Upgrading a PSU

[putts832]

I have a HP e9200z computer with a Foxcon Aloe 1.01 MOBO/Phenom 11 X4 810 CPU/running W7 64 bit OS/8Mbs of memory/DVD-CD combo/EVGA GeForce 9800Gt video card. I have a 450W PSU with +12W 18A rail. I was told by EVGA that my PSU should supply at least 26A's. So I am looking to upgrade my PSU. HP told me I can't go any higher then a 550w PSU because it might hurt the CPU and the computer is configured to run with a max 550W PSU. Is that true? I found a Corsair HX650W modular PSU that would do the trick. But not knowing a lot about PSU and my CPU I don't want to hurt my computer by adding to large of a PSU. Any thoughts on this?

 

[obsidian86]

they talking BS you cant go as high on a power supply as you want if you power supply is rated 450 watts or 1500 watts and your pc only needs 300 watts they will both deliver the 300 watts that is needed

 

[JohnnyLucky]

Must be a misunderstanding or HP got it wrong.

A power supply will only supply the power that is actually needed to run a system. It will not supply excess power to the system. Therefore, a higher wattage psu cannot harm a computer system. For example, if you have a 650 watt power supply but the the system only requires 300 watts for operation while playing a game, then the psu will only supply the 300 watts. Same thing with power draw at the wall outlet. A psu will only draw the power necessary to operate the system.

I checked the Nvidia specifications for the GeForce 9800GT. According to Nvidia the power recommendation for a pc system with the video card is a 400 watt power supply with two 6 pin, 75 watt, PCI-e power connectors. Here's the link to the Nvidia web page:

http://www.nvidia.com/object/product_geforce_9800gt_us.html

I also checked the EVGA web site. The EVGA 9800 GT has a recommended minimum system power requirement of 400 watts. The card itself has a maximum draw of 105 watts.

 

[putts832]

Must be a misunderstanding or HP got it wrong.

A power supply will only supply the power that is actually needed to run a system. It will not supply excess power to the system. Therefore, a higher wattage psu cannot harm a computer system. For example, if you have a 650 watt power supply but the the system only requires 300 watts for operation while playing a game, then the psu will only supply the 300 watts. Same thing with power draw at the wall outlet. A psu will only draw the power necessary to operate the system.

I checked the Nvidia specifications for the GeForce 9800GT. According to Nvidia the power recommendation for a pc system with the video card is a 400 watt power supply with two 6 pin, 75 watt, PCI-e power connectors. Here's the link to the Nvidia web page:

http://www.nvidia.com/object/product_geforce_9800gt_us.html

I also checked the EVGA web site. The EVGA 9800 GT has a recommended minimum system power requirement of 400 watts. The card itself has a maximum draw of 105 watts.

I have worked with EVGA about my problem. For some reason the video card will stop working for a short time when I open a email with a video attachment the video card stops working. EVGA sent me a replacement card but the problem is still there. Will waiting for the replacement card I had to use a GeForce G210 video card that came with my computer. With that card install I didn't have any problems. So I thought maybe it's the PSU. EVGA shows that the video card does need a minimum of +12V 26Amps. What ever that means?? And my PSU only runs at +12V at 16 amps. I thought the difference would cause the problem??

 

[JohnnyLucky]

One of the problems with off the shelf systems is a lack of detailed specifications. HP, Dell, and Gateway, all fail to provide sufficient technical specifications about system components. This is particularly true of power supplies. In all probability your psu is an inexpensive OEM unit. Luckily your pc can accomodate just about any standard atx power supply.

The +12 rail(s) in a psu provide power to the cpu, the video card, and some other components. The +12 volt rail(s) supply about 75% of the power that a system uses.

The general rule of thumb is a high quality 500 to 550 watt power supply with sufficient current (amps) on the +12 volt rail(s) can easily power a system with any single video card made. A high quality 700 to 750 watt power supply with sufficient current (amps) on the +12 volt rail(s) can power a system with two video cards operating in dual mode. There are a few exceptions like the new ATI Radeon HD 5XXX series cards which use less power due to their energy efficiency and the brand new Nvidia Fermi 480 which actually requires more power.

A high quality 500 to 550 watt psu will have a +12 volt rail rated at 40 amps. A high quality 700 to 750 watt psu will have a +12 volt rail rated at 60 amps.

In addition the power supply should be at least 80+ Bronze certified for energy efficiency. There are some models available which have achieved 80+ Silver and 80+ Gold Certifications.

Before purchasing a new psu you will need to decide whether you will eventually have a pc with one or two video cards.

Corsair and Seasonic are two brands that have a reputation for high quality power supplies that consistently earn high marks in technical reviews. They are reliable, stable, and come with a 5 year warranty. Some of the newer models come with a 7 year warranty. Lately we've been seeing a few other brands offering some high quality units. One example would be the Antec Earthwatts and the Antec TruePower New series which are major improvements over Antec’s older psu’s like the Basiq models.

 

[putts832]

One of the problems with off the shelf systems is a lack of detailed specifications. HP, Dell, and Gateway, all fail to provide sufficient technical specifications about system components. This is particularly true of power supplies. In all probability your psu is an inexpensive OEM unit. Luckily your pc can accomodate just about any standard atx power supply.

The +12 rail(s) in a psu provide power to the cpu, the video card, and some other components. The +12 volt rail(s) supply about 75% of the power that a system uses.

The general rule of thumb is a high quality 500 to 550 watt power supply with sufficient current (amps) on the +12 volt rail(s) can easily power a system with any single video card made. A high quality 700 to 750 watt power supply with sufficient current (amps) on the +12 volt rail(s) can power a system with two video cards operating in dual mode. There are a few exceptions like the new ATI Radeon HD 5XXX series cards which use less power due to their energy efficiency and the brand new Nvidia Fermi 480 which actually requires more power.

A high quality 500 to 550 watt psu will have a +12 volt rail rated at 40 amps. A high quality 700 to 750 watt psu will have a +12 volt rail rated at 60 amps.

In addition the power supply should be at least 80+ Bronze certified for energy efficiency. There are some models available which have achieved 80+ Silver and 80+ Gold Certifications.

Before purchasing a new psu you will need to decide whether you will eventually have a pc with one or two video cards.

Corsair and Seasonic are two brands that have a reputation for high quality power supplies that consistently earn high marks in technical reviews. They are reliable, stable, and come with a 5 year warranty. Some of the newer models come with a 7 year warranty. Lately we've been seeing a few other brands offering some high quality units. One example would be the Antec Earthwatts and the Antec TruePower New series which are major improvements over Antec’s older psu’s like the Basiq models.

Thanks for the added information. I will check the PSU manf. that you recommend. Corsair offers a modular PSU (HX 650W) and I like that. The HP case is a mid size and doesn't have a lot or room for cables. At least I know more about PSU's then when the day started, LOL.. Again thanks!

 

[putts832]

Best answer selected by putts832.