Archived from groups: alt.comp.hardware.pc-homebuilt (
More info?)
Many power supply vendors can use fancy hype, colored
chassis, and lower prices to dump inferior power supplies into
the country. It is especially easy to do in a market where
those who claim to be experts don't even know how electricity
works. A power supply must, at minimum, contain functions
that were even required 30 years ago. To sell power supplies
at below $60 retail, its easy. Just forget to include
essential functions. If the sales brochure does not mention
them, then many computer 'experts' will recommend it only on
one real number - price - and one often fictitious number -
watts.
A power supply that is minimally acceptable will, up front,
claim to include essential functions, in writing. A very
abridged list of those specs from another power supply vendor
whose supply, of course, costs more:
Specification compliance: ATX 2.03 & ATX12V v1.1
Short circuit protection on all outputs
Over voltage protection
Over power protection
PFC harmonics compliance: EN61000-3-2 + A1 + A2
EMI/RFI compliance: CE, CISPR22 & FCC part 15 class B
Safety compliance: VDE, TUV, D, N, S, Fi, UL, C-UL & CB
Hold up time, full load: 16ms. typical
Efficiency; 100-120VAC and full range: >65%
Dielectric withstand, input to frame/ground: 1800VAC, 1sec.
Dielectric withstand, input to output: 1800VAC, 1sec.
Ripple/noise: 1%
MTBF, full load @ 25°C amb.: >100k hrs
Where does that manufacturer even try to claim any of this?
Dumping inferior supplies can be more profitable that selling
minimally acceptable supplies when the 'experts' are nothing
more than computer assemblers - don't even have basic
electricity training.
If the power supply is really 350 watts, then it is more
than enough for most every system (current technology) you
might construct. Most every computer works just fine with a
250 watt supply. But again, a 250 watt supply that really is
250 watts. With 'dumped' supplies (sold on price), real
output wattage is unknown.
Unknown what your original problems were. But without basic
electrical numbers for a failure analysis, then the original
problem and why it exists is probably unknown. How people
with electrical knowledge quickly analyze power supply
problems in minutes? Notice the absolute need for a simple,
ubiquitous, and inexpensive tool. Without that 3.5 digit
multimeter, then you are probably spitting in the wind - or
wishing your eyes can see electrons. Even failed electronic
parts almost always have no external indication of failure:
"Computer doesnt start at all" in alt.comp.hardware on 10
Jan 2004 at
http://tinyurl.com/2t69q or
"I think my power supply is dead" in alt.comp.hardware on 5
Feb 2004 at
http://tinyurl.com/yvbw9
Jess Fertudei wrote:
> First... thanks for the opinions to the last question... I will
> try the power supply as I will need to bump that up a bit over
> my current 350 sooner or later anyhow.
>
> I am replacing the power supply on a budget, but... I also want
> to have enough umpffff for future budget upgrades (looking
> toward XP2600 or 3000, 333 or 400 board maybe, 1GDDR DVD burner
> Radeon 9100) possibly in future. I also need to quiet this thing
> down a bit, if I can. I just cannot afford the top end stuff,
> so I searched and seem to see this as the best of the cheapos:
>
> What does anyone think of this as an economical solution with
> some forward upgrading expected?
>
>
http://www.directron.com/tt450ss4fanc.html
>
> There's an 'Overclockers' link that has a good breakdown on it.
>
> Thanks for looking at it.
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