[Elecraft] PC power supply conversion

[Lenny Wintfeld]

Hi

In mid August there was a thread on qrp-l regarding  "PC Power supplies, 
conversions, hints and tips". One of the replies referenced  
"www.qsl.net/yo5ofh/projects and pick then 13.8v_pc_ps", wherein yo5ofh 
gives a clear and detailed description of how to turn a particular 
architecture of PC power supply into a  13.8 volt single output supply.

I looked at a few pc supplies I have in the junk ...er... resource pile, 
and none of them are suitable for the yo5ofh conversion (their output 
architecture is not the same as described in the article).

I'm not about to trace out the circuit on the secondary side of these 
supplies to try a similar conversion, it's just too much work (after all 
this is a hobby).

I think I have a  less elegant but much easier way to achieve the same 
goal. I'd like to take 3 pc power supplies and tie their 5 volt outputs 
in series and ignore the other outputs. The output side of the wpower 
supply is isolated from the primary (wall outlet) side by the switching 
power transformer. The outputs are however referenced to frame ground. 
The frame ground tie would prevent me from hooking (or as Nils would say 
"hosing") the three  5 volt outputs in series.

 From the looks of the pc board, I can float the outputs above frame 
ground with a single foil cut. After the cut(s) the outputs could then 
be hosed up.

Does anyone see a reason why this would not work?

73,

Lenny W2BVH