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520w is not enough... Zippy 700w psa-6701p?

C

cdcushman

Member
Hello all!
New to posting at fourm, but have been a really good listener.
First off I would like to thank all of you for your indirect/wonderful help in designing my first new rig. I've successfully built my first new computer and it is, well was, running great.

I'm using the A8N sli delux
3500+ winchester
thermaltake xaser V (lots of fans)
vantec stealth 520w
74g raptor
100g 7200
1g corsair
nec dvd rw
evga 6800 gt
winxp MC2005
all the latest nvidia drivers/bios etc (1004)
etc etc

Recently I installed the *evga dual tv tuner* and kaboom! not enough power.
Well, thats what I am guessing, as I have started to recieve Machine_check_exceptions
after watching tv for a while.

Now, my plan is to throw in another 6800gt when i can afford it, another 200gb hard drive, cause they are getting really cheap, and have no doubt that, with all ive loaded into this machine, the stealth will not be enough, though I would not bash it as its a wonderful supply, I'm just over accesorizing, if you will and did not prepair for it.

So, I've done my research, as I always do, and it has led me here:

Zippy 700w psa-6701p

As it is rather new, I am assuming, and still hard to find/expensive, I would like to find out more info on it before I start the quest of finding one at a "reasonable" price.

I've searched the forums and have found mention of it as great, but no details...

Am I missing something? Anyone have one yet?
I need details!!!!

-conectors? 24-20? how many standard 4pin (i need alot)
-"sli support" pcix2x?
-rails
-comments on working with my system,room to grow after all mentioned set up?

maybe:
-other reccomendations 700+
-release date on the PC 850?

Thanks guys!
:beer:

 
a decent 520 watt power supply should be able to handle that rig with no problem, i think the problem is somewhere else. A TV tuner card shouldn't push any setup over the edge, it draws almost no power.
 
700W is overkill for a desktop system. Even a 480-500W is overkill for your system. Save some cash and get a 480W. 700W is for servers and the like.
 
Welcome to the ATForums.

http://www.madshrimps.be has a review. But the very Zippy-like Sparkle FSP550-60PLG is more than adequate for any system that can fit into a standard mid-tower case - save at least a hundred and a half (not likely to find the Zippy 700 for less than $270.+). The Sparkle is very similar to the Zippy 460-550W units which are also overkill for most syttems.
And the Zippy 600-700W units are 8.66" deep! So you need to check for clearance...

. BTW, Zippy has been around quite a while. It's just that they used to be sold mainly into the server market (most of their PSUs have very long wires - 22" on the ATX connector is typical). Now the fan boys have latched onto them.

.bh.
 
Interesting, good to know, i'm still learning
well my machine check exception research led me to power supply issues...
i'll research more, anyone run into this problem with similar setup?
😕
 
That is strange, I wonder if the issue is the mobo, somehow. (Not enough caps on the board, too much power-draw from the peripherals?) Or CPU cooling. I would run with the CPU at stock, or possibly underclocked, and stop running so many fans, and see if the issue clears up?
It's possible that the CPU, GFX, RAM, and fans, are all loading down the +12V line too much, I suppose. If the power was really low, I'm surprised that you wouldn't get power warnings from the 6800GT first.

Have you tried using MBM5 or another proggy to monitor voltages? In terms of absolute voltage readings, the mobo sensors can be inaccurate, but in terms of relative loading, watching the values go down or fluctuate more as you add more load, can be a sign that you need a better PSU.

If you are using the factory-stock TT PSU - those do have a slight reputation for having difficulty with tight regulation of the +12V line at high load levels.
 
I once got a power warning from the 6800 when i first put togeth, following this, I hooked in the 4pin pciX additional ez plug on the mobo and havent seen since, although i think its only to help in sli mode...

im using the vantec 520w, which came highly reccomended

I'll post some voltage readings when i get home for lunch...
 
ok at home playing with my comp a little on lunch
voltage readings
vcore 1.39
3.3v 3.32v
5v 4.99
12v 11.77v ???

i removed my tv tuner, since its the only thing that i have installed since my computer was working perfectly, going to try same conditions that gave it "blue screen" (machine_check_exceptions) see if its the tuner causing this...

so what do you think is up with the 11.77v?
could that be enough to cause the exception?

coltage readings didn't change when tv tuner was removed
well... the 4.99 went to 5.02, nothing drastic though
 
Well, the absolute readings don't mean all that much, as the mobo's sensors can, and usually are, off by a bit. What's more interesting is how those numbers change under load. For one thing, what happens when you remove all un-necessary peripherals and fans? Take some readings then, and save them. Then compare them to the readings that you get with them all installed, and then check the readings when running something like Prime95 or 3DMark (or both running together). If you got power warnings from the 6800GT, while in operation, then you probably are running into the "red zone" on the PSU.

