Would you power a new build with either of these?

[Papa Hogan]

I've got 2 PSU candidates of unknown age, possibly quite old:

Power Man FSP300-60BTV (300W) <--Isn't this one an old Sparkle?

OR

Raidmax RX-380K (380W)

I'm looking at a build with a Pentium g3220, Gigabyte mobo, IGP, one hdd, and one stick of ddr3. Would you trust these parts to a random PSU or would you replace it with something modern?

 

[mindless1]

The Power Man 300W is indeed a renamed Fortron/Sparkle PSU. They were decent enough budget priced PSU for their era but had only mediocre capacitors and most I saw had sleeve bearing Yate Loon fans which were prone to seize up within a few years of use.

Yes it's probably over 8 years old which is a concern and reason I wouldn't use it for a new build even if you lubed the fan to keep it running, unless you were super-ambitious and had a bucket full of good capacitors lying around and felt like exercising your soldering iron to replace them...

Edit: The info above is wrong, see my post below for the reason why it isn't a good candidate even with new capacitors and fan maintenance.

It's just not worth it with the three listed below at $30 or less after rebate and over a few years you may recoup much of their cost from their higher energy efficiency if the system runs a few hours or more per day. The Powerman will create around 60% more waste heat.

Raidmax RX-380K - just no. Junk. I'd pick one of the following:

EVGA 100-W1-0430-KR 430W (gotta luv their naming scheme, lol) $25AR http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16817438015

CORSAIR CX430 430W $20AR http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16817139026

or the modular cabled CX430M for $10 more AR - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16817139049

 

[Papa Hogan]

I probably should've posted in General Hardware to solicit more responses, but since you sound so certain, I went ahead and ordered the CORSAIR CX430. I'll try not to install one of the old PSU's before the new one arrives!

 

[GoStumpy]

I have CX430V2's powering 3 of my builds and all are working great :thumbsup:

 

[lehtv]

EVGA 100-W1-0430-KR 430W (gotta luv their naming scheme, lol)

That's just the model number. They have a similar format in all their products, it's just that this unit is basic enough that they didn't bother giving it a proper name. It's really just EVGA 430W.

 

[Charlie98]

The Corsair CX430 and CX430M are solid units for a GP computer... especially when you can get them for less than $20 after rebate! I didn't care as much for the M's flat cables vs the standard 430's, but it is what it is.

 

[potzocalli]

I also think that a new PSU is the best option unless your current ones are in OK condition.

It is basically a cost issue. If you are building a $0 cost PC from spare parts then it might be OK but if you are investing some $$ into it for just a few bucks more you will get a decent PSU that you know will last for years.

I´ve had cheap power supplies go up in smoke (in this case a COLORS IT 500W) and taking with it a ATI 9800 and the motherboard which at the time was costly repairs in the couple hundreds to replace.

 

[mindless1]

I forgot about something. The Powerman isn't even a true ATX12V design. While it might have the 12V CPU connector it is only capable of 15A on the 12V rail. That IS enough current to power the parts listed but with its heavy 5V bias for group regulation, you'd find the 12V rail voltages drooping a fair amount.

In other words it's really not meant to power a system modern enough to use 12V power for the CPU power subcircuit, the last era that PSU was good for was early Athlon XP era before motherboard makers switched those from 5V to 12V rail power too. They just added the connector without changing the design from what it was back in the Pentium 3 era.

 

[Papa Hogan]

I also think that a new PSU is the best option unless your current ones are in OK condition.

It is basically a cost issue. If you are building a $0 cost PC from spare parts then it might be OK but if you are investing some $$ into it for just a few bucks more you will get a decent PSU that you know will last for years.

I´ve had cheap power supplies go up in smoke (in this case a COLORS IT 500W) and taking with it a ATI 9800 and the motherboard which at the time was costly repairs in the couple hundreds to replace.

Yes, I'm investing a bit. Not a gob, but some.

I'm not entirely sure where I got all these cheap power supplies anymore. It may be time to go through some computer junk and throw 3/4 out.

I forgot about something. The Powerman isn't even a true ATX12V design. While it might have the 12V CPU connector it is only capable of 15A on the 12V rail. That IS enough current to power the parts listed but with its heavy 5V bias for group regulation, you'd find the 12V rail voltages drooping a fair amount.

In other words it's really not meant to power a system modern enough to use 12V power for the CPU power subcircuit, the last era that PSU was good for was early Athlon XP era before motherboard makers switched those from 5V to 12V rail power too. They just added the connector without changing the design from what it was back in the Pentium 3 era.

Today, I switched the Powerman from one oldy to another oldy and found that it can power a Pentium 4 2.8gHz, but it refuses to start an Athlon 64 3200+ (64-bit-capable single core). I suppose because the 3200+ came after the cpu voltage change?

 

[mindless1]

Yes, I'm investing a bit. Not a gob, but some.

I'm not entirely sure where I got all these cheap power supplies anymore. It may be time to go through some computer junk and throw 3/4 out.


Today, I switched the Powerman from one oldy to another oldy and found that it can power a Pentium 4 2.8gHz, but it refuses to start an Athlon 64 3200+ (64-bit-capable single core). I suppose because the 3200+ came after the cpu voltage change?

Yes Athlon 64 came after the change, any board that uses the 2x2 connector block for the CPU instead of only using the 20 pin motherboard connector is using 12V for the CPU.

Many Pentium4 systems (all? I can't remember) also used 12V, and I'd expect a board the same age as a 2.8GHz P4 did, so the difference there may be down to individual board design in how quickly the voltage needs to ramp up to get the system to POST, but that PSU is not really a good match for any system using 12V for CPU power regardless of whether it can run for a while with imbalanced power rails.

It might have a better chance of POSTing the Athlon 64 system if there are no HDDs plugged in, but what good does that really do unless you were to run a SSD instead?

 

[Papa Hogan]

I'm definitely not giving it an SSD!

Both maboards have the 2x2 connector and both boards had it plugged in when I attempted to boot them. I don't know why 1 would go and the other wouldn't. Could be a temperamental motherboard or psu or both. All I know is I finally got one running and I'm leaving it on until the new stuff arrives in a few days.

Then I'm placing gently both old motherboards w/CPU by the curb with a "FREE" sign. As for the unreliable and unknown PSU's, I may have to buy a sledge especially for that purpose.