If this is your first visit, be sure to check out the FAQ by clicking the link above. You may have to register before you can post: click the register link above to proceed. To start viewing messages, select the forum that you want to visit from the selection below. |
|
|
Thread Tools | Display Modes |
#1
|
|||
|
|||
New Power Supply Suggestions
Hi
Looks like I need a new power supply. At the moment, I've got just the 1HD, 2 CD/DVD drives, 2 USB peripherals and that's really about it (1.3Ghz processor, 512 ram) - is a 300w jeantech suitable (i'm in the uk and want to buy one tomorrow from a "real" shop)? Or are there any other reasonably cheap suggestions for a decent power supply for these specs? Thanks for the help. |
#3
|
|||
|
|||
On Sat, 08 Oct 2005 22:28:59 GMT, wrote:
Hi Looks like I need a new power supply. At the moment, I've got just the 1HD, 2 CD/DVD drives, 2 USB peripherals and that's really about it (1.3Ghz processor, 512 ram) - is a 300w jeantech suitable (i'm in the uk and want to buy one tomorrow from a "real" shop)? Or are there any other reasonably cheap suggestions for a decent power supply for these specs? It is a bit self-defeating to try to think "decent" within a context of "reasonably cheap". If you're only willing to spend $20, all your choices will be more similar low-quality, than different. Even so, 1.3GHz CPU (if it's not an Athlon) and the other parts mentioned (so long as you dont' have a (for it's era) power-hungry gamer's video card) aren't a very high load and any name-brand quality 250W to 300W PSU would suffice. In a generic, 300W might be cutting it a bit too close, there are so-called 400W generics I wouldn't use but 200W mATX supplies I might... depends on the specific supply and "jeantech" sounds about as generic as it gets. Do you really need to buy it from a shop? Usually the shops' overhead is higher than shipping on something like this, particularly in the low-end units the overhead is a disproportionately higher % of total cost. That's in the US though, I don't know UK shops but don't see any reason why they'd be different in that regard. I suggest a name-brand 300W, like Sparkle/Fortron or Antec, maybe an Enlight 340+W but not Enlight 300W. Issues with cheap generic PSU include actual capacity but even on a light load there are others, like use of cheap questionable capacitors and short-lived fans. If you had any thought about replacing the system in the next couple years, it might even make sense to buy a far better PSU than you could possibly need, with the idea of reusing it in your next system. |
#4
|
|||
|
|||
Thanks for the replies
Do you really need to buy it from a shop? Usually the Yes - on this occasion - simply because its the weekend when I have the time to do it and I don't need to wait - the £5 I could save online is worth it in time and convenience (not having a pc and not having time later on when it turns up in 2 days time!). Thanks for the tips on brands, much obliged. I sent another post this evening with another problem related to the PSU but the post seems to have gone missing (I attached 2 pics for ref) - basically the PSU motherboard power connector seems to have leaked an oily substance (corrosion?) onto the motherboard side of the connection as well as the PSU's connector (hope that makes sense). Can I take the old PSU out and replace it, even though the mobo's connection has this 'corrosion' mark on it (smells singed / burnt)? |
#5
|
|||
|
|||
On Sun, 09 Oct 2005 01:04:32 GMT, wrote:
Thanks for the replies Do you really need to buy it from a shop? Usually the Yes - on this occasion - simply because its the weekend when I have the time to do it and I don't need to wait - the £5 I could save online is worth it in time and convenience (not having a pc and not having time later on when it turns up in 2 days time!). Well it wasn't just about saving the fiver, but about getting to pick exactly what you wanted, or alot closer at least. Also it's often the case that a local shop may not have many good value offerings, they'll have a lot of crap then something a bit overpriced as the other alternative like a $100, 500W Antec, which is quite a bit more than your system needs. Thanks for the tips on brands, much obliged. I sent another post this evening with another problem related to the PSU but the post seems to have gone missing (I attached 2 pics for ref) - basically the PSU motherboard power connector seems to have leaked an oily substance (corrosion?) onto the motherboard side of the connection as well as the PSU's connector (hope that makes sense). Can I take the old PSU out and replace it, even though the mobo's connection has this 'corrosion' mark on it (smells singed / burnt)? I have seen a lot of power supply failures but never one where there was an oily substance leaking from the connector. At first I was suspecting that you may have had a capacitor(s) failure and this was the liquid. Then you described the singed/burnt detail and I wonder if a poor connection had overheaded it and decomposed the insulation or portion of the connector. You do need to get all the residue off of the mating surface of the motherboard connector, off the metal pins in it. They're quite small and it will be difficult to do but I would try pulling the board out and very liberally spraying it with contact cleaner, carefully (keeping the board straight and preventing it from flexing) shaking out excess contact cleaner, then spraying more contact cleaner on it and shaking it out again, repeating this a few times. If the residue remains, there is a good chance it will not only foul contact, but get in the new power supply connector as well then both are questionable. Technically it's possible to entirely remove the ATX connector from the motherboard, but is a rather advanced thing to do, generally something that wouldn't need suggested to someone already competent and capable of doing it. Sometimes a board failure causes this kind of excessive current draw and it could be that you need both a new PSU and a new board. Since the old PSU is of marginal capacity for the system it's hard to say whether testing it outside of system use to confirm a basic functionality would ensure it would run the system. This is one of those situations were a shop could more easily figure out which and how many parts were faulty simply because they had spares around to verify the operation of everything... but then the cost would be higher than replacing a few parts too. I still like the idea I'd made previously that if you overbuy a bigger PSU than needed, you can reuse it on the next system build, while a lowest-reasonable-cost PSU to run that system will most likely not be suitable for reuse. |
Thread Tools | |
Display Modes | |
|
|
Similar Threads | ||||
Thread | Thread Starter | Forum | Replies | Last Post |
Power supply, but no power??? | U. Cortez | General Hardware | 27 | September 2nd 05 12:31 AM |
P4P800-E Deluxe - saga continues - this time no video post on power-up + different BIOS full screen logos... | Technik | Asus Motherboards | 2 | August 28th 05 06:36 AM |
UPS unit needed for the P4C800E-Deluxe | jimbo | Asus Motherboards | 46 | April 12th 05 05:17 PM |
GP6-300 Power Supply, Radeon video problem | Marty | Gateway Computers | 2 | January 6th 05 01:16 AM |
Maxtor 120 GB HD clicks constantly on Intel CA810EAL system when all by itself | Rod Speed | Storage (alternative) | 1 | April 5th 04 07:24 PM |