Remaking a Screwdriver on a Laptop Power Supply

No need to despair if the battery or charger of your screwdriver is out of order, while you need to finish urgent work. If you have an unnecessary computer power supply, then after a simple refinement, you can use it to connect this tool to an electric current network.

Alteration of the power supply from a computer with your own hands

Remaking a Screwdriver on a Laptop Power Supply

When working with an average load, the current consumption is much less than the starting current. The average starting current of various screwdrivers with an operating voltage of 12V is approximately equal to 18A. Assume that the maximum current does not exceed 20A. Then, since P = U × I, you will be satisfied with a power supply with a power of 240W or more with an output current of at least 20A. Now that you know which converter is suitable for powering your Shurik, you only need to refine it a bit.

  • Mark the 12V output and ground. You can identify them even without a tester. The common wire has black insulation. Power 12V. yellow.
  • Solder the output harnesses from the PSU board and remove them together with the connectors. Leave only two wires. black and green.
  • Close the left wires together and insulate the connection. This is necessary to simulate a PSU start signal from the motherboard.
  • Solder 2 pieces of stranded copper wire to the 12V output and to the "ground".
  • Take them out of the housing through the harness hole.
  • Connect the network cable to the standard power supply socket.

Connection

Video: Remaking a Screwdriver on a Laptop Power Supply


Do not install a capacitor with a capacity of several tens of thousands of microfarads in parallel with the motor, as some masters advise. Firstly, with a starting current of about 20 A there will be little use from it. Secondly, it will make it difficult to start the power supply. If, by gradually pressing the start button, the cartridge accelerates and rotates normally, and after an abrupt start of the screwdriver, the engine stops, then the current protection of the power supply is activated. You should not remove it from the device, you only need to increase the shutdown threshold. How to do this in practice depends on the design of your PSU. Theoretically, it is necessary to weaken the signal proportional to the output current at its input.

  1. Disassemble the case of the faulty battery. To do this, use a Phillips screwdriver or asterisk to remove the screws from the bottom and remove it;
  2. Remove the batteries from the case;
  3. In the bottom, make a hole for the wires;
  4. Insert the wires into it;
  5. Strip their ends, irradiate and, observing the polarity, solder to the contacts on the end of the case;
  6. Secure the wires in the hole with an adhesive gun. And if you don’t have it, then wind several turns of electrical tape on them from the side of the case and pull out the wires so that the bottom divides the winding in half;
  7. Assemble the body, putting the bottom in place, and screw the screws into place;
  8. The installation of the modified case in the handle of the screwdriver is completed. Now plug the power cord into a 220V outlet. Turn on the power switch key and, pressing the Shurik start button, check if you did everything correctly.

Expediency

Of course, working with a short wire tool is far from as convenient as with a cordless one. But alteration does not take a person who has the skills of electrical installation, a lot of time. But it will allow you to finish the urgent work. And then, slowly deciding what to do with a screwdriver. repair it or throw it away and buy a new one. It is unlikely that he will want to work with such a tool permanently; a cheap Chinese electric drill with a power strip will be much more convenient. In addition, with prolonged use, the power supply heats up noticeably. In order for it to cool, it is necessary to periodically take breaks in work, which affects the result.