Nevermind, my "Crappy Aspire concord" handles everything

[Oyeve]

Hi all. I recently upgraded my mobo, cpu and gpu and have another gpu on the way for SLI. My current PSU had just enough connections to run as it is now (yes, I have a coupla y adapters) and I am wondering if a new PSU is in order as with the secong gpu coming I will need 3 more connections and hate using y adapters. please, recommend a psu that can handle the following without using too many Y adapters. System is:

ASRock 939SLI32-eSATA2 mobo
3 PATA IDE HDs
3 SATA 150 HDs
2 DVD burners
1 X-Fi SB
1 Maxtor SATA/PATA card
1 Evga 7800 GT cards (second one coming soon)
2 fans connected to y adapters of of one dvd burner.
2 fans using a y adapter from the other burner

So I am now using about 14 power plugs either SATA or 4pin molex. When the othe card comes in I will need 2 more for the card and 1 more for the mobo so I can SLI. I have an Aspire Concord 500w PSu that runs this fine. Should I just use more Y adapters for the second card or a new PSU? If a new PSU, can one be recommended that can run all of this? Thanks.

 

[thecoolnessrune]

Whats the proc and are you overclocking? Sounds like to me more Y adapters will do you fine but i would like to know the proc first.

 

[nippyjun]

There is a web site called the extreme psu calculator that may help you out.


click here

 

[Oyeve]

The proc is an X2 64 3800+ only oc'ed lightly but don't oc anymore. I did that website and with adding the second vid card at 100% cpu load the recommended psu wattage was 541.

 

[Howard]

See sig. Though I hear Aspire PSUs are utter crap... if so, I would get another PSU anyway, even if your current one does supply enough power.

 

[Oyeve]

Originally posted by: Howard
See sig. Though I hear Aspire PSUs are utter crap... if so, I would get another PSU anyway, even if your current one does supply enough power.

What you hear and what I and others have experienced with Aspire is all subjective. The Aspire concord is a great PSU for the money and has gotten decent reviews. I know many people who spend well over 100 bucks on a so-called great psu (Antec, Enermax et..al) only to find that they fail in less than a week. My Aspire has been running great for over a year and never had an issue.

 

[Bobthelost]

If 5% fail then a PSU brand gets a bad name. Just because yours hasn't died yet does not make aspire a good brand

I wouldn't trust it when you're pushing the limits of what it is supposed to supply. This could be because i'm uneducated to the quality of aspire PSUs, if so feel free to link to some reviews.

 

[Oyeve]

Originally posted by: Bobthelost
If 5% fail then a PSU brand gets a bad name. Just because yours hasn't died yet does not make aspire a good brand

I wouldn't trust it when you're pushing the limits of what it is supposed to supply. This could be because i'm uneducated to the quality of aspire PSUs, if so feel free to link to some reviews.

There are many reviews on the Aspire Concord 500w, mostly favorable, non negative. Only issue on some of the reviews I have seen are the 12v rails being a bit low but within 5%. Please, let us stick to the topic. I dont want to argue about Aspire sucks or whatever. I have had great results with it, the reviews are all favorable, I just need to know, in case it can't handle another 7800GT, what psu would suit my needs for many connectors.

 

[GalvanizedYankee]

Enter the UL number at http://www.ul.com/

I bet your Aspire (Expire ) comes up as a YoungYear unit. YoungYear and L&C are
at the bottom of a very tall pile.

Run with whatcha got and be happy.


...Galvanized

 

[smthmlk]

Throw your second 7800gt in, play your system hard for a few hours straight and see how it goes. Repeat until your aspire blows up (or more likely, if you see instability that wasn't there before). At that point (which could be soon, or possibly 5 years from now), open wallet, and buy a better PSU from a respectable company (fortron,pcp&c,seasonic,zippy,enermax,etc). Just see how it goes with what you have.

 

[Bobthelost]

Originally posted by: Oyeve

Originally posted by: Bobthelost
If 5% fail then a PSU brand gets a bad name. Just because yours hasn't died yet does not make aspire a good brand

I wouldn't trust it when you're pushing the limits of what it is supposed to supply. This could be because i'm uneducated to the quality of aspire PSUs, if so feel free to link to some reviews.

There are many reviews on the Aspire Concord 500w, mostly favorable, non negative. Only issue on some of the reviews I have seen are the 12v rails being a bit low but within 5%. Please, let us stick to the topic. I dont want to argue about Aspire sucks or whatever. I have had great results with it, the reviews are all favorable, I just need to know, in case it can't handle another 7800GT, what psu would suit my needs for many connectors.

