[HOW TO] Dell Precision T3600 PSU Swap

[enaberif]

I am writing this to you as I have successfully swapped the standard proprietary PSU from Dell to a Standard ATX Power Supply. This was no small feat because as usual Dell likes to do things stupid.

What you will need:
1) Male to Female ATX extension cable
https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B000FL60AI/ref=pe_3034960_233709270_TE_item

2) 6 pin PCI-E Extension Cable
https://www.amazon.com/StarTech-Express-Power-Adapter-PCIEX68ADAP/dp/B001TK3TJY/

Other things you will need are a multimeter, depin tools, soldering iron, shrink tube and soldering iron.

From there I basically plugged everything in and then started probing the connector to come up what wire does what so that I could properly make the extension.

Some interesting things I discovered was that this particular machine uses 2 of the +5vSB wires so you'll need to make a splice for that and the other discovery was that a wire that normally read +5v was actually a ground.

Another was that the Dell PSU supplies 3 additional 12v rails which is why you need the 6 pin extension cable to feed these three extra connections.

Basically you are going to depin and repin the ATX extension to match the feed wires from the new power supply into the male connector to match to the Dell power supply. You then add the 3 additional 12v lines for the PCI-E cable and splice and solder the 2nd +5v SB connection.

You will end up with a connector as I have included.

Connector:

Pinout Chart:

 

[MARSTG]

You really like to play around with the soldering iron, eh?

 

[Lysrin]

Nicely done!

 

[enaberif]

You really like to play around with the soldering iron, eh?

Anything related to combining metals with heat is #1 priority for us men.

 

[nToxik]

Are current Dell PCs still using proprietory PSUs?

 

[snake_eyes2020]

I have a Dell t5610 and I want to change the PSU from Old PSU to PSU standard. I don't know the location of May I ask you to explain the pinout position? Thank you

 

[manfy74]

I am writing this to you as I have successfully swapped the standard proprietary PSU from Dell to a Standard ATX Power Supply. This was no small feat because as usual Dell likes to do things stupid.

What you will need:
1) Male to Female ATX extension cable
https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B000FL60AI/ref=pe_3034960_233709270_TE_item

2) 6 pin PCI-E Extension Cable
https://www.amazon.com/StarTech-Express-Power-Adapter-PCIEX68ADAP/dp/B001TK3TJY/

Other things you will need are a multimeter, depin tools, soldering iron, shrink tube and soldering iron.

From there I basically plugged everything in and then started probing the connector to come up what wire does what so that I could properly make the extension.

Some interesting things I discovered was that this particular machine uses 2 of the +5vSB wires so you'll need to make a splice for that and the other discovery was that a wire that normally read +5v was actually a ground.

Another was that the Dell PSU supplies 3 additional 12v rails which is why you need the 6 pin extension cable to feed these three extra connections.

Basically you are going to depin and repin the ATX extension to match the feed wires from the new power supply into the male connector to match to the Dell power supply. You then add the 3 additional 12v lines for the PCI-E cable and splice and solder the 2nd +5v SB connection.

You will end up with a connector as I have included.

Connector:

Pinout Chart:

Hi, I rebuild the power supply exactly based on your pinout pictures but my Dell doesnt Start (3 of the four LED numbers blinking)
The only question I had is regarding pin four, I left PS-on go to pw-in.
I dont know what I did wrong.
Do you have a sample Adapter which I Could buy from you? Thx

 

[sswilson]

Unfortunately the OP hasn't been posting on the site since the last forum re-design. I approved your post on the off chance that he sees it and wants to respond, but I wouldn't expect a response so you might have to keep looking for another resource.

 

[CMT]

Replying to Manfy74. I hope I can help you. I have done the same thing on Dell T3600 over the weekend and it works. For yout question on the PS-ON (pin4), it should be connected directly from the ATX power supply to the P2 connector on the Dell motherboard. It's in the same exact position so no re-pinning is needed. The reason - when the Dell machine is powered up this line will be driven high (5V supplied from +5VSB ), and when the start button is pressed, this line (PS-ON) will be driven low (0V) to trigger the power supply to start operating and provide the main power to the motherboard. If this line is tied to +5V, this line cannot be driven low, and so the PS-ON line cannot be driven low, so the power supply will never be able to start (which is what you have observed).

I have another question which baffles me. For the Dell power supply (for T3600, T5600 or T7600) there is no +5V on the power supply specifications, so where did the +5V comes from (since it is not from the dell power supply). You can see that from the specifications, only +12V, -12V and +5VSB is present in the power supply. So is the +5V from the ATX power supply needed? Below is the specification from the Dell 1300W power supply, but it is the same from 425W or the 635W power supply (though with different current ratings)

 

[CMT]

I posted a question about +5V supply for Dell T3600. I found the answer.
Dell T3600 generates the +5V supply from the +12V supplied by the power supply in the motherboard.
The implication is that there is no need to provide +5V from the ATX PSU to the motherboard.

Effectively, it means that following
1. Pin 9 and pin 10 (P2 connector side) does not need to be connected to the ATX connection for +5V
2. Pin 20 should be connected to the pin 20 (PWR_OK) of the ATX connector
3. Pin 13 should be connected to pin 9 or Pin 10 (P2 connector side) . I think this should can also be connected to pin 20 (PWR_OK) if you want the motherboard to check the health of the ATX PSU to enable the motherboard.


I have not tried the above connections, but it is based on my analysis of how the power is routed in the Dell T3600. Will try this when I have the time to do so to confirm my analysis. But I am certain of the reasons for the connections.

Note: One important difference you need to know is that, once the Dell PSU is swapped with an ATX PSU, the +5V is no longer limited by the +5V supplied by the motherboard. Meaning, you can connect as many devices on the machine as long as the ATX power supply can support it.