PSU Advice

[helliewm]

My PSU has died. The IT Dept at work will fit a new one for free but due to liability issues I am on my own choosing a new one.

Its an Intel Quad Core with a NVidia 8500GT Graphics Card I can't remember the Motherboard.

I have ordered this PSU:
http://http://www.scan.co.uk/Products/ProductInfo.asp?WebProductID=375887

Will this PSU be OK??

Helen

[freebios]

you motherboard is probably atx so make sure your powersupply is atx. If you have a qquad core and nvidia graphics card you should make sure it is at least a 400w power supply and is atx version 2.0 compliant or higher so it will dual 12 volt rails to up support your processor.

[helliewm]

Brilliant thanks for this it is 700 Watts and ATX compatible see here:

http://www.xclio.com/product/PSU_GreatPower/x14-700w.htm

[freebios]

THIS IS AN EXCELLENT POWER SUPPLY AND SHOULD BE VERY COMPATIBLE WITH MOST MOTHERBOARDS INCLUDING YOURS.

IT'S VER 2.2
ITS 700 WATTS
MODULARITY IS NICE
PCI EXPRESS COMPATIBILITY IS EXCELLENT
AND SATA CONECTORS

i DONT THINK YOU CAN GO WRONG , HOPE I HELPED.

[herbster]

There is no way you need 700 watts for that box. 400 would be more than fine.

[helliewm]

Oh well I have done it now. It was reasonable priced £50 which was my limit. An IT friend of mine said to get one with a big fan so I did.

Helen

[freebios]

you do have a quad processor and an nidia graphics card so 700 watts is fine for such power consuming processor, and also if you upgrade video cards or other pci express components and add other usb powered components your system stability could be compromised if you do not have adequate power. 700 watt power supply does't always put out 700 watts that's its max load under ideal temperature so the true max output with the heat in the case can easily be equivalent to 550w. When you are not doing intensive applications such as gaming or video there is only a nominal increase power consumption so it's i think its better to have a little extra power. I personally am conservative i usually never use about 500 watts because I tried to used a 450 watt power supply once on my system and it lead to instability and my computer would crash when i would decode video because it could not put out enough current for my system and I thought 450w was enough, it was hooked up correctly because I have done a bit of ee work. its hard to say, but a little extra power or love cant hurt.

[herbster]

Oh no, don't misunderstand Helen, that's a fine PSU that "future-proofs" your system for upgrades or whatnot, I just mentioned that for knowledge's sake. Besides, a PSU is easily the most overlooked aspect of a system by the general computer buyer, yet it is super important.

Sheesh if a 700w was $50 here I'd grab it in a minute :D

[gn2]

Oh no, don't misunderstand Helen, that's a fine PSU that "future-proofs" your system for upgrades or whatnot, I just mentioned that for knowledge's sake. Besides, a PSU is easily the most overlooked aspect of a system by the general computer buyer, yet it is super important.

Sheesh if a 700w was $50 here I'd grab it in a minute :D

Check the exchange rates, last time I looked £50 was $100 US

I always recommend Seasonic PSU's and you're spot-on, the PSU is by far the most important component in any PC build.

[helliewm]

Thanks everyone I feel happier I have brought the right PSU. I have never had to buy one before, this was a custom build for me and the psu died so I have had to buy a knew one. I did not specify a PSU when I bought it.

Yes I did want to future proof it. Its a new Quad Core with 4 gig of ram, Nvidia Graphics Card, 1 light scribe DVD writer, 1 normal DVD writer, 10 USB ports , Fax/Modem and a 500 gig hard disc.
I am not concerned that the PSU has died I bought it from Bess-SYSTEMS on E-bay for £550 last Oct so it was cheap:). I bid on the basic spec and then upgraded it so it was a custom build.

I spoke to a Software Engineer friend of mine who recommended http://www.scan.co.uk. He recommended a 1000 Watt with a big fan. I could not afford that so settled for 700 Watt with the 14 inch fan. It seemed to be the largest fan.

I was n't too worried about the price but I just could not afford the very top end that my friend Simon told me about. So this choice was a comprise. I stuck to http://www.scan.co.uk as Simon always uses them.

Hope that explains the thought process behind this purchase:) I needed to buy it quickly as my PC is sat in the IT Dept at work and they are waiting for a PSU to fit!

Helen

[Bartender]

I think PSU's are a fascinating subject. As some of the previous folks mentioned, the PSU may be the most important component of your PC. Yet people never ask about the PSU when they shop. If they know enuf to ask anything at all, it's usually about CPU, RAM, and storage. The industry knows this, so they scrimp on PSU's.

The PSU is responsible for converting the incoming AC voltage to clean, stable DC voltages for all of your expensive computer parts. The AC voltage/frequency provided by your utility can be all over the place. The best PSU's provide hi-quality DC voltage regardless of the utility's loopiness. The quality of power delivered to your computer parts has a stong bearing on their longevity.

There's also a good case for spending a little more money for the most efficient PSU you can find. Higher efficiency (80%+) means less power wasted in the conversion from AC to DC, and less heat inside your case. A very efficient 500W PSU provides as much or more usable power as an inefficient 600W PSU.

And no, you didn't need a 1000W power supply :)

[helliewm]

Higher efficiency (80%+) means less power wasted in the conversion from AC to DC, and less heat inside your case.

It looks like I have chosen the right PSU as this has 80%+ Higher Efficency.

I have also been aware that I had rubbish PSU in this Custom Build but for the price I paid I am really not worried at all. It really was cheap by UK prices for a Quad Core Custom Build.

Thanks everyone this has been an incredibly useful thread. :)

Helen

[Bartender]

You lucked out.

Very often the PSU kills half the computer as it goes down in flames.

[helliewm]

It just will not boot the blue light comes out and then it closes down/cuts out. What is it likely to have damaged? The Hard Disc and Motherboard?

Helen

[herbster]

To test parts like that, the method is really to try different parts. For example, you try a different drive on your motherboard and if the drive works, the mobo is good (it's highly unlikely a mobo will have certain parts working with others completely dysfunctional; it's typically good or fried in my experience). Once you've eliminated, you move to the next part; if youre mobo is good, you pop your drive on and see if it's good to go or not, etc.

[gn2]

It just will not boot the blue light comes out and then it closes down/cuts out. What is it likely to have damaged? The Hard Disc and Motherboard?

Helen

Have you got a chassis speaker connected to the motherboard?

If not I would suggest getting one because without the beep codes from it you'll have to swap parts around to identify what's broken.

[afeasfaerw23231233]

psu is the important component of computer. i have experience of hardware failure due to bad psu.

http://http://www.scan.co.uk/Product...oductID=375887 your link doesn't work.
there are not so many brand of psu provided here. i only know delta, zippy and seventeam are reliable brands.
if you have some DIY homebuild computers and you know some basic electronic knowledge and soldering work, you may try to inspect your psu to see if there is any fail component and replae them when your system abnormal and unstable. i repaired two fail psu and still work very well after 6-month 24/7