Burning up PSUs...is it my video?

[JKgrafX]

I went thru 4 PSUs in 2 months. The only new addition to my comp is a video card, 9800 se 128 that out runs a 9800 pro. Over clocked to a 450 core and 320 mem, i dont see this as the prob. Anyways everytime i play a game or do anything cpu/graphic intensive i get a drop in voltage and some how this is burning up my PSUs. I have an ABIT IS7 mobo and the hardware monitor gives me the following warnings
Vcard in
2005/04/03 15:34:47 Warning:=+5V: 4.95V +12V: 11.80V
2005/04/03 17:14:04 Warning:=+3.3V: 3.06V (started to play a game)
2005/04/03 17:25:48 Warning:=+3.3V: 3.07V (started to play a game)

Vcard out
2005/04/03 17:33:40 Warning:=+5V: 4.97V +12V: 11.55V AGPV: 1.52V DDRVtt: 1.26V 5VSB: 4.90V SYS: 27.0F

Vcard in
2005/04/03 17:50:19 Warning:=+5V: 4.95V +12V: 11.80V AGPV: 1.52V DDRVtt: 1.26V 5VSB: 4.90V SYS: 29.0F
2005/04/03 17:55:37 Warning:=+3.3V: 3.07V (started to play a game)


Beeps (signals a warning ) application is launched.
Using LimeWire for song downloads... causes a beep every time a search is performed.
+3.3v seem to drop lower than they should

comp specs:
P4 2.8 800fsb 512cache
2x 512 DDR pc3200 400mhz
80g ata hdd
ATI RADEON SAPPHIRE 9800 SE 128
ABIT is7-m mobo
450w PSU...burnt up a 500W one as well

im going insane with this...went to local comp shops and no one has any answers for me...PLEASE HELP!!!

 

[pat]

are you buying cheap 20$ PSU? Maybe it is time to spend a bit more...

<font color=red>Sig space for rent. make your offer.</font color=red>

 

[Crashman]

You're making yourself sound a little dumb, but I think it's just a bit of carelessness rather than stupidity: You didn't name the brand of PSU. Everyone who knows anything about hardware knows ratings such as 450W or 500W mean nothing when there's no name-brand to stand behind them. I've seen PowMax power supplies (the most popular cheap brand, also sold under other cheap lables) fail after less than 2 months of operation. I'm talking 400W units failing when powering old Celeron 500 systems.

While it's possible that you really are using garbage, nothing else would seem to indicate you're that slow minded, so please enlighten us on the brand of power supplies you've gotten.

<font color=blue>Only a place as big as the internet could be home to a hero as big as Crashman!</font color=blue>
<font color=red>Only a place as big as the internet could be home to an ego as large as Crashman's!</font color=red>

 

[Crashman]

I have PROOF that a cheap Gateway 145W power supply is less prone to failure under a 145W load than a PowMax 400W under the same load!

Somebody has to get the word out that ratings mean nothing: It's like, if you bought a turbocharged Cobalt with 600HP (!) that only lasted 1000 miles because you thought the bigger number meant it was higher QUALITY than a Corvette with "only 400HP"!

<font color=blue>Only a place as big as the internet could be home to a hero as big as Crashman!</font color=blue>
<font color=red>Only a place as big as the internet could be home to an ego as large as Crashman's!</font color=red>

 

[pat]

Take a cheap psu in one hand.. and a good one in the other one. I definitively dont need a labal to tell me which one is good. Weiight, wire size, number of connectors are all clues.

I believe you 100% for your gateway PSU. I have a cheaaap 450W PSU that could not power up my Soltek 754 board, a64 3000+, 256 megs RAM and an ATI AIW 9600xt while a better 300w fired up that system and still have it running strong.

Sometime peoples ask me why a 60$ 420W PSU when there is cheap 25$ 450W PSU?? I told them that it is that or I dont built. It is an assurance for long term stability and performance.



<font color=red>Sig space for rent. make your offer.</font color=red>

 

[Crashman]

Ask them if they think an economy car on nitrous is just as reliable as a sports car that makes the same power stock.

<font color=blue>Only a place as big as the internet could be home to a hero as big as Crashman!</font color=blue>
<font color=red>Only a place as big as the internet could be home to an ego as large as Crashman's!</font color=red>