PSU, LED Lights, Case Fans, Cold Cathode...and Pow

[Makaveli]

How to check that i'm not exceeding my PSU?

I've basically been working on my case for a couple months on and off. And just would like to know with all the extra's. How does one know when he is getting close to exceeding his Power.

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[Obtuse]

Each of those should have a draw. The draw should be given as a certain amount of amps on a certain rail. For instance, a case fan may draw .5 amps on the 12v rail. There is a power supply calculator on toms, you can add up all your components and see how they measure up. I'd be more concerned about overloading your 12v rail than exceeding your wattage.

"It's too late now anyway. That song is stuck in my head and the only way to get rid of it is to blow it out. With a bullet!! - Carl

 

[Crashman]

Power supplies will generally tend to drop voltage as they reach their limit. Better power supplies will hold voltage stable until they reach their limit and shut off. If you're experiencing voltage problems it's time to replace it. If you force the power supply to reset it's time for a larger unit.

The numbers mean almost nothing as companies have different standards for stability. The difference between "It can reach that output for a second with a minor voltage drop" and "It can hold that output for years problem free" affect how accurate the numbers are.

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[Crashman]

That almost never works. For example, Antec's true power series has fairly accurate lables. Fortron underates theirs to assure their units live a long and stable life. Other companies often have theirs rated for an amperage only sustainable for short periods of time, and each company decides for themselves the duty cycle (1 second every ten minutes? 2 minutes every 10 minutes?).

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[Makaveli]

i'm not experiencing any problems at all computer is 100% stable. My question was more for curiousity sake.

 

[Mr5oh]

If your not expeirencing any problems, and your voltages are normal, I wouldn't worry about it. Truthfully fans and lights do draw some amps, but this is minimal, if some fans and a light throw you over the edge, your PSU was to small to begin with.

Since you aren't haveing problems, your fine, so don't worry about it.

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