It is ontopic, the only reviews i found tested it using motherboard monitor, which means they didn't stress the thing in the slightest. If we can't rely on your PSU to supply what it's rated to what sort of advice can we give about the need or lack of it to upgrade?

 

[Nick5324]

Well, using the extreme PSU calc., with both cards I get 476W. Using Howards guide, 476*0.9 (90%) = 428.4. Divide by 12, and you have 35.7. So, based on Howard's guide, you need 36A on your +12V rail; your current PSU provides 34A. Note that your current set-up (with one video card) shows as 388W.... giving us a demand of 29.1A for the +12V rail.

So, even if the quality of your PSU is top notch (I don't know if it is or not), your current load of 29A is safely below your PSU's rating of 34A. However, with your second GPU, your need goes up to 36A, more than your PSU is rated for.

 

[Oyeve]

Originally posted by: Bobthelost

Originally posted by: Oyeve

Originally posted by: Bobthelost
If 5% fail then a PSU brand gets a bad name. Just because yours hasn't died yet does not make aspire a good brand

I wouldn't trust it when you're pushing the limits of what it is supposed to supply. This could be because i'm uneducated to the quality of aspire PSUs, if so feel free to link to some reviews.

There are many reviews on the Aspire Concord 500w, mostly favorable, non negative. Only issue on some of the reviews I have seen are the 12v rails being a bit low but within 5%. Please, let us stick to the topic. I dont want to argue about Aspire sucks or whatever. I have had great results with it, the reviews are all favorable, I just need to know, in case it can't handle another 7800GT, what psu would suit my needs for many connectors.

It is ontopic, the only reviews i found tested it using motherboard monitor, which means they didn't stress the thing in the slightest. If we can't rely on your PSU to supply what it's rated to what sort of advice can we give about the need or lack of it to upgrade?

I just dont appreciate the sarcasm when all I am doing is asking for recommendations if I have to get a PSU. I have not received any recommendations, just sarcasm regarding my PSU. I like a good goof myself but come on. I get it already. You guys hate Aspire. I hate to be rude but the answers I am getting are just smart-ass remarks and not anything helpful. I've been a member here since it started and cannot believe the total lack of useful info when someone asks a simple question lately. No wonder so many people have abandoned this forum. Fine, my Aspire Concord sucks even though it runs everything I mentioned in the OP plus the 8 USb and FW devices I have. Yeah, Aspire really blows, thts why my system has been so stable for over a year, because of my crappy PSU.

 

[Oyeve]

Originally posted by: Nick5324
Well, using the extreme PSU calc., with both cards I get 476W. Using Howards guide, 476*0.9 (90%) = 428.4. Divide by 12, and you have 35.7. So, based on Howard's guide, you need 36A on your +12V rail; your current PSU provides 34A. Note that your current set-up (with one video card) shows as 388W.... giving us a demand of 29.1A for the +12V rail.

So, even if the quality of your PSU is top notch (I don't know if it is or not), your current load of 29A is safely below your PSU's rating of 34A. However, with your second GPU, your need goes up to 36A, more than your PSU is rated for.

Thank you Nick5324. You have given the only useful reply so far.

 

[Nick5324]

Originally posted by: Oyeve

Originally posted by: Nick5324
Well, using the extreme PSU calc., with both cards I get 476W. Using Howards guide, 476*0.9 (90%) = 428.4. Divide by 12, and you have 35.7. So, based on Howard's guide, you need 36A on your +12V rail; your current PSU provides 34A. Note that your current set-up (with one video card) shows as 388W.... giving us a demand of 29.1A for the +12V rail.

So, even if the quality of your PSU is top notch (I don't know if it is or not), your current load of 29A is safely below your PSU's rating of 34A. However, with your second GPU, your need goes up to 36A, more than your PSU is rated for.

Thank you Nick5324. You have given the only useful reply so far.

No problem, but the usefulness comes from Howards guide, despite your disagreement with him in this thread.

I've never had to shop for such a high end PSU, so any recommendation I make would be based on word of mouth for the brand and the specs listed on Newegg.... so take it for what it is worth.

I have heard good things about Xclio PSU's, this one is $137 Link
You don't just add up all the 12V rails.... reserving 120W of power for +3.3V and +5V (it says max 180W, but I don't see you maxing out +3.3V and +5V), I figure this PSU is good for 40A on +12V. If you did max out +3.3V and +5V, I think the +12V would be at 35A. To be honest though, Howard can probably give more accurate numbers. A downside is that it doesn't provide enough molex connectors for you.

