Is the OCZ-520ADJ built by PC Power & Cooling?

[EricMartello]

I've been meaning to upgrade my PSU and I found an OCZ PowerStream for sale on ebay that's only $13 with a day left. Even with shipping it's still a deal IMO. It's like 520W and the ad says that it is built by PC Power & Cooling. The model is OCZ-520ADJ and if you search for it you'll see what I'm talking about. I just wanted to confirm that it was actually made by PCP&P before bidding. Thanks guys!

 

[HOOfan 1]

Originally posted by: EricMartello
It's like 520W and the ad says that it is built by PC Power & Cooling. I just wanted to confirm that it was actually made by PCP&P before bidding. Thanks guys!

hahaha no....it was made by Topower

1) PC Power and Cooling DOES NOT make their own PSUs, Seasonic and Win-Tact do.
2) I am pretty sure the Powerstream series were discontinued before OCZ bought PC Power and Cooling

Someone is either trying to pull the wool over your eyes or just doesn't know what they are talking about.

 

[EricMartello]

Originally posted by: HOOfan 1

Originally posted by: EricMartello
It's like 520W and the ad says that it is built by PC Power & Cooling. I just wanted to confirm that it was actually made by PCP&P before bidding. Thanks guys!

hahaha no....it was made by Topower

1) PC Power and Cooling DOES NOT make their own PSUs, Seasonic and Win-Tact do.
2) I am pretty sure the Powerstream series were discontinued before OCZ bought PC Power and Cooling

Someone is either trying to pull the wool over your eyes or just doesn't know what they are talking about.

I always thought PC&P were made in the US which is one of the main reasons I wanted one...hmmmmm...

 

[HOOfan 1]

No, they are made in China and or Taiwan just like every other consumer PC power supply.

 

[JEDIYoda]

Originally posted by: EricMartello
I've been meaning to upgrade my PSU and I found an OCZ PowerStream for sale on ebay that's only $13 with a day left. Even with shipping it's still a deal IMO. It's like 520W and the ad says that it is built by PC Power & Cooling. The model is OCZ-520ADJ and if you search for it you'll see what I'm talking about. I just wanted to confirm that it was actually made by PCP&P before bidding. Thanks guys!

PC Power and Cooling does NOT build PSU`s!!
I am not currently aware of any Quality PSU being made in the USA!!

 

[Zapper48]

My son's rig has an E8400 4gb of ram and an 8800GT running on my old OCZ 520 ADJ it is a good PSU.

 

[magreen]

Zapper, your son's experience doesn't prove anything. His e8400 w/ 4gb ram and an 8800gt will probably draw about 200w max ac from the wall = 160w of dc current draw on the psu. That's about 30% of the capacity of his 520W psu.

Even many of the worst trash psus in the world would probably be able to power a system at 30% of their rated capacity.

And also, just because his sytem hasn't died or blown up doesn't make it a good psu delivering stable clean power well within spec and with low noise.

 

[JEDIYoda]

Originally posted by: magreen
Zapper, your son's experience doesn't prove anything. His e8400 w/ 4gb ram and an 8800gt will probably draw about 200w max ac from the wall = 160w of dc current draw on the psu. That's about 30% of the capacity of his 520W psu.

Even many of the worst trash psus in the world would probably be able to power a system at 30% of their rated capacity.

And also, just because his sytem hasn't died or blown up doesn't make it a good psu delivering stable clean power well within spec and with low noise.

So I guess you are saying that old OCZ psu`s are junk??

 

[EricMartello]

Originally posted by: magreen
Zapper, your son's experience doesn't prove anything. His e8400 w/ 4gb ram and an 8800gt will probably draw about 200w max ac from the wall = 160w of dc current draw on the psu. That's about 30% of the capacity of his 520W psu.

Even many of the worst trash psus in the world would probably be able to power a system at 30% of their rated capacity.

And also, just because his sytem hasn't died or blown up doesn't make it a good psu delivering stable clean power well within spec and with low noise.

What are you talking about? The OCZ-520ADJ is one of the better PSUs that ever made it onto the market...granted the system he mentioned isn't going to push it to its limits, but I built a system using one of them before and it was rock solid on ALL rails, even with overclocking.

