Before Making a Thread About Buying a PSU....

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oakdad said:
I am trying to get my finger on how we do power calcs when sizing up a PSU I found this link. http://www.extremeoverclocking.com/articles/guides/Power_Supply_Guide_2.html According to this memory is 8w per 128m of memory on the 3.3v rail. So doing the math I get the following.

8w/3.3v = 2.42a for 128m of memory
So for 2Gs of memory I need ~40a of 3.3v rail and if I was crazy enough 4Gs would be ~80a. Is this right if so where do I find a PSU able to push 80a on the 3.3v rail I looked and I think the highest I found using Newegg was ~40a.
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outdated

http://takaman.jp/D/index.html?english
 
Thanks for the link. Now once a guy selects the components should he take those values and multiply them by some value to figure in line loss do to temps, or efficiency? Example lets say the above calcs give you the following.
10a of 3.3v
30a of 5v
20a of 12v

Efficiency of ~70% so 1/.7 = 1.43 so
PSU should have the following
14.3a of 3.3v
42.9a of 5v
28.6a of 12v

Or the idea many of the PSU are based off of 25c and a PC temp of say 40c is much more realistic and they will not displace what they say they do at higher temps.

40/25 = 1.6 so the PSU should have the following.
16a of 3.3v
48a of 5v
32a of 12v
 
I deduct from 1\3rd to 1\2 the rated amp value per rail
do to the difference in temperature (1\3)
or expansion (1\2)
as that article stated they just do alot better when they arent loaded right next to their capacity, there is also the safety margin you get from the additive nature of a calculator (which is all the theoretical maximums) and the realife partially sequential nature of the components draw (starup will see the drives hitting the maximum draw to overcome inertia at spinup, but then drop to a fourth of that, at the same time the CPU\GPU ect, wont be under full load)

a notable exception to the temperature deduction would be a PCP&C Turbo Cool like I have which is actually rated at 40C unlike most of the rest which are tested at 25C
the veracity of the manufacturer is often the most critical component to selection, I wont buy from anyone that doesnt publish real specs, including the AC Ripple (Noise \ PARD) and the Transient Response (internal rail regulation)

http://www.hardforum.com/showthread.php?t=779582
 
Can someone recommend me a good solid psu that's decently quiet?

I'm upgrading to:
A64 3400
Geforce 6800 GT
160gb HD

my budget for a psu is <50 if possible :(

I watch dvds and things on my computer, so i'd like it to be quiet.
 
I'm surprised you reccommend Sparkle..

Granted I've been out of the scene for a while, but a couple of years ago, Sprakle power supplies where known as beeing terrible and should be avoided.

Back then the rule of thumb was also as long as you stuck With Antec Truepower or Enermax you were usually going to be ok.

I guess a lot has happened in the last two years or so.
 
Luck.exe said:
I've got one you might want to add to your hate list, A+GPB (A GPB). I have a 450W that before I RMA'd failed to boot my p4 system in my sig. Put my old 410W back in and it fired right up. The voltages fluxuate quite a bit according to a digital muli-meter. Unless you've had better luck with them, go ahead and add them.
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I've got to disagree wholeheartedly.
I have 3 A+GPB PSUs and they are terrific. I reviewed them all, along with alot of other PSUs so I'm not talking out my backside here.
I have the 500 Watt, the 450 Watt, and the 480 Watt versions.
All perform spectacularly, though not PCP&C by any stretch of the imagination.

Sure, their website sucks rocks, but their PSUs should be examined and added to the list if found worthy.

On a side note: This thread has proven an exceptional source of help for me. I find myself referring at least one person a day to it.
Keep up the great work. I hope to see some investigation into the A+GPB PSUs soon.
 
My Elitech 500W has been rock stable for a week now. It's great but it sort of has to be broken into, though. First half hour is crash crash, won't boot. After that half hour, it's stable. I'll get the specs off it when I get a chance.

Edit: oh, and I got it for 45.75 total.

Edit 2: Price without all the tax is $39.95 CND
 
no real specs
unknown manufacturer (its rebranded)
your power supply is the last place you want to be "budget" conscious
you didnt say what its supposed to be powering
 
Ice Czar said:
well check your 12V rail as that PSU only has 18A on its single +12V rail
http://takaman.jp/D/index.html?english
it wouldnt have been my first choice, but may serve
they arent anything to write home about but arent bad either, basic compliance with the regulation and ripple specs, single rail +12V thats an older +5V oriented PSU (and the A64 is powered off the +12V)

http://hardforum.com/showthread.php?t=779582&
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Heh Fortron 530 that I got based on advice from this forum has 18A on 12V lines. :p ( I even made a whole thread about it. :) )

