Power issues with Seagate external USB/Firewire HD

[fatejd]

I have a 300GB Seagate external USB/Firewire HD and am using it with my
car computer and can't figure out a good way to power it. I've come up
with 3 possible ways - inverter, hacked molex connection from the
computer and possibly powering it from firewire (I read somewhere that
it could be possible to power it via firewire and transfer data over
USB, but now I can't find the info on it). The issue I'm having is
that everytime power is cut (the car is shutoff) the HD shuts off, but
then when I turn the car back and on and the power is restored, the HD
does not turn back on. I'm thinking this is most likely a Seagate
thing since they have the push button backup and power saving features,
etc., but if anybody knows a good way I can get around this I would be
grateful.

Thanks

 

[Arno Wagner]

I have a 300GB Seagate external USB/Firewire HD and am using it with my
car computer and can't figure out a good way to power it. I've come up
with 3 possible ways -
inverter,

Should work.

hacked molex connection from the computer

Best approach. If the computer has the reserves.

and possibly powering it from firewire (I read somewhere that
it could be possible to power it via firewire and transfer data over
USB, but now I can't find the info on it).

Sounds stupid. Transfer the power directly.

The issue I'm having is
that everytime power is cut (the car is shutoff) the HD shuts off, but
then when I turn the car back and on and the power is restored, the HD
does not turn back on. I'm thinking this is most likely a Seagate
thing since they have the push button backup and power saving features,
etc., but if anybody knows a good way I can get around this I would be
grateful.

No idea. The disk itself turns on when power is applied.
Must be the enclosure.

Arno

 

[fatejd]

Should work.

Best approach. If the computer has the reserves.

Sounds stupid. Transfer the power directly.


No idea. The disk itself turns on when power is applied.
Must be the enclosure.

Arno

I will test and research this some more today and find out for sure
what happens with power and the Seagate drive - thanks for your input.
I think I will end up doing the molex - if I have an extra one. I will
probably have to upgrade my power supply from 90W to 160W which is not
a big issue. Now I need to find a place to mount it

 

[Folkert Rienstra]

Should work.

Best approach. If the computer has the reserves.


Sounds stupid.

Transfer the power directly.

So much for your previous inverter comment.

No idea.

As usual you got that right, babblebot.

The disk itself turns on when power is applied.

Nope, particularly with drives that have the "Power up in Standby"
jumper set or set by software.

Must be the enclosure.

Sure babblebot, sure. Like you said, you have no idea.

 

[fatejd]

LOL - not gonna touch any of that

Well, I found another external enclosure I already had that will work
much better - smaller and it will come back on when power is reapplied.
I will use a molex to power it and everything should be good. A
couple other questions though - would it be bad for the drive to cut
power like that? The drive has an on/off switch on it, but that's all
it has. Also, should I go ahead and put a fuse on the connection from
the molex to the hard drive? I did this when I setup my touchscreen
the same way.

Thanks

 

[Folkert Rienstra]

LOL - not gonna touch any of that

Well, I found another external enclosure I already had that will work
much better - smaller and it will come back on when power is reapplied.

I will use a molex to power it

The enclosure?

and everything should be good.
A couple other questions though -

would it be bad for the drive to cut power like that?

Cut power like what? How many ways to cut power are there?

The drive has an on/off switch on it, but that's all it has.
Also, should I go ahead and put a fuse on the connection from
the molex to the hard drive?

Depends on whether you intend to power the enclosure -and on what
power source it is normally using-, or the harddrive directly, bypass-
ing the enclosure. Better to keep powerlines to the drive low resistance.

 

[fatejd]

Okay, I've found a solution using just the drive and no enclosure: I
found a SATA power to molex cable as well as a SATA to USB converter
and will just mount the hard drive with those 2 cables going to the
computer.

Thanks your help/comments guys!