Power supply 12v stays around 11.5v

[Racer7201]

I noticed the 12v stays around 11.52 and I've seen it drop to 11.41, bios and asus probe. Is this too low and possibly cause problems. The system is a P4S533, 1.8a @ 2.4(133/33) and ratio at 4:5, Mushkin pc3200, Matrox G400, Maxtor 80g ata133, soundblaster pci128, on board nic, 16x Mitsumi cdrw. The p/s is a 400w dual fan, basically a no name purchased locally. I've gotten a few gpf's, registry errors etc so I'm wondering if the voltage could be dropping off causing this.
JF

 

[SupermanCK]

that's a bit lower than what it should be...you might consider getting a better psu...the low 12v line can cause hardware problems eventually killing your components

 

[Biggs]

Eventhough it may call itself a 400W PSU, since it's a generic type, the circuitry design and quality of components are highly suspect. See if you can replace it with a good brand(e.g. Enermax, Antec, or Sparkle).

 

[DongTran]

return it. NEVER skimp on the PS, ESPECIALLY if you are running an AMD system. It is one of the core components in your computer that will ensure the health of the rest of your devices.

 

[wasamicron]

What's considered a safe voltage above 12v? I have a Compgeeks power supply that shows 13+v on 12v line. I'm not using it. Thanks.

 

[Biggs]

Basically, the more the value deviates from the standard(i.e. 12V) the higher the probability of an error. Check your PSU's ratings and look for the tolerance levels the manufacturer placed there.

 

[Racer7201]

Well, I decided to buy 2 Enermax 350w p/s's from Newegg. One for each computer, even though one isn't really acting up much.
Thanks, JF

 

[Anubis]

i have a enlight 340 watt PSU and my 12v is always round 12.1 volts drops to like 11.95 but thats it. it might be a good choice for you

 

[pepsimanz]

I have the same problem, I am using a Powermax 500W PS, the 3.3 and 5v line is fine, but the 12 v line stays around 11.4-11.5 all the time. I have the same MB - Asus P4S533, is it because of the MB or the PS? any help

 

[Anubis]

have a Antec TruPower 430 now and the 12V line is 11.67 on MBM5 lowest ive seen in 11.61. had to get a new one cause other one died but thsi is in spec and its ok

 

[bozo1]

Spec is +/- 5% which for the 12V line is 11.4 - 12.6.

If you are worried, you really need to test your voltages with a volt meter - the voltages read in the BIOS are usually close but that's not under load. Voltages read with MBM and other utilities I've found often inaccurate.