Power Supply with multiple 5v outputs?

[dw886]

I was looking through my rack last night, and I was perplexed by how many devices require a 5V power supply. 
 
I have an HDMI Matrix, multiple HDMI splitters, signal amplifiers, IR hubs, networking switches, IP to serial devices, and a few other miscellaneous devices that all require 5V power.  They all have the same barrel size as well, which brings me to my question.
 
Is there a single power supply with multiple 5v outputs?  I probably have 15 different 5v wall warts plugged into different strips in the rack.  I'd like to consolidate, opening up ports and likely making the power consumption more efficient.
 
I've seen them for 12v for cctv (like this www.videosecu.com/cctv-power-supply-4-channel-for-security-camera-pw154) , but I haven't seen anything that has different voltages (5v).

 

[Desert_AIP]

You could always wire a single 5V wall wart with a large enough capacity to a terminal block, and then cut the power wire from each component and attach them to the terminal block.

 

[jay]

Security Camera 8Ch Power Supply Splitter Cable 1 Female 8 Male 2.1mm Adaptor
http://www.amazon.com/Security-Camera-Supply-Splitter-Adaptor/dp/B008DAREI0/ref=sr_1_13?ie=UTF8&qid=1400003404&sr=8-13&keywords=power+supply+splitter+cables
 
They connect to your power supply so the voltage is immaterial.

 

[dw886]

I was thinking about this wrong - after seeing your post, the light bulb turned on.  I just need to find the highest output 5v power supply that I can find - the best I've been able to do in a short web search was 5v @ 10a, located here: www.adafruit.com/products/658
 
Looking at some of the devices, I think that the most "power hungry" that I have currently have 5v @ 2a power supplies.  So I'd be able to do a 5-for-1 swap, which would go a very long way at cleaning up some open receptacles and wires (3 of these would replace 15 wall warts).  I just need to make sure that I have them nearby in my rack.

 

[BraveSirRobbin]

Make sure you fuse wisely as a supply with that much current capability can do some damage.  Fuse the individual feeds appropriately.

 

[RAL]

I agree 100% with BSR.  If your main supply is going to be capable of delivering a large amount of current, you should fuse each load with something like this board:
 
http://www.amazon.com/Securitron-PDB-8F2-Distribution-Output-2-Ampere/dp/B00HL04IAK
 
Many devices that use wall warts depend on the wall wart to limit the current they can draw in the event of a short or other failure within the device.

 

[Del91574]

Or if you're feeling really adventurous....look for a power supply and distribution board for an older access control system!
 
The old readers used to run on 5VDC and quite a lot of current to run the head. Cardkey would be an ideal one to locate.

 

[BaduFamily]

just a thought: re-purposing an old ATX power supply? ( there are a number of 'recipes' in the web of a thousand lies )


my rackackage has a simular superfluity of wall warts.


Another option would be something along the line of a Meanwell power supply


( https://www.jameco.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/StoreCatalogDrillDownView?langId=-1&storeId=10001&catalogId=10001&position=1&refineType=2&sub_attr_name=Output%20Current%20%28A%29&refineValue=10%20%3C%3D%20%20%3C%2050&refine=1&history=wun3z1wr%7CfreeText~meanwell%2B5v%5Esearch_type~jamecoall%5EprodPage~15%5Epage~SEARCH%252BNAV%40zap9x5pg%7Ccategory~4540%5EcategoryName~cat_45%5Eposition~1%5Erefine~1%5EsubCategoryName~Power%2BSupplies%2B%2526%2BWall%2BAdapters%2B%252F%2BAC-to-DC%2BSwitching%5EprodPage~15%5Epage~SEARCH%252BNAV )

( whew! )

 

[NeverDie]

Would either of these meet your needs?
 

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00HP0FOCM?psc=1
 
or
 

 
http://www.amazon.com/Family-Sized-Desktop-Charger-PowerIQ-Technology/dp/B00IBDOB5I/ref=pd_sim_cps_5?ie=UTF8&refRID=1H94XZSW6JB2F5N605W7
 
 
with:
 

 
http://www.amazon.com/SODIAL-TM-5-5mm-2-1mm-Barrel/dp/B008JUXPA0/ref=sr_1_11?ie=UTF8&qid=1400062033&sr=8-11&keywords=usb+2.1mm+barrel

 

[dw886]

So I'm sorting through this, and I get the need for fusing, but I'd still like to have it as clean as possible.  My rack is already enough of a mess with all of the wires coming into the back, the power supplies are the easiest way to start cleaning things up.
 
I like the cleanliness of using the USB chargers with the converters to barrels - would this be as safe as fusing each individual item?  The Anker model says that it automatically adapts to the amperage required by the device...
 
If it is safe, is there any rhyme/reason as to how you'd go about distributing the load?
 
Doing a quick inventory, I have:
12 devices: 5v @ 2a
7 devices: 5v @ 0.5a

 

[RAL]

The 40W USB chargers can deliver a total of about 8A of current - in theory.    I wouldn't try and load them up to the max, however.  The Roker charger can deliver 2.4A on two of the ports and 1.5A on the other two.  So you could place two of your 2A devices plus two of the 0.5A devices on one charger, for a total load of 5A, which would give you a comfortable margin.
 
Whether or not the outputs are properly current limited is hard to say.  The standards for USB have evolved over the last few years, and the 3.1 standards say that a 5V output should be limited to no more than 2A @ 5V.   Older standards said the limit was 1.5A.   Obviously, if these chargers deliver 2.4A, they are not in compliance with the standard.   Do they really limit the current to 2.4A?  Your guess is as good as mine.   There's a lot of cheap stuff out there that I don't put a lot of trust in.
 
One other thing to be aware of... USB chargers that adjust their power output to the type of device being charged (like the two above) do that through encoding that the devices put on the non-power pins of the USB connector (e.g. certain pins get shorted to ground, or have a resistor on them).   When you order a generic USB cable, it may or may not have the proper encoding to tell the charger to deliver the maximum current to the device.
 
If it were me, I would skip the USB chargers and use a real power supply and a fused power distribution board.

 

[Del91574]

How about something like:
http://www.altronix.com/products/product.php?name=AL600UL3X
 
Or you put something like these on a larger supply:
 
http://www.securitypower.com/dcpmts.html
OR
 
http://www.securitypower.com/MWTS.html
 
I'd look at what the real power draw actually is....as stated, 40W @ 5V has the potential to supply up to 8A, but it's really doutbtful based on the light AWG cabling most wall warts use.
 
Also, don't worry about them stating either 5 or 6 VDC....install a diode in series with the output and you'll be able to sink about a volt easily.

 

[az1324]

http://www.mpja.com/5-Volt-Power-Supply-25A-Switching/productinfo/18962%20PS/