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Pretty Darn Toasty: 450watt 4fan PSU for $14.50 + ~$7 Shipping

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Originally posted by: uwannawhat
xylem What did you use for your meter?

...

Once you remove the goop do you just rotate the dial while you have some sort of electrical meter hooked up?

Where can I find more info on adjusting trim pots?

thanks 🙂
Click to expand...
Very good questions!
Voltage must be measured at unused power connector to determine PSU's true output voltage. Motherboard connector carries higher amperage and with modern system may not be telling of PSU output. PSU is "supposed" to output as near 3.0V, 5.0V, etc, as possible, but a software motherboard monitor is never accurate of the PSu output, at best on an exceptionally engineered board it will reflect only a little Vdrop of motherboard traces. In other words, if your hardware monitor SW or bios reports 12.0V, your PSU is outputting more than that already.... it is not a problem per se, but V*A limit of the PSU remains constant, so at slightly higher voltage it can sustain slightly lower amps. Main thing is that adjusting so motherboard sensor gets exact round number isn't even so significant as the voltage level where power plane or 12V connector reaches either filter caps on high side of switching regulator or right before the inductor if there (often) is one.

The best info on ajusting trim pots is to keep one hand behind your back so you don't accidentally touch anything inside PSU. POT tools are typically all plastic, so if using metal screwdriver/etc it's another reason to be more carefull. Just monitor voltage at target spot on the board (be clear about WHY you're adjusting voltage, not just cranking up PSU till software reads 12.0V) and slowly turn pot clockwise. HOwever, if you need help adjusting the POT(s) it's somewhat likely you haven't yet gained the skill to determine if minor voltage offset is even what's causing a problem... if there is no problem, there's no reason to adjust.

More often a POT adjustment is helpful on motherboards running modern CPU but still using 5V for CPU power (like Asus A7N8X), since a ~2.6GHz CPU may drop 5V down to less than 4.6V before it reaches the regulators, depending on particular board design.
 
Thank you mindless1 appreciate your input/advice.

I'm still wondering on the meter that's used though?

Also, I'm assuming that these can only be calibrated 'live' I don't have the experience in electronics nor the tools to do this but did want to know what's used & how.

Again I can't thank you enough for your reply. 🙂
 
Originally posted by: uwannawhat
I'm still wondering on the meter that's used though?

Also, I'm assuming that these can only be calibrated 'live' I don't have the experience in electronics nor the tools to do this but did want to know what's used & how.
Click to expand...
I do not understand the question "...on the meter that's used though"? ANy basic multimeter has voltage setting, two probes, so you just take reading from any ground point (preferably ground on wiring harness) and an unloaded lead. Unloaded lead is to see PSU output, if you want motherboard input (which is a different value though meter may not be sensitive enough to discriminate this) then take probe to ATX or 4-pin connector. As for the other locations on board, that may be beyond a person's skill level if they can't already locate appropriate spot to take the reading.

They should be calibrated live, it is a very slow and tedious process to do it without system on but it could be done by making tiny adjustment then powering up, checking voltage after long enough that HDDs are fully spun up. Typical movements of a POT in these situations might be an 1/8 of a turn, though of course it depends on how much it needs adjusted.

Any decent PSU has overvoltage protection so the odds of damaging equipment is low (providing you power off and readjust if voltage is off too much) but that could certainly take a long, long time compared to watching the meter while you turn. If you feel uneasy about doing it, don't... touch the wrong heatsink and you may get a 340V surprise. Adjust a POT like your life depends on being careful, because it may. It is easy enough but if your PSU doesn't run system stable, another very good alternative is to return it and buy something else instead.
 
Thank you for the detailed response mindless1. 🙂

You're absolutely right that if you don't know what you're doing don't even try.

Appreciate your comments & suggestions on how to check the volts @ various locations. I do realize each mb will be very different.

Certainly appreciate your input.
 
