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#1
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OK To Change PSU For Higher Wattage ?
I've got a mini/micro tower with 112W PSU. This supply is getting noisy,
presumably with age. The nearest equivalent PSU I can find on the net/ebay is 150 Watts. Would this be OK to use ?. My processor is Celeron (PII equivalent) on an Intel 810 board. I've used a PSU calculator website which shows my estimated overall usage to be 125 Watts , and I don't want to overload the board etc. Any comments on this please ? Michael. |
#2
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"Michael" wrote in message . .. I've got a mini/micro tower with 112W PSU. This supply is getting noisy, presumably with age. The nearest equivalent PSU I can find on the net/ebay is 150 Watts. Would this be OK to use ?. My processor is Celeron (PII equivalent) on an Intel 810 board. I've used a PSU calculator website which shows my estimated overall usage to be 125 Watts , and I don't want to overload the board etc. Any comments on this please ? Going for higher output will be fine, bear in mind that you probably need an AT psu not ATX - check your old one, if you need AT then ATX will not work / fit. I assume it's a fan that's making the noise, if the psu is fine otherwise why not replace the fan - probably cost a few £/$, a replacement (second-hand) AT psu will probably be of the same age as yours anyway. -- Apollo |
#3
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On Thu, 7 Oct 2004 08:31:58 +0100, "Michael"
wrote: I've got a mini/micro tower with 112W PSU. This supply is getting noisy, presumably with age. The nearest equivalent PSU I can find on the net/ebay is 150 Watts. Would this be OK to use ?. My processor is Celeron (PII equivalent) on an Intel 810 board. I've used a PSU calculator website which shows my estimated overall usage to be 125 Watts , and I don't want to overload the board etc. Any comments on this please ? Michael. You don't need an AT, a mATX is what you're looking for. Pay attention to which side mounts to the rear wall of the case, the long or shorter side, since there are two configurations for PSU having about the same dimensions. Yes you can buy a larger wattage unit and it is a good idea to do so. The wattage is only the maximum capacity, not a figure that could cause "overload" or anything like that. I'd be weary of ebay or unknown generic brands though, better to get something like a Sparkle 180-200W from someplace with good service and return policy like http:www.newegg.com On the other hand, a noisey fan may just need lubed. If you unplug it from AC for a few minutes then open it, take out fan, peel back label, a couple drops of thick oil may do the trick, or you could replace the whole fan if it's plugged, detachable... or even if it's soldered onto the PCB if you're inclined to do so. |
#4
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"Michael" wrote in message ...
I've got a mini/micro tower with 112W PSU. This supply is getting noisy, The nearest equivalent PSU I can find on the net/ebay is 150 Watts. My processor is Celeron (PII equivalent) on an Intel 810 board. I've used a PSU calculator website which shows my estimated overall usage to be 125 Watts , and I don't want to overload the board etc. Those calculators tend to estimate on the high side. A system like yours will probably work fine with any good 90W supply, and many mini systems have included very good supplies, makes such as Astec (not Antec), Fortron, Delta, Newton, and Meanwell. I'd be reluctant to substitute a mini-ATX (mATX) supply with just anything, especially an eBay mystery brand, even one rated for much higher wattage. www.pricewatch.com, www.newegg.com, and www.directron.com list some mATX models, the largest I've seen being rated 180W (possibly Fortron). Fans aren't difficult to replace but require knowledge of working on high voltage devices. Unplug the power cord and don't merely turn off the power strip switch. If the new fan doesn't simply plug in, either solder to the board or splice in (cut original fan wires several inches from the board), making good splices (butt splices covered with heatshrink, wire nuts) because I've seen wires simply twisted together and covered with electrical tape, which can create shorts when the tape unravels, possibly to high voltage (heatsinks can be live). |
#5
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As has been mentioned it is probably just the fan.
