[SOLVED] Is PSU power cable important (from outlet to psu cable)

[matacar]

Does the power cord matter. When I changed from Thermaltake litepower 550w PSU to Seasonic Core GM 650, I don't remember if I changed that cable.
Obviously you shouldn't change the cables going from the PSU to the MB, but what about the cable going from my home outlet to PSU?
Im from the EU, Serbia if this information matters.

 

[white.a.drew]

Does the power cord matter. When I changed from Thermaltake litepower 550w PSU to Seasonic Core GM 650, I don't remember if I changed that cable.
Obviously you shouldn't change the cables going from the PSU to the MB, but what about the cable going from my home outlet to PSU?
Im from the EU, Serbia if this information matters.

A power cable is a power cable when it comes to the psu to oulet most of the time unless you have a super cheap psu thats low wat rating you should be fine

 

[matacar]

A power cable is a power cable when it comes to the psu to oulet most of the time unless you have a super cheap psu thats low wat rating you should be fine

I think for the CORE GM I am using the original cable. However for my old Litepower 550W, I am not sure where I put it. The PSU cost me 60 dollars so it's pretty cheap. Does the cable matter for the Litepower one?

 

[lvt]

It's the same power cord used for many home/kitchen appliances. Most of those appliances have higher power usage than your PSU. So any power cable will do the job.

 

[Karadjgne]

Yes it matters. Many of the cheapo cables and cables intended for light duty use like printers or monitors are most commonly only rated at 10A but some can be rated as low as 5A or 7A. For a psu, they should be ones rated at 15A.

What many fail to remember is that psus have an efficiency curve. If you have a 550w draw on a 80+ psu, that's actually closer to 700w pulled from the wall, about 6A. A 10A rated wire is going to get/stay warm and it's prongs can degrade over time and use, if it's actually UL rated and not just fake stamped . A 5A or 7A wire is in serious trouble.

And that's just the cable. The El-cheapo cables will also cut corners on the socket pegs itself, using sub-grade brass that doesn't hold tension on the pins, resulting in arcing and finally, fire.

If you buy a reputable brand like Corsair or Seasonic etc, they already know all this, and more besides, so it's better to always use the cable that came with that psu as they won't skimp on specs.

But if forced to use another cable, check the specs, it should be 15A rated, and therefore psu quality.

Those cables also come in different lengths, I've seen 1' extensions using 18ga with a 10A rating, and 6' cords with 18ga and a 10A rating. Not sure I'd trust the latter, that's a long cord and good amount of resistance per foot with 18ga wire. 16ga would be better. Some cords are as long as 25' but generally use 14ga wire and are 15A rated.

 

[InvalidError]

But if forced to use another cable, check the specs, it should be 15A rated, and therefore psu quality.

Technically, a cable with C13 plug should never be used to carry any more than 10A continuous since that is the maximum IEC rating. For 15-16A, stuff should be using cables with C21 plugs. You aren't going to see "15A" IEC-C13 cables bundled with many PSUs under 1000W.

Real #18 wiring is fine for 10A in open air and 6' 3x18 C13 cables are standard with nearly everything under 1kW. I do not believe I own any C13 cables that are anything other than 3x18. Even my fanciest PSU (650W Silverstone Strider Platinum) came with a 3x18 cable that is still in the original box along with the other cables I have never used.

 

[NightHawkRMX]

What many fail to remember is that psus have an efficiency curve. If you have a 550w draw on a 80+ psu, that's actually closer to 700w pulled from the wall, about 6A. A 10A rated wire is going to get/stay warm and it's prongs can degrade over time and use, if it's actually UL rated and not just fake stamped . A 5A or 7A wire is in serious trouble.

That would be true if the OP were in USA and using 120v input. However, they are in serbia so take the current drawn and cut it in half.

 

[carocuore]

Unless it's an extremely bad/cheapo cable, has cuts on it, has been patched multiple times then no or you're willingly using it to power a device it's not rated for then it's not a big deal.

Fella I know was using a bad quality cable and somehow that caused his PSU to fail and take his 3060 with it. Cable was rated for 2.5 amps and decent ones are rated for 10 or more, on 240V

 

[InvalidError]

That would be true if the OP were in USA and using 120v input. However, they are in serbia so take the current drawn and cut it in half.

Doesn't really matter where OP is from though: even in 100V Japan a crappy 550W PSU with 70% efficiency would still be under 8A in assuming it can actually get to 550W combined output before blowing up.