You can trim the voltage using a screwdriver to turn the potentiometer (yellow adjuster). If you turn the adjuster clockwise, voltage will increase; if you turn it counterclockwise, it will decrease. It takes only a very slight adjustment to increase voltage to slightly over spec. I may have turned it about 1/24 turn, just to give a rough idea. My posted readings were made by Lavasys Everest, and it is certainly true that it is better to rely on an accurate hardware volt meter for reliable readings. Using a volt meter, actual voltage on the molex power connectors reads 5.26/12.36, and varies only up to .01 V in either direction, under a stable load. Actual motherboard voltage is almost surely different (lower), and may in fact be as Everest is reporting, or at least close. I don't feel like poking around on the motherboard with a hardware meter. Keep in mind that this is after I applied a 0.50 V increase (on the 12V line), according to Everest.

Also, I agree with Mindless1 that it is important to be *extremely* careful if you choose to work inside a power supply. Who wants to find out the hard way that they aren't being careful enough? Use electrically insulated tools, and don't touch any exposed pins or traces, or touch any metal that may happen to come in contact with them. The stored energy in a power supply (in the capacitors) is of the DC variety, which I have heard is more dangerous than AC.

Also, I overclock my systems, so I like to have supplied voltage that is a bit over spec, to help with stability. I don't think it's at all worth adjusting that pot unless hardcore tweaking is your thing, and you are very confident in your ability to do so. If a particular supply has significantly out-of-spec output, just return it =).
 
Got my mirror black finish PSU a few days ago. May not be the best 450W PSU on the block, but for the price, excellent deal. Some of you guys know a lot about PSU's!!!
 
I got my two today...one black and one blue (I think).
It could be mirror green.
I ok'd them to switch colors if need be.
There are no markings on the boxes distinguishing color.

They're nice and heavy.
 
My Question is...I have an Antec 350W PSU in my system right now. I'm running an overclocked 2500+ XP to 3200+ speed at 1.725v. 2 Sticks of OCZ PC2700 Ram. eVGA Geforce 5900 Ultra (overclocked too and it does need extra power added to it via a Molex connector). Winfast TV Expert card. 2 X 160GB HDDs not raided. 3 optical drives (2 via IDE channel the other through a Promise controller) 3 X 60mm case fans. 2 cold cathode black lights. Along with an array of items connected via USB (although they have their power connections. Ever since I installed the eVGA 5900 Ultra I'm getting a number of shutdowns and artifacts on the screen....Do you think by putting in one of these 450w PSUs will help?
 
Originally posted by: stockjock
My Question is...I have an Antec 350W PSU in my system right now. I'm running an overclocked 2500+ XP to 3200+ speed at 1.725v. 2 Sticks of OCZ PC2700 Ram. eVGA Geforce 5900 Ultra (overclocked too and it does need extra power added to it via a Molex connector). Winfast TV Expert card. 2 X 160GB HDDs not raided. 3 optical drives (2 via IDE channel the other through a Promise controller) 3 X 60mm case fans. 2 cold cathode black lights. Along with an array of items connected via USB (although they have their power connections. Ever since I installed the eVGA 5900 Ultra I'm getting a number of shutdowns and artifacts on the screen....Do you think by putting in one of these 450w PSUs will help?
Click to expand...

Sounds like you need more POWER.........

Take off the lights, and see if it runs better, if it does you need something better than this 450, gotta watch the amperage on your rails, and what everything needs. Sounds like you need a LOT of 12v amps with all that running in there. Other than that I've ALWAYS found ANETC ps to be Very good and Strong.

Now for why I came here...........
whOOt , got my 2 450's delivered Friday..
Wow, the 2 extra fans suck OUT right over my CPU on my asus A7N8X, WOW , I can live with that.........

SO....I added ANOTHER 80mm fan blowing in, just under the cpu.

I now have 4, 80mm, low speed fans blowing in, ( 2 in front, 2 in the rear )
and this PS getting it all out.

I'll post results when I get this system up and running, but it Should run kinda cool, also all intake fans have Filters,
and so far it's VERY QUIET
 
I got my 2 PSUs on thursday. But on one of them the mirrored casing was very bent and distorted on a few of the sides. Did anyone else noticed this?
 
I haven?t opened mine yet, but I don?t see any of the boxes checked identifying what color/finish is inside.
Edit: opened them and found that I received two black mirror PSUs that look great. Whoot. I've succumbed to several PSU deals here in the last couple months and have like four spares now. I had enough bad experiences with cheap power supplies that it scared me. So?now bring on the cheap case deals that either don?t come with a PSU or come with a crappy one, I?m all set.
 