For $10 more, this FSP unit should also meet your needs. I didn't see the number of connectors listed for this one.

Edit: Operandi's post below me does make a good point, temp. is a factor, and PSU's ratings aren't done at a fixed temp, so he may be right. I don't have the numbers in front of me to say for sure however.

 

[Operandi]

Originally posted by: Oyeve

Originally posted by: Nick5324
Well, using the extreme PSU calc., with both cards I get 476W. Using Howards guide, 476*0.9 (90%) = 428.4. Divide by 12, and you have 35.7. So, based on Howard's guide, you need 36A on your +12V rail; your current PSU provides 34A. Note that your current set-up (with one video card) shows as 388W.... giving us a demand of 29.1A for the +12V rail.

So, even if the quality of your PSU is top notch (I don't know if it is or not), your current load of 29A is safely below your PSU's rating of 34A. However, with your second GPU, your need goes up to 36A, more than your PSU is rated for.

Thank you Nick5324. You have given the only useful reply so far.

34 Amps at 20c probably:roll:. Raise the temp to a realistic 30c+ and that 34 suddenly istn't 34 amps anymore.

Aspire is a junk brand; that?s a fact not sarcasm.

 

[Howard]

Originally posted by: Nick5324

Originally posted by: Oyeve

Originally posted by: Nick5324
Well, using the extreme PSU calc., with both cards I get 476W. Using Howards guide, 476*0.9 (90%) = 428.4. Divide by 12, and you have 35.7. So, based on Howard's guide, you need 36A on your +12V rail; your current PSU provides 34A. Note that your current set-up (with one video card) shows as 388W.... giving us a demand of 29.1A for the +12V rail.

So, even if the quality of your PSU is top notch (I don't know if it is or not), your current load of 29A is safely below your PSU's rating of 34A. However, with your second GPU, your need goes up to 36A, more than your PSU is rated for.

Thank you Nick5324. You have given the only useful reply so far.

No problem, but the usefulness comes from Howards guide, despite your disagreement with him in this thread.

Fortron FX-600GLN at eWiz

The FX600-GLN is $110 here. One of the best deals around, I'd say. Up to 44A or so on the +12V rails, though that depends on the load on the +3.3V and +5V rails. Maximum power output for the FX600-GLN sustained through 35 degrees Celsius.

EDIT: Holy crap, the load regulation on the +12V rails of the Aspire Concord 500W PSU is +/- 10%! WTF

 

[Oyeve]

Anyone know if THIS PSU is anygood? I can't find any reviews. 4x +12 18A rails seem sweet.

 

[Oyeve]

Well, I found a decent A-open 300w PSU in one of my older systems I don't use so I am going to short pin 13 and 14 and have it power my HDs and DVD-RWs, this should free up much watts to run the second card from my main PSU. Already tested with another system. Works fine. The 300w has a switch on it to turn it on/off so I dont have to attach it to the main PSU. HDs wont turn on even if the second PSU is on until it receives a signal from the mobo from the first PSU so it should be safe.

 

[Oyeve]

Well, looks like my "crappy" Aspire Concord 500w" PSU can handle the 2 7800GTs, the 6 hds, the 6 case fans, the 2 dvdrw burners, the x-fi card, the sata pci raid card and my six usb2 devices. And the 12v rails have not dipped below 11.7v.Well within spec. Been playing Oblivian all day and not one problem. Cards are both at 39c idle and 46c under heavy load. HDs have not stopped and restarted, no system lockups nada. Not bad for a 60 buck non-sli certified PSU.

 

[Praxis1452]

that's without the other 300W power supply? neway even SLI systems don't usually use more than 400W btw.

 

[Oyeve]

Originally posted by: Praxis1452
that's without the other 300W power supply? neway even SLI systems don't usually use more than 400W btw.

Yes, didnt need the aopen 300w. I thought I might need it because I had so much other hardware in my system and was inquiring about the need for a higher watt psu when everyone started ragging my psu, which turned out to be very adequate.

 

[GalvanizedYankee]

Oyeve, as I said earlyer in this thread be happy with what you got and use it.

I did state that if the UL number turned up the OEM as YoungYear or L&C it is to be considered junk. Go to badcaps.net>PSU section and look at the KNOWN BAD PSUs.
You will find no fanboys at that site, you will find knowledgable older service techs that have repaired many a mainboard and PSU.

...Galvanized