PSUs 101: A Detailed Look Into Power Supplies

[Xivilain]

Very good piece. I enjoyed reading it. Just noticed some things:
Page 4: The formulas started using the letter 'x' instead of multiplication 'x'.
Page 22: Last sentence should be "--in *a* monitoring IC--".

 

[AnimeMania]

For a short future article can you write about PSU cables (which ones we need and how many) required to support the different types of motherboards.

 

[juanjostorreshernndez]

Very, very nice article.

Very deep article, with simple explanations making easy reading for all kind of users.
I was very impresed when i first read this article, the author (Aris Mpitziopoulos), must had spended a lot of time and do a lot of research in order to have it done, and it requires a lot of patience and dedication, once again great article and congrats for the author of this marvel.

Related to that traumadisaster user( really good nick for his way of thinking), He will be really traumatic when disaster comes to Him, its like he did not read the intro of this article, He most be bomb-prove or something acording to his comment :

I'm glad there are people dedicated to this but I'm not. I can't even read all of the chapter titles in this article. I disagree with the importance you place on this and all of the references you made to this being crucial knowledge.

PSU and MB are insignificant to me and I can blindly pick one by reviewing user comments from newegg in about 5 min, and it will last for years. For less than $100 each I'm set for nearly a decade.

CPU and gfx card now that affects fps and is over $1000, actually the most important part to me

 

[Flying-Q]

This is a very thorough article and I enjoyed the trip down memory lane. I feel it is a little too deep for a non-engineer's '101', but comprehensive nonetheless. Aris, you have included a lot of acronyms and un-annotated pictures which could bear little more description. I also feel that in the equations you have used superscript for descriptors which should really be subscript. this was especially confusing in the capacitor lifetime equation where you have superscript descriptors and also a (correct) superscript index for the power of 2.

V[sub]RMS[/sub] would be a better format.

 

[Flying-Q]

It seems the quick response does not accept BB code.

 

[justajohn]

Well worth the time it takes to read.

On a side note, I wouldn't blindly follow reviews for computer components... or for movies... both could end in a disastrous experience.

Thank you for this informative and well sequenced masterful article.

 

[g-unit1111]

This should be required reading for anyone who wants to build a PC, or anyone who wants to give advice on building PCs. Lots of good info here!

 

[OverK1lL]

Does anyone else find the new comparison tab harder to follow at all? I find it hard, when scrolling down the page, to remember the order of things.

Otherwise, great article. It covered pretty much everything I was unsure of and obviously learnt a lot more.

This should be required reading for anyone who wants to build a PC, or anyone who wants to give advice on building PCs. Lots of good info here!

I pretty much agree.

Although while anyone building or recommending system configurations should know the essentials, I wouldn't expect them to know all of the intricacies and calculations involved, just the essential stuff 😉

 

[AnimeMania]

Does anyone else find the new comparison tab harder to follow at all? I find it hard, when scrolling down the page, to remember the order of things.

I was having this problem as well, but the solution was simple. Either increase the width of the window or decrease the zoom of your window. This will change those tables that are just one single column with all the data jumbled together into actual and I might add very nice looking tables.

 

[JoBales]

Excellent article. I now have a better understand what the different parts are so that I can follow along in PSU reviews and when shopping for new hardware.

 

[aidynphoenix]

i have to disagree with your capacitor manufacturer recommendations..
Nichicon, ELNA and Vishay are the only brands i would recommend.

 

[turkey3_scratch]

I just noticed this article exists! It will definitely help me pursue my interest in power supplies further. I know this article is from September, but I just want to personally thank the author for writing a fantastic in-depth article.

 

[wewum]

I have no idea what I just read. I'm 14 and trying to learn about PSUs, but there are some terms which you assume that people know, however, I don't know them, and it's really confusing.

 

[Math Geek]

I have no idea what I just read. I'm 14 and trying to learn about PSUs, but there are some terms which you assume that people know, however, I don't know them, and it's really confusing.

google is your friend

i looked up a couple terms as well. read this like you are taking notes in school. and then actually take notes as you go. pretend you have a test on this later on. employ all the stuff you learned in english class like making an outline as you read of the main topics of each paragraph. draw a diagram or flow chart of how the electricity flows through the psu from the wall to each voltage rail. this will help you visualize and better understand what is actually a pretty complex topic.

it is too much to simply read with the radio cranked and half paying attention. you gonna have to study this article and probably read it a few times. i did everything i mentioned myself and i already knew about half of this information and came away pretty happy with what i was able to learn.

 

[turkey3_scratch]

I have no idea what I just read. I'm 14 and trying to learn about PSUs, but there are some terms which you assume that people know, however, I don't know them, and it's really confusing.

I recommend you start with the Hardwaresecrets ones which are easier to understand:

http://www.hardwaresecrets.com/everything-you-need-to-know-about-power-supplies/
http://www.hardwaresecrets.com/anatomy-of-switching-power-supplies/

 

[juanjostorreshernndez]

I really agree with turkey3_scratch, about Hardwaresecrets, very easier to understand.

 

[wewum]

Thanks.

 

[Virtual_Singularity]

Excellent article, I count it among one of the best written and most informative I've come across on this site. Many thanks Aris_MP, great job.