On a more relevant note. I notice that FSP 550 is not listed while the Sparkle is. Aren't they the same power supply? What's really funny is that Newegg lists FSP 550 as having 18A on the 12V while Sparkle is listed as 36A. (dual 12V)
 
fortron underrates their psu specs by a lot. I wouldn't be surprised if it pumped out 22-25A for real.
 
ok, i need a new psu since i got my new 6800gt.. i currently have a raidmax :( .. my budget is $70.. and suggestions??
 
computerpro3 said:
fortron underrates their psu specs by a lot. I wouldn't be surprised if it pumped out 22-25A for real.
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pretty sure the 530s are rated 28A peak
of course peak ratings are just that a fraction of a second
but they do underate their supplies and that might include the stated peak rating
they have true ATX12V v2.0 compliant PSUs on their tw website (dual +12V rails and 24pin mains) but Ive yet to see them for sale, as there arent alot of boards that require the 24 pin yet (and that in the mobo manufacturers holding off on forcing the upgrade)
but with PCI-E there will be no choice
 
I have a question about powersupplies, I have a dual P3 system that connects via a 20pin Mb connector, I am having the trouble of pinning down my problem to the MB or the powersupply.

I have APM enabled on my system, but when I go to shut down the system, I am forced to manually turn it off than it just turning off by itself. The same goes for setting the MB to ACPI both of these setting force me to manually shut off the computer.

The question is: Is there a setting on my MB to correct this, or is it the powersupply?
 
Scorpionjwp said:
I have a question about powersupplies, I have a dual P3 system that connects via a 20pin Mb connector, I am having the trouble of pinning down my problem to the MB or the powersupply.

I have APM enabled on my system, but when I go to shut down the system, I am forced to manually turn it off than it just turning off by itself. The same goes for setting the MB to ACPI both of these setting force me to manually shut off the computer.

The question is: Is there a setting on my MB to correct this, or is it the powersupply?
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that would likely be either OS or BIOS
see > Shutdown & Restart Troubleshooting or http://aumha.org/win4/a/shutdown.htm

there is also the HAL issue possibly
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?kbid=299340
if you dont have the ACPI Multiprocessor HAL...
 
silenx makes excellent psu's, however the amount of drives and fans are more than most machines. Therefore I would venture to say while it would work, if you want to be absolutley sure you'll not run out of OC room due to power supply, I would invest in something more powerful.
 
Is the Yesico FL-350ATX a good power supply? You can see the specs for it at http://www.whispertec.com/psu.html. I saw a list of the companies you mentioned that you shouldn't buy power supplies from because they will destroy your PC and it's only a matter of time. I saw that list in the first post of this thread. I didn't see Yesico listed as one of the "Don't Buys". But I didn't see it as a recommended to buy either. Is this a good and reliable power supply? I'm looking to power a Cyrix 600MHz system and I probably won't need anymore than a 250WATT power supply. I'm basically looking for a quality fanless power supply power supply for a budget price as it doesn't have to power power very much, but I want it to have a 0dBA noise rating being no noise at all.

Help greatly appreciated.
 
It has very good specs for a fanless psu. However personally I have not had experience with them as I have for much of the reccomended list, so quite frankly, I really can't help you. Maybe Ice Czar or Vertigo Acid can.
 
computerpro3 said:
It has very good specs for a fanless psu. However personally I have not had experience with them as I have for much of the reccomended list, so quite frankly, I really can't help you. Maybe Ice Czar or Vertigo Acid can.
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What determining factors did you take into account when you made a list of PSU manufacturers that said "DO NOT BUY FROM"? You say they will kill your PC and it's only a matter of time? How do know they will kill your PC? Is it based on those manufacturers have had reputations for quality problems with power supplies? Or is it based on the specs of almost all power supplies from those manufacterers produce?
 
Super Mario said:
What determining factors did you take into account when you made a list of PSU manufacturers that said "DO NOT BUY FROM"? You say they will kill your PC and it's only a matter of time? How do know they will kill your PC? Is it based on those manufacturers have had reputations for quality problems with power supplies? Or is it based on the specs of almost all power supplies from those manufacterers produce?
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Not so much on specs (simply because psu companies lie through their teeth on specs besides tagan, fortron, pcp&c, and that kind of company) but on reputations and first hand experience. Look around the forums; there will be certain companies of psu's that are blowing up and kill hardware a lot more than others. When you hang around the psu forums for a while you'll get to know them quickly from the numerous posts about them. I have had much more experience with many more psu's than most other people, so I figured I could help by making this post. It has already saved people thousands of dollars according to their thank you pm's.
 
