PSU wattage...

[NiceCupOfTea]

Chaps,

I have a 300W PSU in my main machine - is this enough for running 3x HDDs, 1x CDR, and usual array of USB/FireWire devices?

[LaurenceFrost]

You can check.

The voltages in the BIOS should be no more than 5% out.
E.g. the 12v should read between 11.4v and 12.6v.

Check all voltages that the BIOS lists, but make sure each device is powered up before you do it so you have a true impression of the load.

If you are running a little low on juice, Antec do some fantastic PSU products. From ebuyer you are looking at around £45.00 for a nice 450watt unit.

HTH

[Zad]

It depends on the make of the power supply, not all 300W PSUs are created equal. If it's a budget job it may well only deliver 250W, if it's an Enermax or similar it may well deliver 350-400W before complaining.

I would say that an average 300W PSU would support that setup fine. Depending on what CPU and video card you have, they can take over 200W if it's one of Intel's latest CPUs and a fast video card.

Mike

[_Dobbo_]

Ebuyer have got 500W power supplies for about 12 squids, got one today and it's currently humming away in my old PC having recovered it from the scrapheap!

[nicecupoftea]

Cheers guys.

It's an el cheapo PSU, running a fairly low spec 1GHz Athlon / GeForce2. +12 is currently at 11.77, so no worries there.

It's quietened down now, and with judicious sticking of non-metallic objects through the grille have worked out it's the PSU fan - probably bearings.

I'll probably budget for a new case/PSU in the none-too-distant - thanks chaps

[ErnestM]

nicecupoftea said:

with judicious sticking of non-metallic objects through the grille have worked out it's the PSU fan - probably bearings.

The tried and true methods really are the best...


ErnestM

[dilbert]

You could always try using an AVO to measure the current on the 5V rail (the one that actually matters).

Once you know how much current is being drawn;

P=VI

[nicecupoftea]

ErnestM said:

nicecupoftea said: with judicious sticking of non-metallic objects through the grille have worked out it's the PSU fan - probably bearings. The tried and true methods really are the best... ErnestM

I believe it was the plastic tube from an "air duster" aerosol

[nicecupoftea]

Right, I know nothing about PSUs, last time I built up a PC it was a 486

My machine is an Athlon 1GHz, probs about 3 years old - how will this PSU do?

www.scan.co.uk/Products/ProductInfo.asp?WebProductID=136446

It's a 400W (300W in atm) and it is the cheapest Scan do but it seems to tick all the boxes. Do they all have the same standard connectors for the mobo? will it have enough connections for HDD etc? Do they slot in/out of cases easily?

[_Dobbo_]

As long as it's an ATX power supply you should be fine...

I'm no expert but I just bought any old ATX supply and chucked it in my old PC and it's working fine! Back from the dead!