+12V rails

[MrMooky]

While looking for a new PSU, should I be looking for one with multiple rails, or will 1 be ok? I read a review where having only 1 rail won't protect your system as well as having multiple ones. Is 1 ok if it has over voltage protection?

Also, is Antec a good brand for power supplies?

 

[Scanlia]

1 rail would be OK, as long as its a decent power supply brand you will be fine. Yes, Antec is a good brand. It depends what you have in your computer to decide which powersupply you want to get.

 

[silversurfernhs]

Antec is an awesome power supply brand, although you may not like their design or functionality choices one model to the next (i personally have the TPQ1200 and i don't care much for the stripe red or the in line capacitor gimmick that takes up space). A good single rail will do with a high amperage to suit a graphics cards and other components requirements, or a multiple rail psu whose amps per rail is enough for your gfx cards requirement (i forget how this works maybe someone else can chime in).

 

[MrMooky]

So what about this article?

http://www.tomshardware.com/us/press/OCP-Power-Safety-26

 

[silversurfernhs]

What about it? Multi rail setups can fail much like a bad circuit breaker due to the way the rails distribute power.There are faults to both forms, but a good PSU from iether will be both reliable and dependable.

 

[RetiredChief]

First - would I select a single rail PSU - Yes, would I select a multi rale PSU - Yes
I have both - I go for quality. Only advantage of a single rail is, You do not have to worry about which rail goes to which - for most quality PSU and most systems today this is not a problem.

To answer your question - When comparing equally "Quality" PSUs is the multirail safer, I'd have to say yes. A short circuit will turn a PSU off in a multirail configuration where as the same malfunction might not in a single rail system.. For a 20 Amp Rail a resitance of less than 0.6 ohms will shut the PSU down( equates to 240 Watts ). For a a single rail rated @ 60 Amps this resistance dropps to 0.2 ohms or 720 Watts. The power is all heat. Saving grace - the 720 Watts may burn the short open quicker than 240 Watts. But id the short is less than that required to trip the PSU, then the Higher wattage is more likely to start a fire.

Above is strickly from an electrical stand point - And I repeat, I would buy either/or as Long is it is Rated as a QUALITY PSU!.

 

[MrMooky]

What do you mean by, "You do not have to worry about which rail goes to which"?

 

[RetiredChief]

If you have a multirail, say 4 +12 V rails rated @ 20 Amps each With say a 60 Amp max for all for rails.
You would have to insure that you did not try to connect so that a given rail did not exceed 20 Amps. Also say you had 18 Amps being used on the first 3 rails, then you would only have 6 amps for rail 4, NOT 20 Amps.

Example for +12 V Rails:
Rail 1 would go to MB. This would be for your 20/24 pin MB connector, the 4/8 Pin Connector (CPU), and +12 V For GPU (via the PCI-e connector.
Rail 2 would be to the 6/8 Pin GPU Connector.
Rail 3 would possibly be for 2nd GPU 6/8 Pin connector ( This may be from rail 2)
Rail 4 would be to all external Components (to MB), ie SSD/HDDs and DVD drives

It's possible rail 2 could be for the 4/8 pin CPU pwr, then Rail 3 would be for upto two 6/8 pin GPU pwr connectors

 

[obsidian86]

a good power supply is a good power supply irrespective of how many rails it has

 

[MrMooky]

So if you have multiple rails, do you have to manually set what they will be for, or is that automatic?

 

[silversurfernhs]

No, some (like the TPQ i own) are color coded for gfx cards, other components are black...

 

[MrMooky]

What is color coded? The different rails?

 

[shovenose]

ok dont start another 1 vs multiple rail discussion. just get a high quality psu (seasonic, antec, corsair, nzxt) and get it over with.

 

[MrMooky]

Sure thing Mr. Grumpy Pants.

 

[silversurfernhs]

The female connectors on the PSU.

 

[RetiredChief]

The reference to color code refers to the color of the strip on the Positive wire, different color, different rail. And yes, on most of the newer PSUs they have kind of taken the quess work out of the equation. ie, you have no choice in which rail goes to the 20/24 pin MB connector, which rail goes to the 4/8 pin ATA (CPU) MB connector. The 6/8 pin GPU power is set in concrete. That leaves the molex guys hang around for whats left over. O'Weii you get the point -Pick the highest rated quality at the Power you need and don't sweat the small sh(*&*%.

Take care and enjoy

 

[MrMooky]

Thanks to all for clearing things up.

 

[MrMooky]

Best answer selected by MrMooky.

 

[Mousemonkey]

This topic has been closed by Mousemonkey