Power from laptop SATA port

Hi forums,

I have a question for the folk out there who either know the answer, or like me, enjoy some good speculation. Many desktop components are beginning to use the sata port as a power source as opposed to molex, and seasoned builders say this is a step in the right direction. I am all for it but the question I want to ask is what about notebooks?

I am guessing the voltage supplied from notebook SATA ports are 5v instead of 7 or 12v? Can anyone confirm or provide evidence of otherwise? Even at 5v using something like this:



could provide some interesting aftermarket expansion options... Or better still something like this:



that draws power from two SATA ports providing some more power for whatever is attached from laptops that have a few sata bays free because the user may only be using msata. Maybe providing enough to power...oh let's just say...a watercooling pump...?

 

Some notebooks include an eSATA / USB combo port like this:



The SATA pins carry no power but 5V is taken from the USB port of the port.

Unfortunately, this neat arrangement has been largely displaced by USB 3.0.

John

 

Power over eSATA - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Educate yourself.

In short, No. There is no port on a laptop with a 7v or 12v accessible power pin. You would need to solder directly onto the motherboard's power rail (somewhere).

 

I know about the eSATA port and about power over eSATA or eSATAp. The question I am asking is whether it is plausible to draw power from 1 or more internal SATA ports to power something that is inside the laptop.

I guess I should provide an example so here goes, I have seen a few users attempt laptop watercooling but their pump has always been outside the laptop running off a separate PSU, what I am theorizing is whether it is possible to run a small 5v watercooling pump drawing power from the SATA ports inside the laptop omitting the need to plug something into the USB or eSATAp ports.

 

Why go to the trouble of adding an internal pump when without a large external radiator the total cooling of the system is the same?

 

No I never said the pump had to be internal, I just wanted to know whether something like that would work only drawing power from the laptop. I have a plan in my head for a custom loop but that isn't for this thread. I just wanted people who know a bit more than me to chime in and let me know whether this is possible.

 

Of course it would be possible. Laptops take in 18v from the power supply. Theoretically, you could solder wires to the leads on DC input and draw power that way. But it would require some serious electrical engineering at the very least.

 

For power you have to sepreate between operating vltage and current.
Assume that the power internal lines to a drive connector are rated to provide just the power/current needed for asingle drive,attemptingto draw more will burn your traces. Did it with a FW controller without externalpower input and fried by backplane of theMoBo. NB should even be more sensitive
eSATAp offers 5 V. A special version also 5V/12V, but I never read the 5V/12V beeing implemented into a NB.
eSATAp is just esat and USB 2.0 combined so your stuck with 5V 500 mA, the same as internal sata connectors incl. drive bays.
USB 3.0 is rated 5V 900 mA
Expresscard and Cardbus are also limited in power, and firewire ae 4 pin versions without power.

The previous suggestion tapping ofthe power supply and add a programmable reggulator to change the voltage (e.g.pico PS) seens more sensible, unless you are 100% that input rusch currents, continous and shortcircuit current of adamaged pump are below the allowablbe current for the ports. And then the external PS has to provide enough current to charge operate your NB while the pumpfurther increases the powe consumption.