Two power supplies powering 1 system?

[shall1990]

Heres my situation:

I thought my video card was defective, so I requested an RMA to support and they told me to check my power supply to see if it's strong enough. They recommended me to disconnect the cd drives and case fans. I attempted what they suggested; my problem was solved; yet now I need a new power supply.

Till now I realized I have an extra PSU laying around. it is 450W.

I wonder, if I can use my current PSU 600W to power everything else, and let the 450W power the cd + dvd drives and case fans. Is this possible? Will this raise the electric bill? Is it dangerous?

 

[dashelj]

It is possible. You can get small add on power supplies which power video cards, I have seen them at some retailers. You have to figure out where you are going to put the second power supply.

It would use more power than just a 600 W power supply but I dont think it would use substantially more power than using a 750W or whatever you would need. As to specific dangers - I wouldnt think there would be any but some else should probably comment on that.

 

[chookman]

one of these

http://www.performance-pcs.com/catalog/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=186&products_id=21193

 

[croc]

Heres my situation:

I thought my video card was defective, so I requested an RMA to support and they told me to check my power supply to see if it's strong enough. They recommended me to disconnect the cd drives and case fans. I attempted what they suggested; my problem was solved; yet now I need a new power supply.

Till now I realized I have an extra PSU laying around. it is 450W.

I wonder, if I can use my current PSU 600W to power everything else, and let the 450W power the cd + dvd drives and case fans. Is this possible? Will this raise the electric bill? Is it dangerous?

What in the hell are you running that a 600 W PSU won't support? (I could do mild welding with 600W!) Or is it a 600W rosewill....

Anyway your plan to power the drives and fans with the 450W psu WILL work, but it will be a messy solution. I envision a PSU lying on the ground, witn molex extender cables running through a butchered hole in the case....

 

[uberman]

LOL....

 

[Solitaire]

What in the hell are you running that a 600 W PSU won't support? (I could do mild welding with 600W!) Or is it a 600W rosewill....

Amen to that! What's in there? Quadcore? EE- or D-series P4 CPU? SLI/CF VGA config? Or just one 2900? :lol: (two 2900XT's in CrossFire could do it, you'd need half the National Grid for that! :lol: )

Either get a bigger PSU, or get an add-on module as described above. Use the DIY fix you outlined only temporarily if you're desperate. But if you don't have one of the above it does suggest something is wrong... in which case try the 450W, it should be capable of powering a system on its lonesome if you don't have some crazy OCing or a dual-card setup going!

 

[shall1990]

one of these

http://www.performance-pcs.com/catalog/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=186&products_id=21193

It looks good I may check that out soon.

 

[nukemaster]

Heads up, my system takes 330 watts from the wall and under 300(bout 280) on the DC side.
Pr
Load test isime95 and 3dmarks 2006...and winamp for good measure....
Case: Antec 900
PSU: OCZ 700watt
Board: P35 DS3R
CPU: Q6600 @ 3.00
CPU cooling : Zalman 9500 @ 500-2200 rpms(PWM)
Memory: 2x 1024MB ,2X 512MB @ 4,4,4,10
Video: 8800GTX 600(core) 1400(shader) 900 x2(memory)
Storage:
2x WDC 250gig (Raid0)
2x Seagate 320gig(Storage)
2x Seagate 500gig(Storage)
1x 500gig Seagate (Backup-external) - Not included as its getting power elsewhere
Optical drive: Samsung SH-W162[Dying as you read this]
KB/Mouse: Logitech Access 600 , G9 Mouse
TV card: PVR 250
Sound: Creative SB Audigy 2zs
Screen: Samsung 950b (LCD) - not included 30-35 watts
Speakers: Altec Lansing Select 641 - Not counted on the 330 as they vary allot with volume

So..... as said above, what the hell needs 600+

 

[dmacfour]

I experimented once and spliced 2 250w power supplies together, and it worked. all of my drives and HDDs were ran off of one, and the mobo was hooked into both. the comp looked like a freak with a power supply welded to the outside of the case with wires going everywhere.

 

[nuklep]

I hate users like op. Just looking for the answer and not contributing at all. Others are just curious, how much pain is it to just tell us what setup you are running. SUCH a LEECH

 

[chookman]

I hate users like op. Just looking for the answer and not contributing at all. Others are just curious, how much pain is it to just tell us what setup you are running. SUCH a LEECH

Isnt that part point of a forum? ask a question get an answer.

I dont see you complaining when someone asks whats dual lan for or some other legitimate question. Why do we need to know what his rig is if all the OP asks is how to run 2 PSU's at once on the same machine? You give an answer and move on...

 

[delluser1]

Anyway your plan to power the drives and fans with the 450W psu WILL work, but it will be a messy solution. I envision a PSU lying on the ground, witn molex extender cables running through a butchered hole in the case....