It couldn't have been better timing.
My generic 300W that came with my case just died.
I opened the coffin and found the ashes of a one-time, long-ago-tech.

I got a black and a blue one.

Does it come with a MOBO connection to use the temp monitoring in the BIOS to adjust it in Auto mode? They all seemed to be power connectors.

I have to find an online manual for my ASUS CUSL2 MOBO.
My manual's burried in the attic.
I couldn't find a connection for the additional 4-prong 12V.
My MOBO probably predates CPUs with a need for that.

It's a shame my case's opaque carcus hides the PSU's mirror finish.
 
Well, I did need this PSU as it turns out. I don't know if it was my MOBO or Antec PSU, but I had 5 burnt leads on the ATX power connector on the mobo and the PSU!! I wonder which was the culprit?? Both unusable now🙁
Guess I could RMA the Antec PSU...but the MOBO was a refurb that I bought a year ago.
 
I'd also like to chime in and say that I recieved my one black and one blue. I havent opened the black one, but the blue one looks pretty decent. They arent silent, but they are pretty quiet on low mode, more so than my thermaltake 420 silent purepower.

Anyone notice that theres some crap on the cabling? The cables feel as if there's a layer of some dust like crap that comes off on my hand, It almost feels as if they covered it with flour.

-Steve
 
Originally posted by: ss284
I'd also like to chime in and say that I recieved my one black and one blue. I havent opened the black one, but the blue one looks pretty decent. They arent silent, but they are pretty quiet on low mode, more so than my thermaltake 420 silent purepower.

Anyone notice that theres some crap on the cabling? The cables feel as if there's a layer of some dust like crap that comes off on my hand, It almost feels as if they covered it with flour.

-Steve
Click to expand...

Um.... When the drug sniffing dog Freaks out at your computer, and they haul it in as evidence, you'll have a good idea what that white powder was.............

Gonna try and fire up one of the 2, I got today, and see ( hear ) just how loud this thing is
 
Gonna try and fire up one of the 2, I got today, and see ( hear ) just how loud this thing is
Click to expand...
I forgot to mention that I have installed one of the 2 I bought. I love the one I installed. I have it set to quiet mode and its not any louder than my Antec...and it looks great to boot! I am very impressed so far!
 
Originally posted by: Kenny0829
Originally posted by: ss284
I'd also like to chime in and say that I recieved my one black and one blue. I havent opened the black one, but the blue one looks pretty decent. They arent silent, but they are pretty quiet on low mode, more so than my thermaltake 420 silent purepower.

Anyone notice that theres some crap on the cabling? The cables feel as if there's a layer of some dust like crap that comes off on my hand, It almost feels as if they covered it with flour.

-Steve
Click to expand...

Um.... When the drug sniffing dog Freaks out at your computer, and they haul it in as evidence, you'll have a good idea what that white powder was.............

Gonna try and fire up one of the 2, I got today, and see ( hear ) just how loud this thing is
Click to expand...

I'll be sure to lick the cables before attempting to wipe them down with a white cloth. Thanks for letting me know, I could have wasted some good stuff.

-Steve
 
Originally posted by: GtPrOjEcTX
thanks. ordered 2
Click to expand...
Finally got around to putting one in my system. I was first concerned because my system requires a lot of power (and a lot of plugs). I previously has an Allied 400watt PSU in it, and had started getting random lock ups. Hopefully this will resolve those issues.

First impressions, compared the the Allied, the rails are right where they should be. On some the Allied were as much as .5 volts off of where they should have been and fluctuated. This PSU was within 0.05 on most of them, and fluctuated within the same amount. Definately acceptable by my standards.

Awesome find.
 
Oh yeah, I didn't know the default choice was mirrored green, ordered two, they came in, I take a look at them, asked myself "WTF?", but have come to like them anyway. The craftsmanship is awesome, and power is good, it's pretty quiet on auto or silent, slightly noticeable on turbo. No complaints.
 
This WAS 1 hell of a deal my congrats to Directron.
As far as the white substance goes --not on mine-- Anthrax?
 
Well its not white, its more filmy than anything. The cables look fine, yet when I move my finger over then I can feel a residue of some sort. Try rubbing the cables, then rubbing your hands together. It kinda feels like a layer of chalk.

-Steve
 
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