Installing a new power supply?

[oxygene_2]

Sorry if this has been covered before in other threads.

I've just upgraded my video card and am now getting insufficient power messages from the nvidia software.

Currently I've got a 400W generic PSU and i've found a 500W ATX PSU that comes with a 12 inch fan. I currently have a generic tower case.

Is there anything much to swapping over a power supply? For example is it just a matter of removing the old one, replacing it and plugging everything back in or are there other issues to worry about eg adequate ventilation, will it fit the case etc?

Thanks

 

[mkaibear]

There are always other issues to worry about...

You should have no trouble swapping the PSU over. It's just a case of "unplug everything*, remove, fit new one, plug it all back in."

*I do mean everything - there are few things more irritating than removing a power supply and then dropping it because it's still attached to something inside the case, and have it bang off the side of the computer case...*

As for ventilation, don't worry about it - it will probably improve the ventilation of the case!

 

[croc]

Sorry if this has been covered before in other threads.

I've just upgraded my video card and am now getting insufficient power messages from the nvidia software.

Currently I've got a 400W generic PSU and i've found a 500W ATX PSU that comes with a 12 inch fan. I currently have a generic tower case.

Is there anything much to swapping over a power supply? For example is it just a matter of removing the old one, replacing it and plugging everything back in or are there other issues to worry about eg adequate ventilation, will it fit the case etc?

Thanks

A 12 inch fan? Might be a tight fit in your case...

 

[oxygene_2]

Oh yeah, my mistake, that should be 12 CM fan not 12 inches....

 

[phreejak]

It would have been helpful if you had listed your system specs. The reason is that we've no idea if your equiptment is the reason for "insufficient power" or if it just low amperage of the generic PSU. That being said, even having a 500 watt PSU does not mean you won't have power issues. People don't realize that amps are every bit as important as volts or watts.

 

[oxygene_2]

Yeah, i'm pretty sure the insufficient power warnings are due to low amperage. My PSU is only rated at 12V/12A. The new PSU I get will have to be at least 15A i figure.

Anyway, my system specs are:

Athlon XP 3200+
1.5 Gb DDR400 RAM
Geforce 7600GS 256MB AGP
160Gb 7200RPM HDD
16X DVD Burner
SB Live 5.1 Soundcard

Thanks again.

 

[phreejak]

That is what I thought. That 400 watt PSU should have been more than enough to power your rig but the amperage is what hurt it. Do you already have the new 500 watt PSU? Also, I am going to assume that you are in the U.S. unless you say otherwise - that would determine alternative choices.

 

[croc]

It would have been helpful if you had listed your system specs. The reason is that we've no idea if your equiptment is the reason for "insufficient power" or if it just low amperage of the generic PSU. That being said, even having a 500 watt PSU does not mean you won't have power issues. People don't realize that amps are every bit as important as volts or watts.

I seem to remember from EE courses that the formula for watts is p=i*e..

So I (on a guess) think that you mean the amps of the 12v rails, combined, is more importand than the total wattage of the psu. Correct me if I'm wrong.

ie, my antec neo he 550 has a 3.3 power rating of 79.2W, the 5v has a rating of 100W, the +12v (three rails combined) is rated @ 504 W, the -12v rail is 9.6W, and the +5 system bus is rated @ 12.5W.

Add them all up, and you get much more watts than the total psu's rated for, but antec feels that you won't max out all of these rails.

However, if you draw more on any of these rails than they are capable of delivering, your PSU is an issue. So in my case, a FX 62 would be a worry, but not 2 gpu's with a few drives thrown in.

Just my 2p....

 

[phreejak]

Yes, I should have clarified myself a bit better but I did mean combined.

The poster did not indicate anywhere that his old PSU had more than one rail so I took him at his word that the PSU only had 12amps.

 

[oxygene_2]

No, there are other rails as well, i just thought that the 12v rail was the only important one as graphics cards usually seem to only mention that rail (eg requires 18A at 12V etc).

I haven't bought a PSU yet, that was just an option i was considering.

I'm in Australia by the way, not the US.

 

[schwinn]

Just a stupid note - did you make sure that the power connector on the video card (assuming it has one) was connected? I remember forgetting to connect this to the power supply, and got these messages... connecting it resolved the issue on that system.

I never thought the NVidia driver would know that your system's power supply "doesn't have enough power" in this manner otherwise... I didn't think it was that "smart". Not having it connected is one thing, but is it really smart enough to know your PSU is "weak"? That would be impressive, and therefore highly doubtful... hence my suggestion above.

 

[oxygene_2]

No, the power cable is definitely connected to the graphics card.

Whenever I start windows I get a message saying something like "(the drivers) have detected that the video card is recieving insufficient power, some features have been turned down etc..."

 

[13thmonkey]

Getting a 15amp supply would not be advisable.

Given that changing a PSU is a balls ache of a job, you'd be wise to get something that can provide >>20amps across 2 12V rails, that way if you upgrade anything else in future your PSU will cope. Additionally you'll be running the PSU further from its limits, and therefore it will be more efficient (negligible effect), cooler and will be less stressed and less likely to die on you. If it has a temp/load controlled fan it will be quieter too.

Seasonic, Tagan, Enermax, Antec many many other 'named' PSU's are good, stay away from generics. PSU's do not age very well, steps are taken by many brands to minimise this. A big failure of a PSU would be a very expensive event.

Read the link from MP it should make things more clear.

 

[phreejak]

Give us a link to online stores that are available to you (from which we could see their PSU selection)

 

[oxygene_2]

Thanks for the replies.

Would this (i'm looking at the 520W version) be a good power supply to get?

http://www.shg.com.tw/front/bin/ptlist.phtml?Category=62768

 

[phreejak]

The base system requirements that most tech support will tell you for the top of the line current videocards is 22amps. That seems to be a general consensus with pretty much all major brands. So, having at least 22amps across the 12v rails would probably be a good stiking level (and having slightly more would be better). Given that, the PSU that you are looking at has 26amps across it's 12v rails so it should suffice.

Just be mindful that you aren't going to have much room for upgraing to any higher end videocards beyond what is currently produced (like the 7900 GTX, 7950GX2 or the 1900XTX). Your PSU could handle those cards as long as you had standard components in your system. That being said, it would appear that you will be fine with the PSU that you linked to. Also, the fact that it has a 20+4 pin connector means that you can use it to power pretty much any motherboard (as they use 24-pin power connectors for their main draw).

 

[phreejak]

Oh yeah, I agree. But, my viewpoint was from that of making sure that if a person had to call in to tech support at, say, XFX< they wouldn't even begin to help if the PSU didn't have a combined ability of, at least, 22amps. That's their fallback to any issue BEFORE they will even begin to help. So, just wanted to get that covered.