Converting Playstaions to 12vdc
Printed From: the12volt.com
Forum Name: Mobile Video, GPS, and Navigation
Forum Discription: Mobile Video Head Units, DVD Players, LCD and TFT Monitors, Navigation, GPS, PS2, PS3, XBox, etc.
URL: https://www.the12volt.com/installbay/forum_posts.asp?tid=11476
Printed Date: August 14, 2025 at 11:58 AM
Topic: Converting Playstaions to 12vdc
Posted By: benjammin1414
Subject: Converting Playstaions to 12vdc
Date Posted: March 26, 2003 at 10:19 AM
Did you know that all PS2's run off of 12vdc? Inside the playstation is a power converter that changes the conventional 110vac to 12vdc. You can bypass this converter so that the PS2 will run off of 12vdc.
Ill tell you how I had to figure that out. I had a customer come to my shop wondering why his alternator failed. The dealer said it was because he had all this stuff put in his car. I was a brand new 2000 Kia Sedona (mini Van) this guy put about $10k into his system. HE had 4 PS2's, 5 monitors one indash and 4 head rests, a home style CCD camera so that he can watch his baby in the car seat from his indash monitor, and Navigation. The original installer had installed a power inverter for each and every playstation and one for the CCD camera, that is a total of 5 power inverters, and all 5 of them were running directly to the battery. I then tested the current draw in amperage and got the specs on his alternator from the dealer. I found out that those power inverters and all his other stuff was pulling about 120 percent of the alternator. If you pull more that 115% of the alternators output then you will blow the alternator. So I took apart the playstation tested the circuit board to find the 12vdc source and sauntered directly to the board one red and one black wire. I then created a Molex plug for those wires so there was no way that customer could plug it in wrong. I also put heat shrink around the plug and wire to make the look clean. Now he can take the PS2's out of the car and plug it into his wall jack in is home using the plug that comes with the PS2 or he can plug it into his car using the 12vdc plug I created. I reduced his current draw by almost half of what it was before and got rid of all 5 power inverters.
Now unfortunately im not going to post exactly how or were to youll find the 12vdc on the PS2 board. Nor will I tell anyone how to do it unless you are a certified installer and even if you are a certified installer you must have a Molex tool or some sort of plug making tool to do this. I dont want to give out any information on how to do this unless its done right. If you are not an installer and are in the San Diego area come see me at The Good Guys in La Jolla and I can wire it to 12vdc for you. For a charge of course. (I got to feed my dogs ya know?) ~Ben Skelton~
Install Supervisor The Good Guys 8657 Villa La Jolla Dr.
La Jolla, CA 92037
Replies:
Posted By: Powerslave0
Date Posted: March 28, 2003 at 7:32 AM
Anything like that that plugs into a plug is downed to a lower voltage. Even a 110V light bulb runs on 12Vdc, I have a light fixture in my boat, but there is no inverter, it lights up nice with the car battery.
However, the voltage in the PS2 is more than just 12VDC. That may be the initial output after the transformer, but the devices in the PS2 are from 3.3V memory) to 12V (DVD motor). A Personal Computer power supply does the same thing.
Even the GAME CUBE is a 12V system. Power supplies just take the VAC and down it to VDC. The car kit for the Cube plugs right into the Cig lighter, then into the GC monitor, then into the GC console.
In other words, this is not new news, and is not a big secret. . .
How to find the 12V in the mainboard of the PS2? Anyone with a VOM can do it. You have to take your PS2 all apart, but you can see where the 110VAC line comes in, then there is the power supply. You can test the leads AFTER the supply for the voltages. I can any of you exactly where if you want, it's not big secret.
Posted By: thepencil
Date Posted: March 28, 2003 at 2:36 PM
Good job Powerslave0! I am thinking about doing that, but I am entering into uncharter water. If you have a picture and instrutions can you send it me through a PM message. Thanks.
------------- Be careful whose advice you buy, but be patient with those who supply it. 
Posted By: Jussi
Date Posted: March 30, 2003 at 2:35 PM
It's quite an easy job, It takes ~1h to modify.
Done that couple times already...
JL
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Installer/Owner
JL-Autosound
Helsinki, FINLAND
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