Hi i'm looking to buy a psu for my system. im looking for something under $100. heres my system which isnt as power hungry as most.

asus p4p800-e deluxe
p4 2.8c @ 3.5
corsair vs @ 200mhz 2.5-3-3-8
lite on cd-rw/dvd-rom
hitachi deskstar 80g, 7200rpm, 8mb cache
asus 9800xt
sound blaster live 5.1
and 5 80mm fans in the case

something that is stable (my current generic psu undervolts and fluctuates)

something that has a standard 80mm fan that can be replaced with an led fan in the future

can anyone suggest a good psu for my system?

thanks in advance for replies
 
I just bought a Antec SL400 PSU! why is it a bad unit? :confused:
I run: Athlon XP 1600+, ATI Radeon 9600 SE, 40G HDD, 512 Ram.
 
dude82 said:
I just bought a Antec SL400 PSU! why is it a bad unit? :confused:
I run: Athlon XP 1600+, ATI Radeon 9600 SE, 40G HDD, 512 Ram.
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Answer MY QUESTION!!!!!!!!! :mad:
 
Computer #1 in my signature has a JustPc power supply.
Computer #2 in my signature has a Raidmax power supply.
Computer #3 in my signature has a Antec Smart Power.

They are all in the avoid like the plague list where generally you would not reguard as usable. With that in mind, I think I should go and replace the psus for the first two computers as paranoia is kicking in.

Since I want to have both replaced I kinda want to get relatively cheap power supplies, and would prefer a sale from newegg.

The cheap one for $28 in the first post http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProductDesc.asp?description=17-103-485&depa=0 seems good, but do you think that would be enough to keep the computer runnning?

I guess the next tier up one would be better the one at $40 http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProductDesc.asp?description=17-104-966&depa=0 this seems really nice with the 120mm fan but they are getting expensive.

Opinions on the best for my computers? (dont intend to change that antec, dont use that computer much anyways and when it does do something its low power download or watch a video type)
 
I would def. go with the fortron 350, because of the video card and hard drives. It's a super-nice psu, you won't be dissapointed.
 
Thank you for your opinion :) , I will wait and see if that psu goes on sale before getting it.
 
i have a question about the fortron 530w. when you say it will outpreform a lot of other psu's in what way does that mean?

also im putting together a new system and i plan to do some modest overclocking, but i still want to have head room to do some crazy ocing. what is a good rating on the 12 rail to allow this headroom? the fortron has 18a from what their website says, and i've heard that i'll need at least 20. is this true?

in case you need it....

a64 2800+ (plan on going to a 3700 when they are way cheaper)
dfi lanparty 250gb (great overclocker)
kingston hyperx4000 512mb
crappy ti4200 125 mb that i plan to oc

thanks for the help!!
 
the fortron 530 is WAYYYYY more than you need for that rig. THe fortron underrates their rails by a lot, I wouldn't be surprised if it really put out upwards of 25a.
 
im glad to hear that the fortron is a stable choice i'd just like to get a comparison between that one and this one . the watts are lower on the enermax but the 12 rail is rated at 33a . they're the same price. so which is bettre the 530w fortron at 26a 12 rail, or the 460w enermax with the 33a rail.

keep in mind i plan to some day have this in that dfi i have mentioned above:

nvidia 6600 GT
athlon 64 3700

both of these will prolly be over clocked so i dont want to have to buy another psu.

thanks again. its very refreshing to find someone who actually KNOWS what they're talking about when it comes to psu's.

edit: little side note i found an enermax with these specs for a GREAT deal and am wondering if it would also suffice for my needs:

Enermax Whisper 431W EG465P-VE

Type: ATX
Maximum Power: 431W
PFC: Active
Hold-up Time: 17ms at 115VAC or 230VAC, full load
Over Voltage Protection: +5V: 5.5V~7.0V, +3.3V: 3.76V~4.3V, +12V1 & +12V2: 13.4V~15.6V
Overload Protection: 110~160% of max load
Input Voltage: 100V - 240V AC
Input Frequency Range: 50 - 60Hz
Input Current: 6.7 - 3A
Output: +3.3V@32A, +5V@36A, +12V1@15A, +12V2@14A, [email protected], [email protected]
MTBF: Greater than 100K hours at 70% of full rated load
Approvals: UL (Level 3), cUL (Level 3), VDE, CB, NEMKO, SEMKO, DEMKO, FIMKO
 
Would this PSU be any good? click here . I mentioned a similar PSU on another string but did not get a definitive answer.

It costs ~150USD so I would suspect that it couldn't be bad. But I just wanted to get some of your opinions before making a mistake.

I will be using it to likely power my below system and a AGP X800pro (once they come down in price next year).

BTW, my current PSU is a Hipro 250Watt that came with the computer.

thanks
 
for $150 US you have absolutley no excuse for not getting the pc power and cooling 425 deluxe. It will outperform that psu and many others by a wide margin, including the Antec 550w.
 
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