Re: [9fans] Hardware recommandations for new CPU and file servers

[Bakul Shah <bakul@bitblocks.com>]

On Thu, 06 Jun 2013 08:48:14 +0200 lucio@proxima.alt.za wrote:
> > What capacity and features were you looking for?
>
> I'm looking to eliminate the 220V circuit between UPS and PSU
> altogether, I believe it to be archaic and inefficient.  I'm also
> looking for multiple inputs, so that eventually it will be possible to
> connect the PSU directly to solar panels as well as to any available
> generator (this is Africa: lots of sun, but the demand for electricity
> outstrips the supply).

You might want to google "living off the grid" (which, I am
sure, makes people in the poorer nations laugh). You should be
able to find stuff about 12V appliances, DC-DC converters,
etc. etc.

> I've done some homework and I'm not happy with commercial offerings as
> available here.  I'm looking for a circuit that can be built by an
> amateur and will power a single conventional desktop computer (let's
> say 300W), while at the same time it can be scaled to supply as many
> such desktops as needed.  Given the handful of DC supplies required by
> the average motherboard, the idea of stacking PSUs makes a lot of
> sense to me.

But what is the market? In places with very unreliable
electric supply people either make do without electricity or
if it is affordable use diesel generators (and now roof
mounted solar panels with inverters).

On the RaspberryPi.org site there is an article about setting
up RaspberryPi computers in a rural school in Ghana.  I think
something like that may be a more appropriate solution.  You
can find relatively simple designs for low power supplies but
generating 300W will be nontrivial. Particularly if you are
want to build many....

Still, a laudable goal. Have you checked out various
do-it-yourself sites?