 

[Beanie46]

Originally posted by: EricMartello


What are you talking about? The OCZ-520ADJ is one of the better PSUs that ever made it onto the market...granted the system he mentioned isn't going to push it to its limits, but I built a system using one of them before and it was rock solid on ALL rails, even with overclocking.

Well, no one was saying it was junk, but being built by Topower doesn't give one complete confidence and security in its design quality, build quality, or performance. Main caps by LXK?

And while it did, for when it was designed, provide decent power through most of its output, that power supply had trouble when pushed, giving poor voltage regulation when drawn upon hard. (XBit labs test.)

Then, you have to remember it's an OLD design......consider its heavy bias on its rails toward the +3.3V and +5V rails over the +12V rail.......28A, 40A, 33A respectively, and the +12V rail's max output is limited to 396W.....not exactly the way more modern 500W+ units are distributed today. (As a comparison, a BFG LS550 has a +12V rail max output of 480W--40A, and a Corsair 550VX has a +12V rail max output of 492W--41A.)

And to make matters worse, that max output rating is a 25C rating, or room temperature, and will derate rather badly in its available output once it's subjected to a case's much higher interior temps.

I'd also look upon the "adjustable" rails on the OCZ as no more than a gimmick...there's no way any consumer is going to be able to safely adjust his/her power supply's rails, which probably should not be done except using a DMM....

But as has demonstrated on this forum and many others, software readings are what dominate most everyone's determining how "well" their power supply is giving voltage per rail. So, using software to make adjustments is just a recipe for burned out components.....a gimmick and an unsafe one at that.


I'd put this OCZ power supply in the same category as the Thermaltake TR-430. While it has higher output, I wouldn't depend upon it to do any better in providing clean voltages, esp. when asked to provide any above about 50% of its rated output.

 

[HOOfan 1]

Originally posted by: Beanie46
And while it did, for when it was designed, provide decent power through most of its output, that power supply had trouble when pushed, giving poor voltage regulation when drawn upon hard. (XBit labs test.)

I just looked at Xbit's review. Seems like the voltage regulation problem comes out when the unit is cross loaded, meaning it is group regulated. Although overall Voltage regulation looked shaky anyway. That review is 4 years old though.

Group Regulated
No Power Factor Correction

I think the Powerstream was probably pretty good back in its day, but by todays standards it isn't that great. Certainly not worth the $160 the guy on ebay claims it sold for. Probably more like $60.

 

[acole1]

My 520w OCZ has run great in my systems for the last 2 years. If it's in good condition, I say go for it.

 

[Zapper48]

Had A Thermaltake 480w and the OCZ520 ADJ and the OCZ was more stable all the way around.And with a DMM I could adjust the loaded rails. Add to that the fact that I originally ordered the 420watt model but the 520w was in the box I have 2 more OCZ power supplies in use and have no complaints.As with all hardware ymmv.

Ialso ran the following hardware on the 520
120x38mm 115CFM Panaflo fan on XP-120
7-80mm TtSmartfan II's
AMD Opteron 165 oc'd
2x1gb DDR
2x36gb Raptors
Dual CCFL kit

 

[magreen]

Originally posted by: EricMartello

Originally posted by: magreen
Zapper, your son's experience doesn't prove anything. His e8400 w/ 4gb ram and an 8800gt will probably draw about 200w max ac from the wall = 160w of dc current draw on the psu. That's about 30% of the capacity of his 520W psu.

Even many of the worst trash psus in the world would probably be able to power a system at 30% of their rated capacity.

And also, just because his sytem hasn't died or blown up doesn't make it a good psu delivering stable clean power well within spec and with low noise.

What are you talking about? The OCZ-520ADJ is one of the better PSUs that ever made it onto the market...granted the system he mentioned isn't going to push it to its limits, but I built a system using one of them before and it was rock solid on ALL rails, even with overclocking.

Originally posted by: JEDIYoda
So I guess you are saying that old OCZ psu`s are junk??

I really didn't mean to imply anything positive or negative about the OCZ-520ADJ psu, except that running it succesfully in the setup that Zapper did doesn't show anything about its quality. I actually have zero knowledge about that particular PSU.

 

[Zapper48]

I edited my last post to show a previous setup using the 520.granted my son's rig won't stress a psu that much but the other setup I listed would.