Hello, I have been wanting to do this small project for a while, but i dont know enough to get started. I'll explain my situation first. I have a ps3 which is housed in my entertainment center, the problem is my entertainment center has little cubbies with doors on all of them which obviously would cause my ps3 to overheat if left closed.

What I would like to do is install 2 pc fans in one of the cubbies, one intake/one exhaust. My problems is i dont want them to be powered by the ps3 as i dont feel comfortable with the extra draw. Now on to my main point. Is there a way that the fans could be powered by AC however turned on and off using the usb power from the ps3? So when the ps3 is turned on, it would sence the usb power and switch the fans on.

It sounds like something doable, i just dont know where to get started on this.

Thanks
-Rich

 

It would be easy to put a solid state relay on the 5V line of the USB. You only need to be able to do mains wiring safely.

Some devices have power on the USB when they are "off" but this is unlikely with the ps3.

 

Is there an article that would be good for me to read about this?

 

It's almost 1AM here, so I'm gonna send you to look up how a solid state relay works (try www.crydom.com) and then to see where on a USB you steal 5V. (Google usb pinout). I'll probably be back Wednesday.

 

Click Here.

Mike.

 

I'll check those links. Thanks for the quick reply fellas!

 

Pommie's link led me to a product that prettymuch does exactly what i need (mini power minder). I think i'd still like to try to build one and expand my knowlege. Thanks again.

 

I thought I had seen an instructable project showing how to hack a power strip and put a relay inside. But I can't find it!