CPU Analog Ammeter

[Alex Danco]

Hi, Thanks for taking the time to read this. I thought it might be a cool idea to install an analog ammeter on the 4 pin 12v connector going to the CPU. So I asked my dad (which is an electrical engineer) if it was a good idea or not. He told me that the inductance of the ammeter will create voltage spikes which will fry my CPU. He also told me that the amperage needs to be high for this to happen (about 10 amps). What do you say? should I risk frying my AMD FX 4350 Quad-Core processor (4.42GHz) for this cool project?

 

[Karsten75]

heck yes, cool uber alles! Risks be damned, full steam ahead. Maybe you can get a picture the ammeter with a little cloud of smoke in the background. And after all, that's all that AMD processors are good for - fuel for expensive, ill-advised projects.

The only argument I'd have with your Dad is that there are ammeters that can measure very low current flows.

 

[Alex Danco]

heck yes, cool uber alles! Risks be damned, full steam ahead. Maybe you can get a picture the ammeter with a little cloud of smoke in the background. And after all, that's all that AMD processors are good for - fuel for expensive, ill-advised projects.

The only argument I'd have with your Dad is that there are ammeters that can measure very low current flows.

I did it with an old el-cheapo computer from 2003. And it worked just fine, nothing fried yet. The thing which I am worried about is if it'll fry my computer. IF it were to work, it would be a cool project, just seeing what the computer is doing visually. BUT IT'S RISKY........

 

[Karsten75]

I agree that it's a cool project. I've seen some cases with analog dials or other attempts at visual "eyecandy" that seems to simulate an analog dial. Most cases I've seen, however, are somewhat out of the way, so I also think it has niche appeal, since many people (me included) almost never see their cases.

It might be possible to build additional components into the circuitry (capacitors?) - so you have a discrete module that regulates snd reduces voltage spikes from inductance - pretty much what happens in the PSU itself.

Talk to your Dad about designing something like that.

 

[Alex Danco]

I agree that it's a cool project. I've seen some cases with analog dials or other attempts at visual "eyecandy" that seems to simulate an analog dial. Most cases I've seen, however, are somewhat out of the way, so I also think it has niche appeal, since many people (me included) almost never see their cases.

It might be possible to build additional components into the circuitry (capacitors?) - so you have a discrete module that regulates snd reduces voltage spikes from inductance - pretty much what happens in the PSU itself.

Talk to your Dad about designing something like that.

Yeah, that's a good idea, but in the end, I decided to use a voltmeter and put it on the PWM of the case fans. Those fans are controlled by Speedfan, so if the CPU works harder, the temperature rises and Speedfan gives more voltage to the fans. This is the voltage that the voltmeter will measure. When the project is done I will post some pictures. Thanks for your answers.