Have a look at the fan to make sure it is not catching on anything. Fan are really simple devices and a clean up and/or a drop of oil should do the trick. "Michael" wrote in message . .. I've got a mini/micro tower with 112W PSU. This supply is getting noisy, presumably with age. The nearest equivalent PSU I can find on the net/ebay is 150 Watts. Would this be OK to use ?. My processor is Celeron (PII equivalent) on an Intel 810 board. I've used a PSU calculator website which shows my estimated overall usage to be 125 Watts , and I don't want to overload the board etc. Any comments on this please ? Michael. |
#6
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Its definitely not the fans , I replaced the cpu fan. Its also not the 8cm
psu fan, its whisper quiet. Also connected psu fan to a battery to verify it. I also bought a new 8cm fan which made a lot more noise when connected to a battery , didn't connect it to psu though. Mike. "terry smith" wrote in message ... As has been mentioned it is probably just the fan. Have a look at the fan to make sure it is not catching on anything. Fan are really simple devices and a clean up and/or a drop of oil should do the trick. |
#7
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What kind of noise is it?
I don't know what else could make a noise, capacitors can sometimes make a noise I think, or you hay have some sort sparking or soomething like that? "Michael" wrote in message ... Its definitely not the fans , I replaced the cpu fan. Its also not the 8cm psu fan, its whisper quiet. Also connected psu fan to a battery to verify it. I also bought a new 8cm fan which made a lot more noise when connected to a battery , didn't connect it to psu though. Mike. "terry smith" wrote in message ... As has been mentioned it is probably just the fan. Have a look at the fan to make sure it is not catching on anything. Fan are really simple devices and a clean up and/or a drop of oil should do the trick. |
#8
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A whining noise,bit like aircraft taxiing on a runway ! When it first boots
up everything noisewise is ok but after about 5 minutes start to hear this whining noise which gradually gets more and more noticeable. I don't have to do any work on the computer to hear this noise ,but if I am working it doesn't show itself in errors on the screen etc. The only problems I have had in the recent past was keyboard and mouse locking up after about an hour or so usage.The keyboard and mouse then resume working after about 2 minutes. Mike. "terry smith" wrote in message ... What kind of noise is it? I don't know what else could make a noise, capacitors can sometimes make a noise I think, or you hay have some sort sparking or soomething like that? |
#9
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"Michael" wrote in message ...
Its definitely not the fans , I replaced the cpu fan. Its also not the 8cm psu fan, its whisper quiet. Also connected psu fan to a battery to verify it. I also bought a new 8cm fan which made a lot more noise when connected to a battery , didn't connect it to psu though. Which brings us to the Q : What's making the noise ? If something other than the fans is noisy, it warrants investigation unless you're sure that it's the PSU, in which case it'd be better to replace it. Personally I use a medical stethoscope to pinpoint the source of abnormal noise inside an electronic product. I remove the contact pad (the piece doctors place on your chest), point the rubber pipe to possible sources and usually manage to isolate the culprit in a few seconds. Vibration transmitted along the metal case structure can make this a bit tricky. If you're going to open the PSU to check which component is noisy while it's powered on, BE CAREFUL ! Not recommended for the untrained. As others have pointed out, it won't do any harm to use a PSU with a higher rating. It will *not* force the higher power/current to flow into your PC. It's simply the max that can be drawn from it without overtaxing the PSU. |
#10
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"Michael" wrote in message ...
Its definitely not the fans , I replaced the cpu fan. Its also not the 8cm psu fan, its whisper quiet. Also connected psu fan to a battery to verify it. I also bought a new 8cm fan which made a lot more noise when connected to a battery , didn't connect it to psu though. Mike. Which brings us to the Q : What's making the noise ? If something other than the fans is noisy, it warrants investigation unless you're sure that it's the PSU, in which case it'd be better to replace it. Personally I use a medical stethoscope to pinpoint the source of abnormal noise inside an electronic product. I remove the contact pad (the piece doctors place on your chest), point the rubber pipe to possible sources and usually manage to isolate the culprit in a few seconds. Vibration transmitted along the metal case structure can make this a bit tricky. If you're going to open the PSU to check which component is noisy while it's powered on, BE CAREFUL ! Not recommended for the untrained. As others have pointed out, it won't do any harm to use a PSU with a higher rating. It will *not* force the higher power/current to flow into your PC. It's simply the max that can be drawn from it without overtaxing the PSU. |
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