Is this PSU o.k. or should I replace it.

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nostall

nostall

Splendid
Nov 28, 2012
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I’ll try to be brief. My wife’s PC has been exhibiting some random behavior problems lately. I thought that it might be an HDD problem, but have run SpinRite and Sea Tools and ChkDisc and they found no problems. So I am beginning to suspect the PSU: It is a P.C. Power and Cooling Turbo-Cool 510SLI. (Specs, per pcpc, 510W @ 50C continuous, 650Watts peak. +12V rail max 34 -38A.
This PSU ran my gaming PC for a year or so, then sat in the garage for awhile, and was returned to service in her PC about 4 ½ yrs. ago and has pretty much run continually since.
BIOS voltages show it to still be within specifications, but that is without any load.
Current configuration (no overclocking of anything):
MSI 790XT-G45, Phenom X4 BE w/stock cooling, 4x2GB Crucial RAM (800), 1xGTX460, Seagate 7200rpm 320GB HDD’s (1storeage 1 primary), 1xDVD ROM, 1xDVDRW, Antec P180 case with 2 120mm intake fans and two 120mm exhaust (I believe they are set on medium speed)
Very little gaming on her PC: some Mine Craft, occasional L4D.
Probably TMI so I will get to my question:
Is this PSU powerful enough to run this configuration?
Should I replace it just based on years of service?
I have done research at Newegg, Corsair and Thermaltake, using their PSU selectors and the power requirements shown have listed from ~450Watts (ThermalTake) to ~650-750Watts(Corsair).
If a new PSU is in order, I am truly open to any suggestions.
I am currently running a Corsair AX850 in my rig and have been happy with it.
 
Solution
ko888


The components in the system that draw the majority of the power are the CPU and the GPU. They both obtain all of their power from the +12V rail(s) of the power supply unit. The remaining devices only draw a minor amount of power.

The NVIDIA minimum system power requirement is based on a PC configured with an Intel Core i7 3.2GHz 130 Watt TDP...
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ko888

ko888

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Feb 18, 2009
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The electrolytic capacitors in a PSU tend to lose their ability over time to suppress electrical ripple. Excess electrical ripple will cause erratic system behavior.

For a system using a single GeForce GTX 460 graphics card NVIDIA specifies a minimum of a 450 Watt or greater system power supply that has a maximum combined +12 Volt continuous current rating of 24 Amps or greater and that has at least two 6-pin PCI Express supplementary power connectors.

Total Power Supply Wattage is NOT the crucial factor in power supply selection!!! Total Combined Continuous Power/Current Available on the +12V Rail(s) rated at 45°C - 50°C ambient temperature, is the most important factor.

The Rosewill CAPSTONE-450, with its maximum combined +12 Volt continuous current rating of 37 Amps and with two (6+2)-pin PCI Express supplementary power connectors, is more than sufficient to power your system configuration with a single GeForce GTX 460 graphics card.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817182066
 
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nostall

nostall

Splendid
Nov 28, 2012
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Thanks JK and lo888. How does the build quality of these two compare to the Rosewill and the CX? I am not sure who actually builds the TX line of Corsair. I always like to err on the side of too much power, and these are at or just slightly more then the two you guys recommended.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817139020
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817139031
Off to work now, will check here later tonight. Thanks in advance for your help.
 
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ko888

ko888

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The Rosewill CAPSTONE-450, that I recommended, was already over 50% more than what NVIDIA specified.

The two TX Series 650W models use CWT (Channel Well Technology) as the OEM. They're based on the CWT PUQ (B) platform.

The latest TX Series 750W and 850W models use Chicony Power Technology as the OEM. Corsair has never used Chicony Power Technology as an OEM before so there's no track record of reliability on which to base an opinion on.
 
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nostall

nostall

Splendid
Nov 28, 2012
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ko, I am leaning toward your recommendation but still have some questions. I realize that the Rosewill has more then enough amps. to run the 460, but will it have enough to run everything else along with it? With the Rosewill being a Gold model and the Corsairs Bronze, the efficiency difference will pay for itself over time, a nice plus. And isn't the Rosewill a Super Flower build?
 
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ko888

ko888

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Feb 18, 2009
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The components in the system that draw the majority of the power are the CPU and the GPU. They both obtain all of their power from the +12V rail(s) of the power supply unit. The remaining devices only draw a minor amount of power.

The NVIDIA minimum system power requirement is based on a PC configured with an Intel Core i7 3.2GHz 130 Watt TDP processor. This reference system would consume more power than your system configuration.

