps max?
Under a full load including main fan running at full, and an extra 12v fan, plus all  4 USB?

Title: Re: Question about wire gauge on a psu
Post by: Modded Matt on June 25, 2014, 09:57:25 AM

yes, your original post was requesting 32amps.

if your only pulling 2 amps 16G would be plenty. I am unsure what the actual draw is on the PS3

Title: Re: Question about wire gauge on a psu
Post by: sinrockets on June 25, 2014, 11:53:35 AM

Yeah I think I might go with the 14 or 16 just to be sure. Everything pulls from psu and under a full load I don't need extra heat or a turn off from
Not enough power during a intense game.
I'll post pictures when I finish it, it's going to be cleaan