Question OCZ 520adj

[ToiletDucky]

So I found an old desktop I had many many years ago in my parents closet. It was a very solid rig when I built it. Anyway I'm putting together a home server so I pulled the PSU from it. It's an OCZ 520adj. I think it was about $140ish back then. Was considered top of the line. Should be plenty for this machine letting me save a little. My question is if anyone has used an adjustable PSU before and why I would just turn the three settings on the back to max? I don't have a manual for it.

 

[WilliamM2]

The adjustments are so that you can get exactly 3.3, 5v, and 12v. If you turn them all to max you will have voltages that are too high.

It was common back then for enthusiasts to open power supplies and adjust the pots internally to get perfect voltage. This feature just made it so that you don't have to open it, or use a multimeter, each led turns green when you are +/- 5% of spec.

I think it was just a gimmick, a decent power supply should always be +/- 5% without any adjustment.

 

[RexB]

It's been a good power supply for me since it was first in a 2004 build. It's still quiet and does its job, never a problem. You can check the outputs with a 20 or 24-pin tester you might have lying around (this has a 4-pin connector snapped onto the side of the 20-pin) or a multimeter, so it isn't over or under powered. Looking at it reminded me that two of the cables have EMI filters for hard drives.

Adjust it with a small phillips, be aware that a tiny turn varies the voltage a lot -- my 3.3V was running at 3.28V and it is easy to adjust to 3.3 right on. The 120V US version has Passive PFC, the international version 230V has the Active PFC.

• ATX, BTX, SATA, P4 and EPS12V
• +3.3V@28A, +5V@40A, +12V@33A, -5V@0.5A, -12V@0.5A, +5VSB@2.0A
• Approvals TUV, UL, CSA, CE, CB, FCC
• Maximum Power: 620 Watts, Sustained Power: 520 Watts

 

[VirtualLarry]

It's been a good power supply for me since it was first in a 2004 build.

I don't know that I would use a PSU THAT OLD in any kind of "gaming PC". I might put it "out to pasture", on web-browser / low-powered APU / Celeron PC or something, and let it run till it dies, but ... 2004? Really?

 

[RexB]

"...THAT OLD.." makes me feel old sigh.

You're right, used it about 12 years in a Pentium 4 and AMD64 builds, it's mostly unused the last few years unless i get nostalgic for old Windows. I don't upgrade often you can probably tell (now i'm on a Z370 mobo with Corsair 650W PSU.)
On the OCZ 520ADJ no bulging caps or corrosion i can see but you're right, too well used for new gear .

 

[VirtualLarry]

It's not that it's a bad PSU, and it sounds like it's in good shape, but over time, things like ripple and voltage regulation get worse, and unless you send it to someone to be re-capped, I would hesitate to use it, say, with a brand-new $2000 RTX 3080 card, for example. At least for my peace of mind.

 

[CP5670]

I used to have one of these. It was very good for its time, but broke down at some point after several years. I don't think it would have all the connectors needed for a modern PC.

 

[RexB]

@VirtualLarry - Agree not with a $2k GPU. I'm using a newer PSU now too, though the quiet OP wanted to use it for a home server.

This thread got me fired up to pull the old rig out of the closet and plug in. Started up, Posted fine and three hours later it's still purring...er roaring. I forgot how noisy 80mm case fans are.

@CP5670 - I hope you got good use from yours. A broke down PSU often takes other components with it and is a big deal. Do you remember what broke? and I'll check this 16 year old unit for grins.

Anandtech used a OCZ 520ADJ in a test bed long ago for *DDR2* etc., was part of influencing me to get this one

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[CP5670]

It worked fine for the 5-6 years I was using it. I found it was no longer powering up more recently after it had been sitting in a box for many years. I recall it lacks 8-pin PCIE plugs, which is why I stopped using it.

 

[RexB]

Too bad. And rgr that, it's a ways back in tech and got outdated.

 

[john3850]

That OCZ 520ADJ with a chrome finish was one of there good products that never died I also got a DDR Booster box from them around the same time for that Winbond memory.