 

[matacar]

Yes it matters. Many of the cheapo cables and cables intended for light duty use like printers or monitors are most commonly only rated at 10A but some can be rated as low as 5A or 7A. For a psu, they should be ones rated at 15A.

What many fail to remember is that psus have an efficiency curve. If you have a 550w draw on a 80+ psu, that's actually closer to 700w pulled from the wall, about 6A. A 10A rated wire is going to get/stay warm and it's prongs can degrade over time and use, if it's actually UL rated and not just fake stamped . A 5A or 7A wire is in serious trouble.

And that's just the cable. The El-cheapo cables will also cut corners on the socket pegs itself, using sub-grade brass that doesn't hold tension on the pins, resulting in arcing and finally, fire.

If you buy a reputable brand like Corsair or Seasonic etc, they already know all this, and more besides, so it's better to always use the cable that came with that psu as they won't skimp on specs.

But if forced to use another cable, check the specs, it should be 15A rated, and therefore psu quality.

Those cables also come in different lengths, I've seen 1' extensions using 18ga with a 10A rating, and 6' cords with 18ga and a 10A rating. Not sure I'd trust the latter, that's a long cord and good amount of resistance per foot with 18ga wire. 16ga would be better. Some cords are as long as 25' but generally use 14ga wire and are 15A rated.

I just looked at two other power cords in my house and they all say, on the plug that goes into PSU 10A 250V and the plug that goes into the outlet 16A 250V.
I am not sure which one of them is the Thermaltake Litepower one.

 

[lvt]

I just looked at two other power cords in my house and they all say, on the plug that goes into PSU 10A 250V and the plug that goes into the outlet 16A 250V.
I am not sure which one of them is the Thermaltake Litepower one.

Either will do, even the small one can be used for 1200W PSU.

 

[InvalidError]

I just looked at two other power cords in my house and they all say, on the plug that goes into PSU 10A 250V and the plug that goes into the outlet 16A 250V.

If it has a C13 plug on it, it should be rated 10A. Any less is a violation of the IEC spec, any more is still technically out of spec and a violation of spec on the appliance inlet that requires a 15A C13 cord. Making it hypothetically impossible for people to use the wrong modular cord is the whole point of using different plugs for each load rating range. As long as your cables meet specs, then all cables with the same plugs are interchangeable.

 

[matacar]

Either will do, even the small one can be used for 1200W PSU.

Small one? Both cables look the same. On one end of a cable it says 10A 250V (I think it's called c13) , and on the other 16A 250V (the larger end, the one that goes into the wall outlet).
I got two of them and they look the same.

 

[matacar]

If it has a C13 plug on it, it should be rated 10A. Any less is a violation of the IEC spec, any more is still technically out of spec and a violation of spec on the appliance inlet that requires a 15A C13 cord. Making it hypothetically impossible for people to use the wrong modular cord is the whole point of using different plugs for each load rating range. As long as your cables meet specs, then all cables with the same plugs are interchangeable.

These are the power cords I have. I don't know which one is the Thermaltake one.

https://imgur.com/ITjfwtp

View: https://imgur.com/ITjfwtp

cable 1:

https://imgur.com/I57IMTR

View: https://imgur.com/I57IMTR

https://imgur.com/KGSaaj8

View: https://imgur.com/KGSaaj8

cable 2:

https://imgur.com/KwtNohJ

View: https://imgur.com/KwtNohJ

https://imgur.com/NCZTgGD

View: https://imgur.com/NCZTgGD

 

[InvalidError]

These are the power cords I have. I don't know which one is the Thermaltake one.

It doesn't matter. As long as they are properly made to IEC's C13 specs or better, they are all interchangeable. I probably have about 30 cables and never bothered to track which one came with what since they are all 3x#18.

Even cords with 2.5A modular cable plugs are #18 simply because that is the thinnest wire gauge that can safely pass enough current to trip a breaker or blow a fuse in case of a short.

 

[lvt]

Small one? Both cables look the same. On one end of a cable it says 10A 250V (I think it's called c13) , and on the other 16A 250V (the larger end, the one that goes into the wall outlet).
I got two of them and they look the same.

I mean the 10A vs 16A.

If your PSU is less than 1000W, any 10A 250V power cord is OK, aven at max output the PSU won't draw more than 5A from your wall socket.