Voltage drops, normal?

[stargate-extreme]

Hi guys,

I have been having a issue with my graphics card crashing and I have found the only way to keep it stable is to underclock the memory clock with rivatuner. But I have been keeping an eye on the hardware monitor and have noticed the supply voltage is dipping occationally as well as the fan speed and fan duty cyle. Often the dips are happing at the same time but not allways. I just saw the voltage dip from 3.33 to 2.11. Could this be whats caursign my crashes?

Spec

qt 8800
Q6600
corsair tw60w
corsair xms2 8500 2x1GB

 

[the last resort]

the voltage dip is probably the card going into a low power state to consume less energy. however, if you have to underclock your card to keep it stable, something is wrong. Also, what are your temps? Use GPU-z to check them. The temps could be causing instability. It also sounds like it could be the PSU that is bad, but its a Corsair so i would be kinda shocked.

 

[millwright]

-voltage drop is one of the differences between a good power supply and cheep one.
I'm not sure graphic cards use 3.3v, I thought they only use 12v.
If your 3.3 is dropping your 12v is probably also dropping, witch could cause a crash.

 

[millwright]

Didn't notice it was a Corsair, that's puzzling

 

[stargate-extreme]

When I say dip, I mean like a spike. looking at the logs, its gone as low as 0.83. I had the same problem with a card i returned that was with a cheapo PSU, i got a good PSU to aviod these issues :-S. This card has been stable for ages but its suddenly havning problems. At the moment the GPU is 49C. when stress testing the card i have gone upto 70C whilst underclocking and thats the highest ive seen it. But it's crashing often at something like 55C so I dont believe its a heat issue. Is it possible i could be having power flucuations in the house it's self?

 

[millwright]

Power supplies should be able to handle a 20 % swing 100v to 120v in the US. You should see the inconstant bulbs in your house dim if it swings that much

 

[stargate-extreme]

only seems to be dipping whilst running something graphic intensive

 

[stargate-extreme]

i did put on the light to see if it flickers and I havn't noticed anything, so that can't be it then.

 

[millwright]

All voltage swings I have ever had was the power supply.
Even Corsair can't be 100% perfect.
The only way to tell for sure is by trying another power supply, or your vid card in another computer with large enough power supply

Edit; you could also try your power supply in another system with a demanding vid card.

 

[stargate-extreme]

Thankyou, I'm going to try my cheep PSU as its all Ive got, but if it works i'll know its the power supply for sure!

 

[stargate-extreme]

Ah the irony, the fancy PSU I got in order to have a stable system is faulty and the cheap ezcool PSU that cost me 25 pounds refuses to crash, lol. Thanks for your help guys, problem FINALLY solved.

 

[millwright]

any time

 

[stargate-extreme]

Once i maxed out the settings, i got some more dips and crash but i guess that could be because it isn't a powerfull unit, 450w i think it was

 

[millwright]

this test shows less than 300 watts total system full load, but what it dosen't tell you is how many amps it requires on the 12v rail. I suspect a cheep 450 is about 18 amps most corsairs have a BIG single 12v rail, but the only one I could find close to yours is a 620 http://www.newegg.com/Product/ShowImage.aspx?CurImage=17-139-002-28.jpg&Image=17-139-002-18.jpg%2c17-139-002-20.jpg%2c17-139-002-21.jpg%2c17-139-002-22.jpg%2c17-139-002-23.jpg%2c17-139-002-28.jpg%2c17-139-002-24.jpg%2c17-139-002-25.jpg%2c17-139-002-26.jpg%2c17-139-002-27.jpg%2c17-139-002-19.jpg&S7ImageFlag=0&WaterMark=1&Item=N82E16817139002&Depa=1&Description=CORSAIR%20CMPSU-620HX%20620W%20Power%20Supply and it has 3 12v rails @ only18amps each. This could your problem,18 amps might not be enough. I would think a corsair with a single 12v rail @ 600watts would around 25 amps.
http://techreport.com/articles.x/11211/16

 

[millwright]

I under estimated corsair.
here is a 650 single rail, it has 52 amps on the 12v rail.
that's why I/m not a fan of more than one 12v rail, the individual rails aren't big enough for some vid cards. some cards, you can plug in 2 rails, but i think not many can.

edit; http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817139005

 

[stargate-extreme]

yes it is a 52 amp, just checked the box, the cheapo probs is very low. I can check when i shut down. So I think the corsair is doggy and the ezcool one is just not powerfull enough, its having dips occationally but not enough to crash it execpt when i maxed out the settings. thanks again for all your help.

 

[stargate-extreme]

its a single rail at 25A is that enough do you think?

 

[millwright]

not sure, I know some cards need as much as 31 amps, like the ATI 3850 AGP
good luck, and merry Christmas

 

[cliffro]

I have friends with Corsair PSUs that run flawlessly, so I would assume if there is something wrong with yours, its just a bad one that made it out of the factory, RMA it and you should be good.

Remember no company is perfect......

 

[cliffro]

Also going by what he put as his PSU, it looks like the 650TX

 

[millwright]

52 amps made me think that also.

 

[cliffro]

not sure, I know some cards need as much as 31 amps
good luck, and merry Christmas

He has an 8800GT or QT as he put it.....I have its big brother on a PSU with 1 18 and 1 17 amp rails running flawlessly. And mine isn't a major brand either..... total for both rails is 34a

 

[millwright]

And you are only using 1 rail for the card?

 

[stargate-extreme]

lol, ive put typo's all over the place, lol. Yes, its a TX650w and of caurse a 8800gt. Just had another crash, so this ezcool is def not stable either but at least is usable. I'll get the corsair sent back.

Merry christmas

 

[stargate-extreme]

I dont really know much about power units, it only has one rail so i guess yes? This one doesn't have connecter for the GPU so I have a converter going into two sockets. The corsair is plugged in directly, the card has one socket