Power Supply Question
- Thread starter Cinder13
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From what I have read a 300Watt powersupply will get the job done, but I have been told that you may be better off using a 350 or a 400 watt powersupply.
sure it will, i was talking to a guy at work thats running a 1.2ghz with a 250w psu and it works fine
what would be nice is some kind of indicator that shows you how much wattage youre actually using....i wonder if you can get anything like that???
LEGAL DISCLAIMER: cape does not enable user to fly.
what would be nice is some kind of indicator that shows you how much wattage youre actually using....i wonder if you can get anything like that???
LEGAL DISCLAIMER: cape does not enable user to fly.
I don't think you can monitor that with any software but you probably can look up the wattage usage of each component if your that inclinded to find out.
Unolocogringo
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it's not so much the total wattage that counts it's the wattage on the seperate voltages that count if you are using a geforce with that athlon you need 20 watts on the 3.3 volt line for total stability as the cpu and the video card are both fed off the 3.3 volt line. somewhere on the psu is a chart giving the maximum output for each line. check that to be sure
Unolocogringo
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the only way i know of to check voltage draw in a line is to use a clamp on voltage meter which goes arround the positive wire while the computer is running.but they cost $200 up for an accurate one
According to www.geforcefaq.com that combination of Athlon/Geforce needs 20 amps not 20 watts. 20 amps at 3.3 volts equals 66 watts. Ratings for individual voltage lines are printed on the top of PSU's. Some PSU's have more capability than others even with the same overall rating.
To JCLW,
You will probably only be able to measure the AC line into the power supply with your Fluke clamp meter. Unless it has Hall Effect capabilities (some expensive ones do), a clamp on meter cannot measure DC current, which is what you are looking at inside the PC.
Most common multimeters have an ammeter function capable of DC current measurent, but you have to splice it in series with the wires to get the reading. Plus they usually have a max current rating of 10 to 15 amps(kinda low for this application). Good luck either way... don't electricute yourself.
To Cinder13,
Your Fortron/Source model FSP300-60GT power supply seems to be the same (but relabeled)Sparkle SPI’s FSP300-GT.
(According to this reveiw which can tell you alot about this subject, http://www3.anandtech.com/showdoc.html?i=1128)
(I had read this before, but wasn't able to find it again untill someone else recently posted it, thanks)
Anyways it says that it has a 3.3v leg that is rated at 14 amps. This seems a bit weak if you have a 1.2GHz T-bird with a higher end video card, but it might work.
If you want to wait and see if your current supply will work, setup your system for some tests. If it crashes during 3D Games, but not while running non-graphics intensive applications (like Seti@home), then you probably need a heftier power supply. (as others have recomended, one rated at 20 Amps or better on the 3.3V leg)
Good luck with you system
You will probably only be able to measure the AC line into the power supply with your Fluke clamp meter. Unless it has Hall Effect capabilities (some expensive ones do), a clamp on meter cannot measure DC current, which is what you are looking at inside the PC.
Most common multimeters have an ammeter function capable of DC current measurent, but you have to splice it in series with the wires to get the reading. Plus they usually have a max current rating of 10 to 15 amps(kinda low for this application). Good luck either way... don't electricute yourself.
To Cinder13,
Your Fortron/Source model FSP300-60GT power supply seems to be the same (but relabeled)Sparkle SPI’s FSP300-GT.
(According to this reveiw which can tell you alot about this subject, http://www3.anandtech.com/showdoc.html?i=1128)
(I had read this before, but wasn't able to find it again untill someone else recently posted it, thanks)
Anyways it says that it has a 3.3v leg that is rated at 14 amps. This seems a bit weak if you have a 1.2GHz T-bird with a higher end video card, but it might work.
If you want to wait and see if your current supply will work, setup your system for some tests. If it crashes during 3D Games, but not while running non-graphics intensive applications (like Seti@home), then you probably need a heftier power supply. (as others have recomended, one rated at 20 Amps or better on the 3.3V leg)
Good luck with you system
- Dec 31, 2007
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Just remember that the cheaper new BIG NUMBER power supplies LIE on the number-like this. They say something like 18 Amp at +5v, 12A at +3.3, 8A at +12v, 1A at -5v, 2A at -12v, and 2A at +5VSB. Do the math and it comes out to 265Watts. But they might call it a 350 watt unit, because it can handle a peak surge output of 1/3 higher than it's normal output. But her's the REAL b*tch-you cannot even operate at 265 watt, because those numbers are the max nominal output per voltage level-the level that each channel can put out if the rest are at their minimal levels! That means that not all channels can be operated at max simultaneously. In reality, operating one voltage at max means that another might have to be reduced-I have actually seen statements by more honest companies that state that it is maximum nominal power is 175 watts on a 350 watt power supply! So you don't even get the 265 watts!
Here's the real scoop-Some OEM power supply manufacturers such as Powertech and Newton usually rate their power supplies at nominal-not peek-power. I have a 250 watt power supply that has the same nominal output rating as the Leadman (powmax) 400 watt unit!
The moral of this story-before you buy a cheap high- rated power supply such as Antec, go to the manufacturers website and check the numbers!
Suicide is painless...........
Here's the real scoop-Some OEM power supply manufacturers such as Powertech and Newton usually rate their power supplies at nominal-not peek-power. I have a 250 watt power supply that has the same nominal output rating as the Leadman (powmax) 400 watt unit!
The moral of this story-before you buy a cheap high- rated power supply such as Antec, go to the manufacturers website and check the numbers!
Suicide is painless...........
Thanks for everyone's post, i went ahead and bit the bullet, got the adtronics 7896 case with a 400w power supply, the power supply is recommended by amd for 1.2ghz athlon and it seems to rate out, and it wasn't cheap, but you get what you pay for i guess. Thanks for everyone's responses.
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