# Wiper motor power supply



## Otaku (Dec 3, 2004)

For those looking for cheap regulated power for your motors, check this:

http://www.allelectronics.com/make-a-store/item/PS-537/5VDC-3.7A-SWITCHING-POWER-SUPPLY/-/1.html

Just showed up on AE's site today.


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## bourno (Jan 21, 2006)

$4.75 is a good price for 3.7 amps @ 5 volts. Thanks for sharing


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## TERBobob (Jan 31, 2009)

All depends on what you gonna use it for ? 
Also , you might want to search around .... old PC's ps's are regulated and filtered and you can just about pick them up for nothing .. ( an old PC and gut it out for the ps . )
Average older PC will have a ps of around 400 watts ( about 33 amps TOTAL - that's not separating the 12 from the 5 ... LOL ) ) , which is WAY more than sufficient for most things you'd want to do . )
bet if you went to CRAIGSLIST or maybe GOODWILL , you might even get one for a buck , or maybe a fiver . 
For a PS that gives you 3.3 , 5 , 7 , and 12 volts..... I think that this is kinda universal AND very useful for a ( usually ) thrown away item .


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## Otaku (Dec 3, 2004)

Quick update on these power supplies - I finally got around to plugging one in to a MonsterGuts wiper motor and they work great. I've seen the same item being sold in a dozen different places for as much as $20, so $4.75 is pretty good. Agreed that a computer PS is very versatile but these warts are small and surprisingly lightweight.


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## smileyface4u23 (Apr 1, 2008)

Thanks for sharing Otaku - I may need to pick up a few of these this year...


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## halloweenguy (Dec 27, 2006)

Otaku said:


> For those looking for cheap regulated power for your motors, check this:
> 
> http://www.allelectronics.com/make-a-store/item/PS-537/5VDC-3.7A-SWITCHING-POWER-SUPPLY/-/1.html
> 
> Just showed up on AE's site today.


Yup, I have been using them the last couple of years for wiper motors and powering servo based props....I really like the way the 5 Volt supplies slows down the wiper motors 

This is what I used to power my Helmsman's Ships wheel (wiper motor)
It ran every night for 3 weeks no issues.


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## DarkLore (Jan 25, 2009)

Thanks for the info. I've got three motors waiting for supplies.....ordered.


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## SpookySam (Mar 27, 2007)

I use PC power supplies a lot, but this is perfect for applications where you don't want a bulky box tethered to your prop.


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## DarkLore (Jan 25, 2009)

Otaku said:


> Quick update on these power supplies - I finally got around to plugging one in to a MonsterGuts wiper motor and they work great. I've seen the same item being sold in a dozen different places for as much as $20, so $4.75 is pretty good. Agreed that a computer PS is very versatile but these warts are small and surprisingly lightweight.


I bought three of these power supplies...they arrived today. In turn, I connected each to a wiper motor from Monster Guts....none of the three work. Then I connected the 5V supply I bought from Monster Guts...to the same quick connector and the motor works fine.


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## Otaku (Dec 3, 2004)

Same thing happpened to me - I thought I had bad supplies. The reason is that the AE supply has a slightly different barrel connector, the center pin receptacle is too large. I assume you're using the MG quick connect cable. If you use a tweezer or a pair of longnose pliers to bend the center pin of the connector on the MG quick connect cable, it will work with the AE supplies. You don't have to bend it very much - just offset it a little. It will still work with the MG supply, too.


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## DarkLore (Jan 25, 2009)

You are a wealth of knowledge. Bend the pin and it works like a champ.


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## Otaku (Dec 3, 2004)

Cool! I've had to do that trick before. The alternative is to try to find a smaller connector and splice it in. I must have 2 dozen power connectors laying around my bench and none of them were the right size.


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## Skeletons in my closet (Sep 25, 2007)

How's the response time when activated? I've noticed that the Monster Guts power supply units tend to give a good 3 second delay before the prop powers up. The old warts I've bought at Radio Shack aren't as nice, but they do the job and don't have the delay. If these don't have a delay either, I'm going to have to get these, since they're much cheaper. Thanks Otaku!


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## Otaku (Dec 3, 2004)

I haven't noticed any delay at all, with either supply. Are you running anything else from the MG supply besides the motor?


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## bradbaum (Jul 26, 2008)

I have some power supplies that have a delay when I switch them on on the AC side of them, but they don't have a delay when switched on the DC side. This is because when you switch them on the DC side they are already on, while when switching them on the AC side they take a sec or two to start up.


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## Otaku (Dec 3, 2004)

SIMC,
I should qualify this a bit. I have noticed a delay under certain configurations. If the motor power supply is the only thing plugged into the strip that powers the coffin, then no delays. I also use a pair of computer speakers for sound when the lid opens. If those speakers are turned on, regardless of where they're getting their power (the common strip or separate extension cord), I hear a "whirring" sound from the motor for ~1-2 secs, kind of like it's "winding up", before it starts to rotate. I haven't been able to determine why this happens, and it doesn't appear to affect the motor, but the delay is a little annoying. Is this similar to what you're seeing? I haven't tried the AE supplies with the speakers plugged in yet but I'll test that tonight and let you know what I find.


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## Dr Morbius (Sep 21, 2004)

TERBobob said:


> For a PS that gives you 3.3 , 5 , 7 , and 12 volts..... I think that this is kinda universal AND very useful for a ( usually ) thrown away item .


How do you get 7V from a PC supply? I only found 3V, 5V and 12V.


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## groovie ghoulie (Nov 12, 2008)

From the How-to I've been looking at, it sez +12 and the +5 equal 7 volts. See here:
http://www.wikihow.com/Convert-a-Computer-ATX-Power-Supply-to-a-Lab-Power-Supply


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## Dr Morbius (Sep 21, 2004)

That seems wrong...12 + 5 = 17. Is there something about the way the power supply delivers the seperate voltages that when combined somehow subtracts voltage?


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## Devils Chariot (May 23, 2007)

I think the logic is that 12v spliced with -5v line, would = 7v

caveat: I dont know anything about electronics. But i'd be interested in seeing if the math works out to be true.


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## bradbaum (Jul 26, 2008)

If you use the -5 as ground it actually would be 5+12=17

unless you mean the +5 then using that as ground your math would work.

I don't think I have seen a PC power supply with -5. they usually have +3.3, +5, +12 and -12. you can get +24 going between -12 and +12.


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## Haunted Bayou (Feb 16, 2007)

Hmmmm, I don't know about all those guzintahs but if I want to build a wiper motor prop, I should buy a motor from MG and one of these cheap power supplies? I doubt I'll go hacking into old computers.


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## Devils Chariot (May 23, 2007)

cauldron creep runs 2 motors and 2 led eyes from one computer power supply.

3.3 eyes, 5v wiper motor , 12v 6rpm motor.

Handy and cheap.


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## Dr Morbius (Sep 21, 2004)

AHHH I see, then Grounding +5 subtracts +5 from +12 giving you 7V? OK sorry for the off topic side track, continue talking wiper motors.


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