Antec BP550 Plus: A severly underated power supply?

[mothergoose]

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817371016

In the specs it says it has 3 12v rails with 22 amps, 22 amps, 25amps- 0.5amps respectively. Now if I am doing my math right that should equal 832 watts of power on the 12v rails. Now I know this is maximum power and not realistically acheivable. These could be "virtual rails" rather then real rails, like the rails used on the antec nio power psu's, and the 12v25amp rail could be showing the maximum 12v power draw possible from that power. There doesn't seem to be any reviews for it online though... with 85% efficientcy for this model, do you think it could hold up to 650 or 700 watts of power? I don't need to push it that high, but I would be interested to know before I purchase it. I would feel comfortable pushing it up to the 500 watt mark later if I new that I could do that.

Anybody have any experience with this model or a similar antec?

 

[auscanzukus]

I have had an earthwatts 430w in my family's pc with celeron 1.6gh o/c'ed to 3ghz for months if not a year.

What are your specs?

 

[runswindows95]

Without knowing what you're plan on running, it's hard to tell if it's a good wattage for your planned system or not. Overall, Antecs are reliable PSU's. Also, it's not wise to push a PSU to it's max wattage rating. If you're going to be at the 500 watt mark all the time, better off going with a higher wattage PSU.

 

[Grimmy]

When you read the label:

12v1/2/3 = 354w (or 384? hard to read) total power = 29.5amps (354w) or 32amps if its 384w in doing the math. (watts div 12v)

Edit:

 

[invisik]

i have my antec earthwatt 500 almost running at 500w. seems to run fine.

 

[mothergoose]

When you read the label:

12v1/2/3 = 354w (or 384? hard to read) total power = 29.5amps (354w) or 32amps if its 384w in doing the math. (watts div 12v)

Edit:

http://c1.neweggimages.com/NeweggImage/productimage/17-371-016-07.jpg

Its a E8500 woldale with a hd 4850 (maybe something else, but one gpu). I've read that combination only draws 271 watts at peak so I'm not really worried about pushing this psu to hard now, just what sort of upgrade path I have with it. I am getting it discounted by 40 dollars and then with free shipping so it makes sense for the here and now, even if I have to replace it later.

Grimmy, would you mind explaining this to me (no sarcasm)? You get 384 watts in your math... isn't the wattage of a psu determined by multiplying volts by amps on all rails and adding together?

 

[Grimmy]

Grimmy, would you mind explaining this to me (no sarcasm)? You get 384 watts in your math... isn't the wattage of a psu determined by multiplying volts by amps on all rails and adding together?

Umm... just trying to be helpful.

If you look at that label, it shows you the max power for the 12v1, 12v2, 12v3, max load 354watts or 384watts, just really hard to read, but its under the chart.

So I'm just saying the combined rails, the amps would be around 30-32amps tops, since your saying your math is tells you it should be 832watts?

 

[MrCommunistGen]

The rails are OCP (over current protection) limited to whatever they are rated at... but they all come from a single source which is a lot less than whatever the total of those 3 limits are.

-mcg

 

[mothergoose]

Umm... just trying to be helpful.

If you look at that label, it shows you the max power for the 12v1, 12v2, 12v3, max load 354watts or 384watts, just really hard to read, but its under the chart.

So I'm just saying the combined rails, the amps would be around 30-32amps tops, since your saying your math is tells you it should be 832watts?

I'm sorry, I didn't mean to suggest that you were being sarcastic . Thank you for directing me to that chart I see were you got that now.

 

[heathmcabee]

I have been running this PSU, with my setup for a long while now. Never breaks a sweat.

680I SLI Motherboard
2 Corsair XMS 800MHZ / overclocked to 1000 @ 5/5/5/15
Q6600 3.3 @ 1.45V
2 8800GT SLI (Galaxy and XFX)
3 Skythe Flex 80CFM fans/1 133cfm Ultra KAZE
2 200GB Western Digital SATA
Antec 300 CASE

If you think this power supply doesn't run more than its rated, than I bet you to differ with the real results that a person gets.

 

[theAnimal]

The Basiq line is made by FSP, which is OK quality. You can certainly get better quality for the price.

 

[theAnimal]

I have been running this PSU, with my setup for a long while now. Never breaks a sweat.

680I SLI Motherboard
2 Corsair XMS 800MHZ / overclocked to 1000 @ 5/5/5/15
Q6600 3.3 @ 1.45V
2 8800GT SLI (Galaxy and XFX)
3 Skythe Flex 80CFM fans/1 133cfm Ultra KAZE
2 200GB Western Digital SATA
Antec 300 CASE

If you think this power supply doesn't run more than its rated, than I bet you to differ with the real results that a person gets.

Your system won't break 400W max.

 

[heathmcabee]

How do you figure my system doesn't break 400W? I have 2 8800GT's that run almost 120-200watts max, and overclocked processor that is around 140. That's just 3 things, not counting other peripherials

 

[theAnimal]

How do you figure my system doesn't break 400W? I have 2 8800GT's that run almost 120-200watts max, and overclocked processor that is around 140. That's just 3 things, not counting other peripherials

The theoretical maximum that an 8800GT can use is 150W, but they actually use under 100W. Mobo & RAM is less than 50W. HDD is about 10W. Fans are maybe 1W apiece.