How is the quality/performance of RAIDMAX PSUs?

[jEnus]

🙂

 

[BonzaiDuck]

In December '02, I set about buying parts to build a P4-533FSB system with PC4200 32-bit Rambus modules and the only mobo they fit that I know of -- the ASUS P4T533R. I went to the Pomona Fairplex computer show -- held monthly, or at least quarterly.

I wanted to get a 500-watter PSU that was a good bargain for my money. Guy had a pile of them on his table, all glitzy aluminum chassis with either a gold finish or metallic blue. He wanted $50. My friend who accompanied me to the show thought I got a "great bargain."

It was "OK", but it seemed to run a little warm, and the 3.3V rail was way, way off -- posting about 2.92V in ASUS Probe -- GEEZ -- that's almost 13% under the spec and 11% outside the +/- 2% tolerance range. Oddly, although I never OC'd the system with that particular PSU, it never crashed with that anemic voltage.

I put it in the closet replacing with a ThermalTake Purepower 480 -- which is still just fine, despite the poo being thrown at TT these days. Then, traded the RAIDMAX with my friend "Max" who runs a small computer shop and trades in cyber-junk for the rare metals and salvage value -- he gave me a case for the RAIDMAX and some old UDMA33 hard disks.

One observatiion doth not a quality determination make, and one might have been able to remove the chassis cover from the thing and adjust the 3.3V pot up a bit with the proper resistance load, a multi-meter and some care and attention to your health. [Or just to avoid a Don King hairdo.] But -- for that price -- and about 8 months usage -- I got a free ATX case, so . . . . . I'll probably avoid RAIDMAX in the future.

 

[Spike]

While we are on the subject I have another question for you BonzaiDuck... how tightly should you stick to the +/- 2% rule? My TT purepower 480 has hit 11.68 and seems to hover in the 11.72-11.78 range. It is still within 30 days so is it time to replace it? How accurate are the voltage readings? I don't have a multi-meter anymore so that is not really an option.

If it helps my Enermax 350watt whispers voltages looked the exact same, hovering in the mid 11.7's

-spike

 

[BonzaiDuck]

That's not far enough outside the range to worry much about. Are you over-clocking? I've noticed with some voltage tweaks I've made to get my system up to 3.8 Ghz, that the 12V rail on my ALLIED AL-B500E drops to around 11.73V, but when I tune it back to 3.6 Ghz at stock voltages, the 12V rail returns to hovering around 11.8V.

You could try and RMA it, ask for an exchange, whatever. Since they manufacturers probably try to shoot for 2% tolerance range, it may be that minor errors occur in the production process, especially if you get a PSU for $65. Otherwise, I've been very pleased with the Purepower 480s, and they've all been within 2% of the 12V spec, so I'm not in a position to complain. It was right for the price!!

Again, that's why I keep thinking that for my next PSU, I'm either gonna get a Turbo Cool 510 Dee-Lucks, or I'm going to spring for one of the newer models in that class that provides external access to the voltage adjustment pots. In that latter case, what you're not paying for might be easily correctible.

 

[BonzaiDuck]

And also -- it could be a coincidence with the two PSUs, or it could be minor inaccuracies in your voltage sensors.

 

[Spike]

Thanks for the responses. I am overclocking but have not changed voltages, just FSB (Barton 2500+ @ 3200+). I will probably just keep it as I am not so worried. The voltage hovers at 11.86 with spikes on either side (from 11.68 lowest to 11.92 highest) every few seconds.

Might get myself an Antec 480watt true blue later on when I go to a A64 setup, but thats after I get a 20.1" LCD so it's gonna be a while...

-spike

 

[BonzaiDuck]

That voltage seems to be changing a bit much. It would be different if it were even a tad outside the tolerance, holding steady and only changing by hundredths of a volt.

I'm not an electrical expert, and stumbled through Physics 4B -- the second semester freshman course that deals with electricity and magnetism -- 38 years ago. I'm wondering, before you junk the PSU, if the problem might be something like a fan. But it shouldn't be varying so much, I think . . .

 

[Spike]

well, these changes are almost the EXACT same I had with my enermax. Are there any other voltage monitoring programs available? My mobo one may not be accurate, though any software would be looking at the same hardware reads...