A bit OT - need help with a PSU

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Ok, so I have this big-*** Nortel Passport 8004 DC power supply. On the label it says that it supplies 3.8V at 150A and 12V at 50A. (see http://i49.photobucket.com/albums/f2...r/image1-1.jpgThe input is a standard AC 110 power cord. Output, on the back, though, is a long pin layout, with 3 big pins on one side, then 15 tiny pins, then a lot of medium-sized ones:http://i49.photobucket.com/albums/f2...err/Image1.jpgIt is not immediately obvious where the power outputs are, and, of course, there is no manual or anything. So I get a voltmeter and see if I can find things out. I find that the only live pin is one of the 15 tiny ones (bottom row third from right in the pic). The DC voltage between this pin and two of the three big ones is around 9V, same as between it and any of the medium pins. And that's it. No 3.8V anywhere.Questions:1. Where is 3.8V? 2. Why 9V and not 12? (I checked the accuracy of the voltmeter with a 9V battery it it showed 9V there too)3. If I connect just 2 leads - let's say to that 3rd pin and one of the two big pins - will I get 50A or anywhere close to it with load? If I do, will it melt that thin 3rd pin?4. How would I check (3) - should I go get a big resistor, hook it up and measure the voltage across it?
Reply:Here are the pics

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Reply:Without a manual, you are just poking and hoping.As a WAG, unless there are multiple high-amp output pins  among all the small pins that in aggregate add up to the 150A at 3.34V and 50A at 12.0V, I'd guess that the three 'big' pins are your big amp output pins.  One could be 'common' ie 'ground' at a reference zero volts and the other two pins could be +3.34V and +12V.  But that is just a guess.Another guess is that the three big pins are ALL 'ground' and the output power is on all the medium pins and some small pins and two (or more) of the small pins are the 'sense' ie "ON" pins.Power supplies often have to have two pins 'shorted' together to enable the PSU to turn on.  Without a manual, you could fry things if you short the wrong pins together.You really-really-really need a manual, or at least the page that lists the pin-outs.Otherwise you get nothing (what you pretty much have now) or sparks and letting out of the magic smoke.  The best laid schemes ... Gang oft agley ...
Reply:

Originally Posted by MoonRise

Another guess is that the three big pins are ALL 'ground' and the output power is on all the medium pins and some small pins and two (or more) of the small pins are the 'sense' ie "ON" pins.
Reply:Ixnay (that's a big NO) on randomly trying to short out a pair of pins.You may (notice MAY) activate the PSU.  Or you may fry it.  Even if you activate it by chance, you still need to know where the power pins are so that you don't zap the power into other signal pins on the PSU and thence let the magic smoke out.You don't want a Nortel support contract.  All you want or need is the pin outs.Web search, try other forums about telecom or electronic 'geek' stuff, find or figure out what the Nortel PSU plugged into and get the pin-outs from -that- side of the connector, etc, etc.OK, you made me curious.That is a PSU made by Artesyn (Emerson Network Power). www.powerconversion.comOr 1-888-412-7832It's not made -by- Nortel, it is an Artesyn (brand) replacement or substitute for a Nortel8004 PSU.  The best laid schemes ... Gang oft agley ...
Reply:

Originally Posted by MoonRise

Ixnay (that's a big NO) on randomly trying to short out a pair of pins.You may (notice MAY) activate the PSU.  Or you may fry it.  Even if you activate it by chance, you still need to know where the power pins are so that you don't zap the power into other signal pins on the PSU and thence let the magic smoke out.You don't want a Nortel support contract.  All you want or need is the pin outs.Web search, try other forums about telecom or electronic 'geek' stuff, find or figure out what the Nortel PSU plugged into and get the pin-outs from -that- side of the connector, etc, etc.OK, you made me curious.That is a PSU made by Artesyn (Emerson Network Power). www.powerconversion.comOr 1-888-412-7832It's not made -by- Nortel, it is an Artesyn (brand) replacement or substitute for a Nortel8004 PSU.
Reply:Model 8004AC Power Supply Specifications:AC Input SpecificationsVoltage:100 – 240 VACFrequency:50 – 60 HzInput VA:1320 VAInput Consumption:1308 WattsHeat Dissipation:1564 BTU/HRHold-up time:20 msDC Output Specifications850 W(@ 110 – 240 VAC input)750 W(@ 100 – 109 VAC input)Voltages:                3.3 VDC @ 150 A12 VDC @ 50 A (includes fan circuit)The information above is available to the public and can be found in the Nortel technical manual:  “Installing an AC Power Supply in an Ethernet Routing Switch 8000 Series Chassis”   which is avilable at this link:  http://www142.nortelnetworks.com/tec...12751-E_01.pdfOther manuals in support of that product are also available:http://support.nortel.com/go/main.js...440921&poid=-1You will probably not find the pinout in any of the published manuals, I expect that information is considered proprietary and is not available for public consumption.  You may be able to connect an AC source to energize the unit and then use a DC volt meter to find which pins are energized at what voltage level, but that is not going to tell you which pins can supply how much of the rated output.  And too, some of those pins may not provide any energy at all unless other pins receive certain signals.  Can’t say for certain,  I have never worked for Nortel, nor have I ever serviced any of their equipment,  but my advice is based on more than 11 years as a support engineer in the employ of one of their competitors, supporting similar competing equipment.  These devices are very sophisticated, even the power supplies.  Some of those pins might provide information to the chassis management module about things like temperature, input voltage, input current, fan operation, etc.  I would caution anyone against using this PS for anything other than its intended purpose.  

