Power Supply Reference Guide

[bigandy]

Please see updated thread. This thread is no longer maintained, and has migrated to the new thread.

A new power supply reference guide has been created to replace this thread. -----------moderator-------------------

http://forum.pcmech.com/showthread.php?t=131195


As requested by a few members, I have compiled a final list, which breaks off of a much longer thread, and have made it into this "final" list. This will hopefully serve as a guide to anyone not sure on whether their PSU is good or bad, or for recommendations to builders.

Refer to linked thread!

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Also, in case you are interested in what size power supply you need, I have included a calculator, and a guide that should give you some idea.

http://www.jscustompcs.com/power_supply/

http://www.pcpowercooling.com/maxpc/cases.htm

(Both links courtesy of Pancake)

However these over estimate the power needs quite often, most current systems can run quite well on a good 350W PSU. When you start to get into the higher end systems, with the A64's, and in the future the X800 cards, etc., you will want to up the wattage.

Here is a guide describing what process you should go through, and things you should look for when buying a PSU.

[Markoman01027]

Pretty good list...gonna use that as a refrence.

I thought I already told you..Deer is on the good side and not on the bad side LOL

[Cricket]

Originally posted by Markoman01027 I thought I already told you..Deer is on the good side and not on the bad side LOL

Go ahead and use one in your computer then...gee, feels like I said this before .

Cricket

[suitcase]

Leave yourself about 30 percent headroom. Actual output goes down as heat goes up.

[mikezel]

Thanks bigandy, i was waiting for this . Makes for a much cleaner bookmark

Mike

[TwoRails]

Nice one, bigandy - This one's a keeper for sure

[Hi Ho]

Why hasn't this thread stickied with the number of power supply questions on this board?

[bigandy]

No, and it was suggested/requested that the thread be "redone" with a final list in hopes that it would be stickied.

The problem is that not very many mods come through this forum on a regular basis.

[GrfxArt]

I thought I've seen more PSU questions in the Case Modding / Cooling section......

[Panama Red]

Hey, bigandy. Why not post another thread in the case modding section with the same title and link it to here? Nice job, btw. Copied to Notepad for my future reference.

[mystvearn]

hi-cute/icute PSU?

[Sumdumgi]

Nice work and Thanks for the effort!

[Rodgers46]

I'm brand new to all of this. I have so far purchased:
A7N8x deluxe v. 2.0
AMD Athlon XP 3000+ 333FSB
Powmax case w/ 400watt.
After reading that my power supply is bad, am I going to ruin my hardware or something? I'm on a pretty strict budget from my wife and still need to purchase memory, hard drive, video card etc.

Advice please

[Panama Red]

Think it's a predictability problem. No one can say for sure that your power supply will fail. But that brand has a higher incidence of failure than those on the good list. If/when it does fail again it's hard to predict what will happen. Sometimes the power supply just stops working. Other times it may create a power surge and take several key components with it. Buying a higher quality power supply is like buying insurance.

[corosus]

thanks bigandy, great list
annybody have anny experience with fsp-group psu's?

[Vigo]

FSP Group is Fortron Source. The box says FSP Group INC. The website is FSP Group Inc. and the psu says FSP Group Inc. however; the right under it on the psu you can see "FORTRON/SOURCE" I was a bit confused myself. Perhaps big daddy might be kind enough to include "FSP Group" as fortron source to prevent some more confusion

[corosus]

thx that's great news

[trulad]

It's disturbing to see that there are nearly as many bad ones as good ones. I'll bet there are tons of prople that don't even know what brand they have.
trulad

[Vigo]

I think the word "bad" is misleading. Maybe a better word to use is "cheap". All computer coponents come in wide ranges of quality. And sometimes cheap and bad don't mean the same thing. I mean, I bought a 10 dollar kensington keyboard. Is it bad? I dont think so; it works well enough. But its cheap compared to a higher priced and better quality logitech keyboard.

A lot of those "bad" psu's will work quite well in simple or older rigs. (some more-so than others... I wouldnt put a DEER in my ancient 386; its taken enough abuse over the years.)

Most of your retail computers (just about all retail computers a year or older) come with cheap psu's like the one's listed.

So again, bad should probably say or atleast translate as "cheap". Those are the psu's you probably wouldn't look for if you want to spend 1200+ on a large rig.

[Rodgers46]

Thanks for the help. I'm sure I'll need a lot more before I'm finished. Now back to the web and more shopping.

[Markoman01027]

Originally posted by Cricket Go ahead and use one in your computer then...gee, feels like I said this before . Cricket

I was only joking around

[mc2phat]

Respectfully submit "Greenline" for the bad list. They're not very common, but I've seen them in FoxConn/Supercase cases.

[mc2phat]

"FSP Group is Fortron Source. The box says FSP Group INC. The website is FSP Group Inc. and the psu says FSP Group Inc. however; the right under it on the psu you can see "FORTRON/SOURCE" I was a bit confused myself. Perhaps big daddy might be kind enough to include "FSP Group" as fortron source to prevent some more confusion "

FSP Group builds Fortron, PowerMan, and Sparkle power supplies.

Regards

[fedz]

Levicom? I'm looking at a Levicom blackline 350W
I heard that skyhawk make good PSU's so my other option is a skyhawk 400W
http://forum.pcmech.com/showthread.p...threadid=99463
Anyone got any experience with any of those?
fedz

[mb26]

you should put CWT in brackets next to channel well since they are often labeled as this, or atleast call it 'Channell Well Technology to imply the link with CWT.. anyway too late now i guess.. also q-tec are the best on the 'bad' list i'd say they weren't bad orr good.

also, didn't we just decide that coolmax were bad because they had the word 'max' in it? (um, enermax anyone?)
if this was the only reason it was put on the bad list then i think it needs to be removed now.
they make fanless, expensive PSUs. i'd say any PSU which is fanless has to be good; generally i find that if a PSU is able to operate quietly (with little cooling) then it is high quality. it may well be a modified sparkle like most quiet PSUs.
it has really good rails by the look of it aswell ( http://www.directron.com/cf480coolmax.html )

[thorlo6]

Hey Bigandy, there was a name that I saw was missing. As to which list you tell me. The name of the PSU Co. is Startech. which list should they be put in?thorlo6

[Kenyius]

Anyone can give me instruction for installing AT power supply ?!! I need it for next report (red hot !!!). Merci first .

[Kenyius]

I forget .Please tell me trouble shooting of installing AT power supply . thanz mux

[TwoRails]

Hi Kenyius,

That would be a very good topic to start you own thread with.

[bigandy]

Tin Canary has put together this wonderful guide that gives some very useful information on what to look for in a PSU, including what amp ratings you should look for on the different rails. Very useful if you are unsure on a unit you're looking at.