Power cord opinions

[jonnyGURU]

Ok.. Some of you know I do some R&D work for a certain company. If you know who, then you probably know me pretty well and know that I don't shill. If you don't know, it doesn't matter who that company is because I'm nobody's bitch and I'm not shilling.

That said... I do want to use you guys as a litmust test.

I've got a 1kW PSU and it has a funky power connector in the back.

The one on the left is the 1kW PSU's power cord. The one on the back is "typical."

Now most power cords are 18AWG. The 1kW PSU's power cord is 14AWG. I'm cool with that, but I don't like the idea of the unit going out with the big "head" on the cord. So there's a battle between the techs and marketing and I'm in between.

Techs are saying that the big head supports more wattage, so if the PSU needed to put out a sustained 1kW of power, everything is "safe."

Marketing is thinking that someone somewhere is going to lose a power cord and this isn't a power cord you can just go to Rat Shack and buy! And imagine taking your computer to a computer shop without the power cord and having the tech look at you and say "WTF IS THIS?!?!?"

I thought, that with 14AWG wire a standard PSU input plug could be used. Isn't it what Enermax, Coolmax and PCP&C use for their 1kW units?!?

What do you all think?

 

[Chernobyl1]

When more current is flowing through a smaller connection, more heat is generated.
with a bad enough connection, enough heat can be generated to can quickly corrode it leaving even less good surface area to make contact.
The problem then compounds.

The wider gauge cable they have used helps with larger current flow while producing less heat in the cable.
When heat is generated in a cable its resistance will setup a voltage along it so your PSU would get a slightly lower voltage. The warmer it gets, the higher the voltage drop.
Its wise not to coil power cables.

 

[Slartibartfast]

Is there anyway to just use a thicker cable (for the most part) with a standard connection? I mean if it were me, and I just shelled out for a 1kw, and it used a proprietary power cable I'd be rather miffed. I'd be especially miffed if something said/happened to said cable and I couldn't use the comp for a week while I waited for the replacement to arrive.

Not being able to use your comp because you need a power cable is on par with not being able to use it because your keyboard is broken.

 

[jonnyGURU]

When more current is flowing through a smaller connection, more heat is generated.
with a bad enough connection, enough heat can be generated to can quickly corrode it leaving even less good surface area to make contact.
The problem then compounds.

The wider gauge cable they have used helps with larger current flow while producing less heat in the cable.
When heat is generated in a cable its resistance will setup a voltage along it so your PSU would get a slightly lower voltage. The warmer it gets, the higher the voltage drop.
Its wise not to coil power cables.

I know all this. What I'm looking for is an opinion about using a non-standard power cord end.

Is there anyway to just use a thicker cable (for the most part) with a standard connection? I mean if it were me, and I just shelled out for a 1kw, and it used a proprietary power cable I'd be rather miffed. I'd be especially miffed if something said/happened to said cable and I couldn't use a cable for a week while I waited for the replacement to arrive.

Not being able to use your comp because you need a power cable is on par with not being able to use it because your keyboard is broken.

That's what I was thinking. Go with the 14AWG cord, but just use a standard end. I looked on Yung-Li's website and supposedly the "old style" connector is rated for 15A @ 115V if you use 14AWG. This thing is rated at 16A. Ooohh... an extra 2A.

 

[Chernobyl1]

I'm not sure how using a normal power connector would help if the PSU has another connector.
Its worth enquiring if you can buy extra cables.
The connector is possibly a part which you can buy so you maybe you can make your own cables.
Take the cable to a good electrical parts store and see what they say.

 

[Bbq]

Standard plug + standard wire. It shouldn't have problems.

In the second picture, an eVGA 7900GT in antistatic bag?

 

[jonnyGURU]

I'm not sure how using a normal power connector would help if the PSU has another connector.
Its worth enquiring if you can buy extra cables.
The connector is possibly a part which you can buy so you maybe you can make your own cables.
Take the cable to a good electrical parts store and see what they say.

Sorry Chernobyl1, I thought you understood. Let me try to rephrase what I was trying to explain in my first post. The factory installed this power connector on the PSU housing of the engineering samples. The marketing dept. forsees this being a problem because it is not a standard connector, so they would like to persuade the engineers back at the factory to change the connector at the end of the 14AWG power cable for the production units.

Standard plug + standard wire. It shouldn't have problems.

In the second picture, an eVGA 7900GT in antistatic bag?

Good eye. Yeah.. eVGA 7800GTX, actually. That's my second card. I had to take it out of the machine because the two GPU fans together made an irritating noise. I've got water blocks now so I'll probably put it back in my machine this weekend.

 

[[Spectre]]

I am a standards kind of person....they exist for a reason.

 

[Chernobyl1]

Sorry Chernobyl1, I thought you understood. Let me try to rephrase what I was trying to explain in my first post. The factory installed this power connector on the PSU housing of the engineering samples. The marketing dept. forsees this being a problem because it is not a standard connector, so they would like to persuade the engineers back at the factory to change the connector at the end of the 14AWG power cable for the production units.

Perhaps they will allow you to see the research reports on the cable + connector selection or at least speak to someone about the selection.
It could be that no testing has been performed on the power connector and it is just a safe bet to provide a guaranteed electrically robust connection.
However, they may have done their homework and realised that a connector change is required.

If they havent done any research you should be able to ask for the original connector to be considered.
If they have researched well, they should have data demonstrating the issues that can arise from the use of the normal power connector and whether it is safe or not.

Its possible the old connector has been rejected even if it is good enough.
Health and Safety Regulations may prohibit the use of the same connector because the wire needs to carry more current without being a potential hazard.
With the standard connector, there is a high chance the wrong cable from another device could be plugged in, causing a potential fire/electrocution hazard through melting of the wires outer.
The standard wire spec may be fine, the glut of sub-standard cables out there could be reason enough for them to warrant the change.

I could be off the mark there but its food for thought.
Get in touch with the techs to see what info they have on the standard power connector that can be presented to the marketing guys. If they dont have any, explain you need the data to keep them happy.
If they avoid the issue, raise the problem with the project leader.

 

[jonnyGURU]

Like I said in my second post, I went to Yung-Li's website (the company that makes the ends for the power cords used on the power supplies) and they say the current end used for PC Power Supplies is UL and CSA listed for up to 15A @ 115V. It's also "approved" by a number of other governing bodies around the world at more than enough of a rating for a PC power supply.

I am in touch with the project leader. It's his mind I'm trying to help to change.

 

[madmat]

I can tell you that the non-standard plug would be enough to prevent me from buying the power supply. There's plenty of area on the standard plug to prevent the contacts from heating up.

 

[Chernobyl1]

soz missed the specs.
Going purely by those specs, there is enough headroom to allow the use of that connector.

If you are going to take this much further, verify the specs are definitely for the connector under scrutiny and that they are correct. It could save a lot of work and heart ache if they arent correct and you find out sooner.

 

[jonnyGURU]

I can tell you that the non-standard plug would be enough to prevent me from buying the power supply. There's plenty of area on the standard plug to prevent the contacts from heating up.

That's what I think too.

Ok... I'm going to beat the crap out of the project manager and demand the plug gets changed.