Most of us have several battery chargers for our NiCad packs. Most of these chargers only operate on 12 volt DC inputs (your car battery). This is fine as long as you are at the flying field. This isn't so fine when you want to cycle a pack on the workbench or peak up a pack before you leave for the field (and the wife has the car). We have all had the need for a good source of 12 volt DC power, good clean power. I had a couple of simple power supplies but one of my chargers would not run on either of them.
The power supplies from old PCs will provide good clean power that will run either (as well as both concurrently) of my chargers. One charger is an Astro 110D and the other is Dymond Super Smart Charger. If you have the need - Let's get started. The basic tools you will need are a VOM, screwdrivers, soldering iron, wire cutter, pliers, drill and bits.
The first thing is to get an old PC power supply. If you have an old machine setting gathering dust that you should have thrown out, you are in luck. If you don't have one, then stop by the local PC fix-it shop. Often they will have machines that are destined for the dumpster that have perfectly good power supplies. Just offer to haul the whole thing off for them and you may have a real bargain. If you can't get one for nothing, then many shops sell used power supplies at a fair price. I've had very good luck in getting free ones.
Open the PC case and take a look at the top of the power supply box. It will tell you how many amps at +12 volts are available from this power supply. It should be at least 4 amps to be of much value. A 7 or 8 amp output on +12 volts is very common and if this box is too low power you may wish to look for a different power supply. In order to take the power supply out of the case do not cut any wires, simply unplug everything. Once you have the power supply out of the PC case, you have to decide which of three basic types of power supplies you have. If the switch for the power supply is a paddle switch on the side of the power supply itself you have an older AT style power supply. If it is a push button type switch, either on the side of the power supply or on an umbilical cord them you have a newer AT style power supply. If it only has a "rocker" type switch (or no switch) it is probably an ATX style power supply. The label may in fact have "ATX" on it. An ATX style will have a plug that goes to the motherboard which has a double row of connections with 10 connections on each side. Only bother reading the section that follows that applies to your style of power supply.
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