The Rosewill CAPSTONE-450 is more than capable of powering your system configuration.

Yes, the Rosewill CAPSTONE-450 uses Super Flower as the OEM. It's based on Super Flower's higher end platform so there's nothing to worry about there.

Higher efficiency means that there is less heat generated within the power supply. Less heat means longer component life.
 
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Solution
nostall

nostall

Splendid
Nov 28, 2012
3,244
12
23,865


I will be ordering the Rosewill a little later this afternoon. I decided to do a little more investigating into my wife's PC so I installed CPUID's HWMonitor. If the readings that it is showing are correct, I am surprised the PC even starts. Going to try to attach a screen shot of the monitor.
O.k., I don't know how to get a screen shot or picture into this post: I tried as a word doc. and that didn't work, then simply as a screen shot and paste to here. No go. Give me a hint, someone.
Also, does HWMonitor reliably aand accurately report the information. If so it shows +5V @ 3.027 and 12V (hold on to your hat!) @ 4.136. If I find how to post the actual screen shot I will do so. I am writing this on her PC, but once I send it I am shutting it down: I do know that low voltages are as bad or worse then over voltages. JK, KO, thanks and please comment.
1220hrs. PDT Rosewill is on the way.
 
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ko888

ko888

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I usually press the Alt + PrtScrn keys to capture an image of the active window (i.e. the application that currently has focus) into Windows' Clipboard (i.e. Copy/Paste buffer).

I then open the Windows Paint application and size the canvass to 1" x 1" square or smaller. I then click on the Paste toolbar button and it will place the image into Paint's canvas while resizing the canvas to fit the actual image's size. Save the resulting image to your hard disk drive as a JPEG (or BMP or PNG or GIF) type file.

You will need to upload the image file to an image hosting server. I usually use the free hosting site http://postimage.org/ when posting images on this forum. Once the image file has been uploaded to the image host server make sure you get a copy of the direct URL link to your uploaded image.

When posting your question or reply use the Picture tool button on the tool bar in the forum post reply window. When the popup window asks for the URL paste the direct URL link from the image hosting server for your specific image and then click on the OK button. That's all there is to it.

HWMonitor is useless for displaying voltages especially if it doesn't support your motherboard's specific sensor chip. The voltage values will show some absurd values that you know would render a system completely unbootable.
 
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nostall

nostall

Splendid
Nov 28, 2012
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Thanks, here's the screen shot:
screen_shot.jpg

Your last paragraph relieves a lot of anxiety because I really couldn't believe that the PC would even run with the low voltages shown; but the monitor did get me off my lazy a$$ and ordering the replacement PSU. So, as usual, I have another question: is there any relatively accurate program available for monitoring hardware? I am using Core Temp for my CPU and it seems to be o.k., and EVGA precisionX for the video, but what about some of the other stuff. Thought, based on all the hype, that CPUID and HWMonitor were theeee thing.?

Don't know if it came through, trying again:
http://s22.postimg.org/yl1e1t75d/screen_shot.jpg
 
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nostall

nostall

Splendid
Nov 28, 2012
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ko888 said:This is a comparison of HWMonitor Pro and AIDA64 Extreme Edition on my motherboard:


O.k. loaded the trial version of AIDA (I remember using this program in 2000-2002 when it was first available. Didn't know it was still around.) Tversion doesn't show 12V, but the 3.3 and 5 Volt readings are in line with what I saw in my BIOS when I restarted the PC and earlier. Now I am not so panicked: And at first wondered if I'd jumped the gun on the new PSU, but Hey! that 510 is Ooooollld, so regardless it is time for it to go. Oh, and my spouse is happy; I can leave the PC on so she can use it. Here's the screen shot:
AIDAshot.jpg

Ko, you've been on this forum a long time and provide some really valuable advice and information, thanks. But I want to post a positive comment re. this forum, PSU's in general, and the help I have received; should I do that here or in another thread and if in another thread under what topic. Thanks.

 
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nostall

nostall

Splendid
Nov 28, 2012
3,244
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Evening! Installed the new PSU (yes they have really fasst shipping, blew me away! Just under 48hrs from the time I ordered it!) and am posting screens from AIDA(trial) and HWINFO64. Voltages look much better, and I believe, can't prove it, the PC is booting faster and hasn't seized up or given any indication that it was going to. We shall see about that. Here are the shots.
HWinfo.jpg

Untitled.jpg


edit; ooops. looks like I made them too big, well, at least this one you can read.
 
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