Danno
24-02-2006, 03:28 PM
Power supply basics
Technical Information
The below image shows the different types of connections on a modern power supply.
http://forum.novatech.co.uk/files/psu_main_connectors.jpg
The below information gives a basic idea of computer power consumption.
Component Requirement Line(s) Used
AGP Video Card 30 – 50W +3.3V
Average PCI Card 5 – 10W +5V
10/100 NIC 4W +3.3V
SCSI Controller PCI Card 20W +3.3V and +5V
Floppy Drive 5W +5V
CD-ROM 10 – 25W +5V and +12V
DVD-ROM 10 – 25W +5V and +12V
CD-RW 10 – 25W +5V and +12V
7200rpm IDE Hard Drive 5 – 20W +5V and +12V
10,000rpm SCSI Drive 10 – 40W +5V and +12V
Case/CPU Fans 3W (ea.) +12V
Motherboard (w/o CPU or RAM) 25 – 40W +3.3V and +5V
RAM 8W per 128MB +3.3V
Pentium III Processor 38W +5V
Pentium 4 Processor 70W +12V
AMD Athlon Processor 70W +12V
Installation
The below link will take you to a step by step guide with picturers showing how to install a new power supply.
http://compreviews.about.com/od/tutorials/ss/DIYPSU.htm
If you are unsure how to remove an old power supply just follow the guide form the back to the front.
Buying Guide
The general rule for guidance on purchasing a new or replacement PSU is to go for the highest wattage you can afford. This will generally give a much more stable supply at lower outputs and allow for upgrades and expansion in the future.
As with anything, you usually get what you pay for. If you are running a basic PC for web browsing and basic tasks and the PSU has failed then you will probably be absolutely fine with a 300-350 watt supply.
For a midrange gaming and multimedia computer it is advisable to increase the PSU wattage to around 450-500 watts. You might also like to consider moving into the branded supplies, these provide what is known as true wattage and they will often far exceed the budget supplies side-by-side as the quoted wattage specification for constant power and not the maximum.
Higher end gaming setups have a great range of high-wattage true PSUs well into the 600+watts range available.
If you know roughly what components are inside your computer try this online calculator
http://www.extreme.outervision.com/psucalculator.jsp
***Many name brand manufacturer PCs (compaq, dell, hp and so on) use specially designed power supplies that have been built specifically for their cases. As a result, it is generally not possible to buy a replacement power supply and install it into these systems. If your power supply is having problems, you will likely need to contact the manufacturer for repairs.***
A handy guide for PSU troubleshooting can be found here.
http://forum.novatech.co.uk/showthread.php?t=7257
Technical Information
The below image shows the different types of connections on a modern power supply.
http://forum.novatech.co.uk/files/psu_main_connectors.jpg
The below information gives a basic idea of computer power consumption.
Component Requirement Line(s) Used
AGP Video Card 30 – 50W +3.3V
Average PCI Card 5 – 10W +5V
10/100 NIC 4W +3.3V
SCSI Controller PCI Card 20W +3.3V and +5V
Floppy Drive 5W +5V
CD-ROM 10 – 25W +5V and +12V
DVD-ROM 10 – 25W +5V and +12V
CD-RW 10 – 25W +5V and +12V
7200rpm IDE Hard Drive 5 – 20W +5V and +12V
10,000rpm SCSI Drive 10 – 40W +5V and +12V
Case/CPU Fans 3W (ea.) +12V
Motherboard (w/o CPU or RAM) 25 – 40W +3.3V and +5V
RAM 8W per 128MB +3.3V
Pentium III Processor 38W +5V
Pentium 4 Processor 70W +12V
AMD Athlon Processor 70W +12V
Installation
The below link will take you to a step by step guide with picturers showing how to install a new power supply.
http://compreviews.about.com/od/tutorials/ss/DIYPSU.htm
If you are unsure how to remove an old power supply just follow the guide form the back to the front.
Buying Guide
The general rule for guidance on purchasing a new or replacement PSU is to go for the highest wattage you can afford. This will generally give a much more stable supply at lower outputs and allow for upgrades and expansion in the future.
As with anything, you usually get what you pay for. If you are running a basic PC for web browsing and basic tasks and the PSU has failed then you will probably be absolutely fine with a 300-350 watt supply.
For a midrange gaming and multimedia computer it is advisable to increase the PSU wattage to around 450-500 watts. You might also like to consider moving into the branded supplies, these provide what is known as true wattage and they will often far exceed the budget supplies side-by-side as the quoted wattage specification for constant power and not the maximum.
Higher end gaming setups have a great range of high-wattage true PSUs well into the 600+watts range available.
If you know roughly what components are inside your computer try this online calculator
http://www.extreme.outervision.com/psucalculator.jsp
***Many name brand manufacturer PCs (compaq, dell, hp and so on) use specially designed power supplies that have been built specifically for their cases. As a result, it is generally not possible to buy a replacement power supply and install it into these systems. If your power supply is having problems, you will likely need to contact the manufacturer for repairs.***
A handy guide for PSU troubleshooting can be found here.
http://forum.novatech.co.uk/showthread.php?t=7257