Am I damaging my cards?

[imported_Maz]

Ok I'm running what you see in the signature below. Conroe at 3.37ghz, dual 8800gt with evga's ssc bios, a single optical drive and a single hdd.

I'm operating this, and have been for some time now, on a 500w XClio Goodpower psu. I believe it has 14 amps and 15 amps on the 12v rails. I even found a review for the psu here.

My system is 100% stable all the time day and night but am I causing some sort of slow death for my cards?

 

[SergeC]

Unless your voltages are very off, then no. /thread

 

[KeypoX]

of course

 

[MrK6]

OP, use a digital multi meter and check your power at both idle and load (use several different apps to check load, like 3DMark, some games, some encoding, etc.). The best way to find an answer is to test .

 

[bludragon]

As it seems to be working without any issues, then it seems you don't have any issues...
Of course, if you want you can worry about if you are stressing the psu to the point where it will fail, killing some other components with it

Conclusion - don't worry about it unless it starts to become unstable

 

[imported_Shaq]

The power supply is a dual rail which means one 12v rail supplies the CPU and the other 12v rail supplies everything else. 15 amps for 2 8800GT's is too low IMHO. 7ampsx12v=84 watts for each GT. Plus you are OC'ing the cards. I think it needs more power and it is not good to use the whole amount. You want a little leeway. It could take a few components with it if the power supply fails. And there may or may not be any warning before it happens. If you can afford it get a good single rail and you should be fine. A corsair 520 or 620 would be good and they should be well below $100. Buy.com has specials on them all the time.

 

[nyker96]

I say get a HX 620 for long term safty of your gears.

 

[BonzaiDuck]

Originally posted by: Shaq
The power supply is a dual rail which means one 12v rail supplies the CPU and the other 12v rail supplies everything else. 15 amps for 2 8800GT's is too low IMHO. 7ampsx12v=84 watts for each GT. Plus you are OC'ing the cards. I think it needs more power and it is not good to use the whole amount. You want a little leeway. It could take a few components with it if the power supply fails. And there may or may not be any warning before it happens. If you can afford it get a good single rail and you should be fine. A corsair 520 or 620 would be good and they should be well below $100. Buy.com has specials on them all the time.

Anandtech just published an article about "PSU Myths" a few days ago. Check, and I'm not trying to provoke argument, but they seem to suggest having 2 or more 12V rails -- supposedly to keep the graphics from overloading the circuits supplying the CPU. But also, I've read somewhere that these "separate rails" are really not entirely independent.

Even so, Anandtech thinks people select PSU's way beyond their needs. At the same time, the high-efficiency range relative to various PSU "max sustained output" ratings implies getting something with a sustained output somewhat greater than your equipment's peak demand.

Shaq and the others are giving you reliable advice here.