How much power does it use?

[Mavicator]

With my KT7A / 1.33 Tbird, I plan to install a Sparkle 400W PSU. If I were to overclock, would this PSU be acceptable? I'll also have 2 hard drives, 2 cd drives, a zip, a floppy, 5 case fans and possibly a few small neon lights (gotta have that pimp look! lol!)

-- If you recycled your computer, would you get enough money to buy a pizza? --

 

[stable]

Others may disagree with me, but given that you have an AMD 1.33GHz CPU and all of those other accessories, I would consider something a tad more clean with thermal accesories. I would consider an Enermax EG465P-VE(FC) which includes the AMD thermal options. You can check it and it's little brother (the 365) out at: http://www.enermax.com.tw/products/eg-365p-vefc.htm#f

This unit includes a few leads that you won't use (for the P4 and AUX for a server board), but it has MANY great features including a wrapped ATX power lead, 8+2 power output leads (that are super long for hiding your power cables or supporting even the largest full-size chassis!) a lead for the secondary fan and a thermal sensor!

While I have no idea why you would need 5 case fans, hey, what the heck, at least the secondary Power Supply fan will shut off when the system is cool. This unit is super quiet and doesn't have the cheesy, air flow reducing cut out vents found on the Sparkles and PowerMan's. Oh, and to top it off, unlike the Antec units, it also has an ATX power switch.

Steve Benoit

Stable Technologies
'The way IT should be!'

 

[Mavicator]

I wish I could get an answer like that to every question I have in life.

Thank you.

-- *Ding Ding* Knowledge for the clueless!!! --

 

[ejsmith2]

Add up the amps.

400W/2=200W on the 12V, and 200W on the 3.3/5.

You can pull 16 amps on the 12V, and 60 on the 3.3. You hard drive uses about 1 amp to spin up, then powers down to .6 on the 12V and 1-2 on the 3.3/5. Same deal with a cdrom reader. Floppys and zips pull .5 amps on both, max. Case fans run anywhere from .15 up to about .6

What's left is usuable by your lamps. Don't mix up the wattages for the 12V/5V rail. They are two different transformers, and that's what makes a 'AMD certified' psu.

 

[stable]

Actually, I think calculating the numbers is a good idea, but I think your stats are off a tad.

If I'm not mistaken (which I could be), on a 400W Sparkle (235W Maximum combined total output on +3.3V and +5V) the load of the +5 is determine by the draw on the +3.3V. If you have a 3.3V of 25A, you'll have a max draw of like 29A on the +5V. If the 3.3V is drawing 10A, the you'll have around a 40A Max draw on the +5V.

My real concern about the Sparkle power supplies is that they don't provide CLEAN power (We measured 140mV ripple on the 400W), air flow is poor and that they only give you a maximum of 2.0A on the +5vSB.

Steve Benoit

Stable Technologies
'The way IT should be!'

 

[ejsmith2]

Yeah, I forgot about regulation. It's been a while since I've ever had to worry about it. Most PSU's pull a little over 50% on either trans., but I use 50% as a guide.

2 amps on the +5 standby? I've seen some crack smoking fools running their 85W peltiers off the 12v to -5v rails, but never anyone who was worried about the standby. What do/can you run that pulls 2 amps?