1000w PSU damage protection

[denzel81]

Hi, i am new to the forums and have a question for you guys. If i were to get a 1000 w psu , say an Enermax 1020w, i would want to protect it from harm! So i was looking into UPS battery backups and also the OPTI-UPS voltage stabilizer ss2000.

Now i dont need to be able to backup before shutdown i just really want to protect a valuable PSU! So does anyone know anything about this? Have you guys heard of the voltage stabilizer? is that a safe alternative to a battery backup? thanks boys and girls!

 

[calinkula]

Just get a surge protector. A decent quality one shouldn't cost that much and will take the hit for your PSU.

 

[ko888]

The Opti-UPS AVR - SS2000 Voltage Regulator has a Maximum Capacity of 1000 Watts.

The ENERMAX REVOLUTION85+ 1020W SLI ERV1020EWT-00 draws 115VAC @ 11A = 1265 Watts or 240VAC @ 5.5A = 1320 Watts from the AC power outlet.

Do you see the problem here?

When the ENERMAX 1020W power supply draws more than 1000 Watts from the AC outlet on the Opti-UPS AVR - SS2000 its Voltage Regulator's Over Load protection circuit is going to kick in and shut itself down and will require manual intervention to reset it.

If this is the behaviour you were expecting then that's exactly what you're going to get.

 

[denzel81]

Well i dont know much about PSU but im looking to protect it from damage. If a surge protector is good enough shouldnt i just get one of those for 20 dollars? i was looking into UPS and they can cost up to 200 dollars for one that runs at 1000w.

ko888 i have a question does the psu run at 115VAC @ 11A = 1265 Watts or 240VAC @ 5.5A = 1320 Watts all the time or only under full load?

I am wondering because my understanding of this specific psu the ENERMAX REVOLUTION85+ 1020W was that it only runs at what the power consumption of the system is at. I plan to do a SLI build but even with two graphic cards i think it will be about 700w ! But like i said i dont know much about PSU so please yes explain it a bit more to me 😱

 

[sykozis]

A PSU actually draws more from the outlet than it outputs, so, based on ko888's figures, you'd need at least a 1300watt UPS or Voltage Regulator to handle the load from the PSU.

It's my understanding that a PSU becomes less efficient as the load decreases from the rated output. If you're expecting a total system draw of around 700watts, you'd be better off with a 750-850watt PSU, as opposed to a 1KW PSU.

I think calinkula's suggestion of a quality surge protector would probably be your best option if cost is an issue.

 

[ko888]

The 115VAC @ 11A = 1265 Watts or 240VAC @ 5.5A = 1320 Watts values are the maximums specified by Enermax.

The following values are from JonnyGURU's Enermax Revolution 85+ 1020W HOT load tests :

When you draw 211 Watts from the PSU's DC Output the power consumption at the AC outlet is 233 Watts (90.6% Efficiency).

When you draw 406 Watts from the PSU's DC Output the power consumption at the AC outlet is 450 Watts (90.2% Efficiency).

When you draw 616 Watts from the PSU's DC Output the power consumption at the AC outlet is 684 Watts (90.1% Efficiency).

When you draw 809 Watts from the PSU's DC Output the power consumption at the AC outlet is 931 Watts (86.9.6% Efficiency).

When you draw 1014 Watts from the PSU's DC Output the power consumption at the AC outlet is 1210 Watts (83.8% Efficiency).

This gives you an idea of the relationship between DC power consumption of the devices in your computer and what AC power is being supplied by your power utility.

This doesn't take into account inrush current when the power supply is initially turned on. It may be high enough to trigger the Opti-UPS AVR - SS2000 Voltage Regulator's Over Load protection circuit depending on how fast that protection circuit reacts.

 

[sykozis]

This is the claim from Enermax...which your figure show to be wrong...

85PLUS ready - World’s first PSU series with 86-92.9% efficiency @ 20-100% load. Certified by 80 PLUS organizations

It drops below 86% efficiency and never reaches 92% efficiency... Still, it looks like a decent PSU...

 

[ko888]

This is the claim from Enermax...which your figure show to be wrong...

85PLUS ready - World’s first PSU series with 86-92.9% efficiency @ 20-100% load. Certified by 80 PLUS organizations

It drops below 86% efficiency and never reaches 92% efficiency... Still, it looks like a decent PSU...

Don't believe all the marketing hype.

What don't you get about HOT load tests as I specified? It's subjecting the PSU to ambient temperatures from 30°C up to 47°C to determine if there is a drop in efficiency. This is suppose to represent the worst case scenario for those that may operate their PSU in a hot climates.

Take a look at the actual 80 PLUS Verification and Testing Report for the ERV1020EWT. The Efficiency test results and graph shows it never gets above 90.4% efficiency.

 

[sykozis]

Ummm...I'm not arguing with you....

 

[denzel81]

Best answer selected by denzel81.