Am I gong to kill my EA-430 with this build?

[Jessica69]

OK....just built up a new box.

Contents include:

--AMD Phenom X4 9850 Black Edition cpu OC'd, via multiplier, to 3GHz

--4GB RAM (2 x 2GB)

--3 hard drives..... 2 x 500GB Hitachi, one 1TB WD GP

--1 optical DVD-RW

--Gigabyte GA-MA78GM-S2HP motherboard

--2 120mm case fans



The power supply is an Antec Earthwatts EA-430. It's been running nicely for four days non-stop now, but the exhaust on the ps is warm.....but Antec's site says its output (17A/16A on the two +12V rails) is rated at 50C. (I am using the onboard video, if that helps.)

I've got an Enhance ENP-5150GH I can put in place of it, but it's only got 3A more on the +12V rails (18A/18A on its two rails), so I don't know if that'd be a worthwile exchange.


Appreciate the help.

 

[theAnimal]

For that system, the only reason the PSU should be exhausting warm air is if it's taking in warm air.

 

[Zap]

It's fine. I can't see how a PSU would run at all without getting warm.

 

[Jessica69]

If figured as much. Thanks Animal and Zap. I guess it's exhausting warm air because it'd been running for 36 hours straight and the Phenom X4 is OC'd a bit and still using the stock heatpipe heatsink/fan unit. Maybe a better HS/fan is in order......and maybe adding a better intake fan would help, too; have plenty of exhaust for what case it is.

 

[Zepper]

You should look at the 12V COMBINED rating instead of the separate rail ratings as each "rail" can only make its rating if the other "rail" isn't heavily loaded as the total of the separate ratings is almost always higher than the combined rating. Most PSUs generally can't make to the total of the separate ratings. For example, I have an EA380 here (not much diff) and its combined rating is 324W, while the total of the separate "rails" is 408 Watts - no way it would ever make that, but it might make combined + 10% or so (about 350W) with a tailwind and light loads on the other rails. With significant loads on the other rails (3.3, 5, etc.) it might not even make the 324. Gotta understand the monkey-shines they pull with ratings. At least they're made by Seasonic so there's a good chance that these EAs would make their ratings as borne out by several decent test sites - unlike some other models in the price range. Sturdy little PSUs for the bux. I use a 380 in my system and have bought and sold a bunch of 'em.

A bit of marketing subterfuge there, but that's all over the PC market. Caveat emptor/do your homework... Reading the stickies above could help the understanding: How PSUs are Rated and a couple of the others.

.bh.