I'm fuzzy about the "machine_check_exception" thing though. That could be caused by power instabilities, but it doesn't make sense that adding/removing just that one card should cause that problem. In fact, the power draw fluctuations between the 6800GT at idle and under load (3DMark, etc.), would seem likely greater than the power draw of a TV card. Unless the issue is more with the +5V rail, and the video card and CPU are primarily running off of the +12V. The DRAM should be running off of the +5V, most likely.

Have you tried an extended Prime95 and Prime95 + 3DMark03 burn-in cycle (24hr)? I'd try it without the tv card installed first, and then add the TV card. I'm wondering if there isn't something else going on here, buggy driver, spurious interrupt, etc., although that shouldn't rule out there also being a potential power issue.
 
If your really after a PSU still, I'd suggest the PC power and cooling 510 SLI or pretty much any good brand PSU w/ at least 26A on the 12V rail if your thinking about SLI in the future.
 
Larry,
Appreciate your continued responses.
Ok, I am new to those kind of tests, as I am new to building my own.
I did some prelim research and have located where to acquire and some basic info on them. So... I guess I have a project for tonight. I do agree with you though, after additional research and your posts, I too am begining to think something is "fishy" here.

Are there any "good" or "accurate" power monitors out there that will help me track my power through all of this?

Thanks again! 😀
 
suprisingly, a quality 350W is plenty to handle all that. what's more amazing is that a 240W shuttle xpc psu can handle even more than that.
 
FYI

0x0000009C: MACHINE_CHECK_EXCEPTION
(Click to consult the online MSDN article.)
This is a hardware issue: an unrecoverable hardware error has occurred. The parameters have different meanings depending on what type of CPU you have but, while diagnostic, rarely lead to a clear solution. Most commonly it results from overheating, from failed hardware (RAM, CPU, hardware bus, power supply, etc.), or from pushing hardware beyond its capabilities (e.g., overclocking a CPU).

http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=329284&sd=RMVP
 
11.40V is spec (12V +/- 5%) minimum for +12V rail, so 11.77 (though probably inaccurate if from software monitor) should be fine. Don't rely on monitor software. Get a Digital Multimeter - decent ones can be had for under $20. Use the software monitor that comes closest to your meter readings.
.bh.
p.s. I've extensively edited my earlier post, so take another look.bh.
 
Originally posted by: MrControversial
700W is overkill for a desktop system. Even a 480-500W is overkill for your system. Save some cash and get a 480W. 700W is for servers and the like.
Click to expand...

Yea, why waste the extra money on a 700 watt psu when a quality 350 would be just fine. I bought a 520 watt psu and thats already overkill. 🙂
 
If you are looking for a psu to run 2 gt6800 cards, the pcp&c 510 sli is the ONLY psu approved by nvidia.

http://www.pcpowercooling.com/products/...ghperformance/turbocools/510/index.htm

its more expensive, but from all the research I did, I decided it was worth it. You can also order it from http://www.performance-pcs.com/catalog/index.php custom sleeved, and they are an authorized resaler for pcp&c so it still has full warranty and tech support, infact it was a pcp&c tech that told me about them.

On an aside, I called pcp&c tech with some questions before I ordered, and I must say they were absoultly the BEST tech support I have EVER had the pleasure of talking to, the guy took the time to answer all my questions, and even offered me additional information, was probably on the phone with him for about 15-20 minutes, and he was patient, and explaining stuff to me the whole time. I havent used my psu yet, still waiting on parts to arive, but if that tech support is anything like the rest of the company, I would have no qualms about ordering anything from them
 
Originally posted by: Mik3y
suprisingly, a quality 350W is plenty to handle all that. what's more amazing is that a 240W shuttle xpc psu can handle even more than that.
Click to expand...

^^^^^
This man has a point. The iWiLL iWiLL ZMAX DP has a 300Watt Power supply. It can power Dual Opteron 250's. 2 WD Raptor 10k drives. 1 DVD+RW, WiFi mini PCI. 4GB Registered DDR DRAM. Finally, An nVidia 6800GT AGP card. But, beaware this is an EPS12v 24+8 Power supply.

Point is, as Mikey stated. People who buy 550 to 600 watt power supplies really have no idea what they're doing or talking about. Pick up an EPS12v 24pin power supply and use a 20 pin ATX adapter if required. Most EPS12v power supplies come with the adapters for universal use. They're built for worst case scenarios.
 
his point was that it was "suprising" and "amazing" and well taken...
your point was to point fingers, not well taken
:roll:
 
cdcushman- the Zippy does have a 24pin connector. I just got mine today, and was kind of pissed off that they don't let you know that ahead of time.
 
I'm having pretty much the exact same problem, but only when I return from suspend. I haven't been having problems with my setup watching TV.. only whenI suspend and awake. Then I get the "MACHINE_CHECK_EXCEPTION".

I put a post up here in the Technical Support area.
 
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