What are you planning on doing with that honkin’ big data center router power supply anyway?  

-MondoMember, AWSLincoln ProMIG 140Lincoln AC TombstoneCraftsman Lathe 12 x 24 c1935Atlas MFC Horizontal MillCraftsman Commercial Lathe 12 x 36 c1970- - - I'll just keep on keepin' on.
Reply:Yup, without a pin-out listing I wouldn't use the PSU.As Mondo said, those type of PSU are often a bit more sophisticated than a plain old PC power supply.  They are made to go into a big chassis and 'talk' with a bunch of other electronic boxes (and the chassis itself) about all sorts of status values (fan speed, air temp, voltage levels in and out, power draw, etc, etc).It's a pretty big PSU, but I don't know if I'd put it in the "honkin" category.  

  It's only 850W.  The best laid schemes ... Gang oft agley ...
Reply:

Originally Posted by Mondo

Some of those pins might provide information to the chassis management module about things like temperature, input voltage, input current, fan operation, etc.
Reply:Get a plain 12V battery charger.  Simple, cheap, easy.  The best laid schemes ... Gang oft agley ...
Reply:I agree with MoonRise...  12V battery charger.  If you need 50A get one with Start Boost capabilities.As for that power supply being "honkin'", well maybe not the power supply in the Grand Scheme of Things, but in data networking it is, especially the chassis it powers!  You could support the data communications needs of a small city government or a small corporation with a Passport 8000 box!   



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Member, AWSLincoln ProMIG 140Lincoln AC TombstoneCraftsman Lathe 12 x 24 c1935Atlas MFC Horizontal MillCraftsman Commercial Lathe 12 x 36 c1970- - - I'll just keep on keepin' on.
Reply:

Originally Posted by Mondo

I agree with MoonRise...  12V battery charger.  If you need 50A get one with Start Boost capabilities.
Reply:Yes, something like that.  $100-$200 is not all that expensive.Sell the telecom PSU to finance the plain old battery charger.  

  The best laid schemes ... Gang oft agley ...
Reply:

Originally Posted by MoonRise

Yes, something like that.  $100-$200 is not all that expensive.Sell the telecom PSU to finance the plain old battery charger.  


Reply:Terr, before you totally give up on the Artesyn, how about posting several sharp photos of its guts from all angles?  Top and bottom photos of circuit boards.  Low likelihood that we can help at long distance from photos alone, but always a possibility.It's likely that all the various inputs for external conditions end up after all the decision making logic at one point that says, "conditions satisfied - GO."  It's a remote possibility that we could identify that point and you could hard-wire a "GO" signal to the power section.At least worth a try?What is the voltage across your electro-cleaning bath at the current you use?Considering the output ratings of your PSU, I would expect many of the pins to be used for output hots and grounds.  They probably went to a large number of separate, moderate current loads anyway, considering the application. awright
Reply:Alright i found out how to turn this unit on. The short out pins are on the circuit board right under neither the cover lid. The board has to be removed to see the contacts  Take a look at the pictures. You see the board in hand that's the board right under the cover lid on the unit. It's on the top side of the 14pin plug. Put a switch inline.   I,m no pro at this but i hope it helps and can be figured out with the pictures that have been taken. Best of luck.

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Last edited by bobobobo_9; 10-21-2020 at 12:53 PM.