You've got to see this
http://www.tomshardware.com/forum/247041-33-ghetto-cooling-solution-8800gt

 

[nuklep]

Isnt that part point of a forum? ask a question get an answer.

I dont see you complaining when someone asks whats dual lan for or some other legitimate question. Why do we need to know what his rig is if all the OP asks is how to run 2 PSU's at once on the same machine? You give an answer and move on...

sure "get your answer and move on" works, but how does that make the "online community" a real community? It lacks that feeling. Thats just my idea.

 

[chookman]

sure "get your answer and move on" works, but how does that make the "online community" a real community? It lacks that feeling. Thats just my idea.

I believe theres a community here , you only have to check out some of the flame war threads or the people that wear there heart on there sleeves. There alot of respect for the long time posters and plenty of conversation to boot. However, I believe sometimes a simple question just needs a simple answer.

 

[croc]

I hate users like op. Just looking for the answer and not contributing at all. Others are just curious, how much pain is it to just tell us what setup you are running. SUCH a LEECH

And what have you contributed, stranger, in your 17 posts? I hate strangers that pop in here and immediately start criticising... So either contribute, or just watch and learn. Asking questions, imo, is often a valuable contribution.

 

[Onus]

I've got to agree with croc's first post in this thread. What are you running that a 600W PSU can't handle? The best suggestion you may get is to:
a. refer to the PSU calculator at http://www.extreme.outervision.com/psucalculatorlite.jsp to determine your load, then
b. Choose a big enough unit from tier-3 or better from the list at http://www.tomswiki.com/page/Tiered+PSU+Listings?t=anon.

If the PSU calculator suggests that you need, say, 430W, then you know that either your "600"W PSU is a Rosewill or other piece of dried poo, or you have other problems in your build that are adding unaccounted-for load, which another PSU won't fix.

 

[nuklep]

And what have you contributed, stranger, in your 17 posts? I hate strangers that pop in here and immediately start criticising... So either contribute, or just watch and learn. Asking questions, imo, is often a valuable contribution.

Falling on oh so convenient Ad Hominem Tu Quoque? As far as watching and learning, do you think my post count will tell you how long i've been watching? or will even my join date say anything? I've been watching longer than you think. I try to add where I can. When I don't have a response I don't say anything. maybe that explains why I have 17 posts. I don't make "I agree" posts to swell my post count. Because post count does not tell the whole story. You miss my point. I am just asking for a better community feeling. But I guess if honorary posters like you here stomp on 17 count posters, it will never happen. And if you think I am stomping on a 2 count poster, remember I am just asking him to post more (not asking him to shutup)

 

[KyleSTL]

Optical drive: Samsung SH-W162[Dying as you read this]

I hear you nuke, my DVD+-RW DL is dying and fails to eject properly ~90% of the time.

[highjack over]

I am also confused what would constitute using such a setup of dual PSUs (especially because it's not being used for parity).

 

[dodian]

You guys have to keep in mind that its the amps on the 12V rail/s and the effiency of the power supply that matters, not simply the wattage. If I were you, I would sell both my power supplies and buy a pc power and cooling silencer 610 watt supply.

 

[michiganteddybear]

it would actually be easy to do what the OP wants, but why?? he obviously (to me) has a failing ps if its rated at 600 and cant run his system.

 

[croc]

"I hate users like op. Just looking for the answer and not contributing at all. Others are just curious, how much pain is it to just tell us what setup you are running. SUCH a LEECH"

Looks more like a flame to me, rather than a request to the OP for more information....

 

[coldneutron]

If your PS has multiple 12V rails, you might be near the limit on one, in which case you can try to rebalance the load by switching power connectors around.

 

[nuklep]

"I hate users like op. Just looking for the answer and not contributing at all. Others are just curious, how much pain is it to just tell us what setup you are running. SUCH a LEECH"

Looks more like a flame to me, rather than a request to the OP for more information....

point taken. 4 other posters had requested more info and it was just frustrating to see op ignore all those requests

 

[croc]

point taken. 4 other posters had requested more info and it was just frustrating to see op ignore all those requests

I was also requesting more information, but if the OP doesn't want to respond, oh well. Maybe some day we'll find out what the OP did, maybe not. Either way, most of the community did their best to try to help, with what limited information was available.

 

[Zorg]

The whole flame war is kind of funny. I see all kinds of threads started with insufficient information to even consider giving any assistance. Does the OP think we are mind readers? Many posters did indicate that his 600w PSU was probably a POS, and it probably is, but we don't have a definitive answer. The OP is ready to add his 450w PSU to the system which is, more than likely, the most foolish thing to do in his circumstance.

@OP: Try posting your specs, so that you can get informed advice. If you have a junk 600W PSU, then adding a 450W PSU to mask this will probably result in the destruction of your whole system.

Or, just add the additional PSU and take your chances. Be sure to post back when it fries, and let us know if there were any pretty flames.