Building a computer

[breetz]

I'm slowly procuring components for a PC to be built by my geek
offspring, in whom I am well pleased, I might add. The geek shall
inherit the earth ya know.......

I'm buying a little bit at a time for financial reasons, but I'd like
to test some of the stuff to make sure it works. I can figure out how
to test some of the stuff but recently I bought a 520W Aspire Power
Supply and I'd like to know if I can plug it in and test the voltages
without a load. Please advise...Thanks

 

[Mxsmanic]

I'm buying a little bit at a time for financial reasons, but I'd like
to test some of the stuff to make sure it works.

A lot of the stuff can only be tested in a practical way by installing
it into a computer.

I can figure out how to test some of the stuff but recently I bought
a 520W Aspire Power Supply and I'd like to know if I can plug it in
and test the voltages without a load.

Yes, that should work. But is there some reason you need to test it?

 

[breetz]

It may take me 6 months to get the thing up and running. I'd like to
get it returned now if it smokes while it's still under warranty.
Thanks for the response. And yes, I screwed up and left my email
address on the posting.

 

[Mxsmanic]

It may take me 6 months to get the thing up and running.

In that case, don't buy anything until you've built up the budget to
buy all the basic working components together. That way the warranty
clock doesn't start to tick until you're ready to actually assemble
the machine.

 

[Conor]

Yes, that should work.

Tell me muppet boy, how does a switch mode PSU work without a load on
it?

 

[Mxsmanic]

Tell me muppet boy, how does a switch mode PSU work without a load on
it?

When you put a voltmeter across a rail, you put a load on it.

 

[Zaphod B]

When you put a voltmeter across a rail, you put a load on it.

Incorrect. All modern-day multi-meters have such a high input impedance,
they present virtually no load to the circuit being tested.

--
Zaphod B
_______________________________________________________

"He grinned two manic grins, sauntered over to the bar
and bought most of it."

**The Restaurant at the End of the Universe**

 

[Mxsmanic]

Incorrect. All modern-day multi-meters have such a high input impedance,
they present virtually no load to the circuit being tested.

I didn't quantify the load, and as you implicitly acknowledge, it has
to put _some_ load on the power supply, otherwise nothing can be
measured.

 

[Zaphod B]

I didn't quantify the load, and as you implicitly acknowledge, it has
to put _some_ load on the power supply, otherwise nothing can be
measured.

Defend if you must. However, there sure as hell isn't enough load
applied to a switching supply by a meter to allow that supply to turn
on. *That* was my only point.

--
Zaphod B
_______________________________________________________

"He grinned two manic grins, sauntered over to the bar
and bought most of it."

**The Restaurant at the End of the Universe**

 

[larry moe 'n curly]

I'm slowly procuring components for a PC

I'd like to test some of the stuff to make sure it works.

I bought a 520W Aspire Power Supply and I'd like to know
if I can plug it in and test the voltages without a load.

Probably, by shorting its green wire to ground (i.e., any of the PSU's
black wires, such as either one next to the green wire) with a
paperclip. That should at least make the fan(s) spin, but if it
doesn't you'll need to apply a load, such as with a hard drive or one
of these http://tinyurl.com/ajau6 connected between any red wire and
ground (again, any black wire). A few PSUs need an additional load on
either the +3.3V (orange wire to ground) or the +12V (yellow to
ground). However, the 10 ohm, 10 watt resistor in the illustration
will overheat if connected to +12V, so you'll instead need at least 20W
for it (two 10W resistors in series will work). Without sufficient
load, the voltage ratings can't be trusted to be accurate.

I don't know what you paid for your 520W Aspire, but you could have
gotten a 450W Fortron/Sparkle for about $50, and most likely it can put
out more power.

 

[breetz]

Thanks for the "detailed" response. This, I can probably do, I bought
the Aspire for $60 with a $10 rebate. Why don't they just sell it for
$50 so I don't have to play the rebate game? Anyway, I got the Aspire
because I was putting it into an Aspire X-Discovery Case and I kind of
liked look of the fluorescent cables. It'll look sweet with a black
light inside, And with an Aspire, I figured there "shouldn't" be a fit
problem. I doubt whether I'll ever need the power.Thanks
again............guys

 

[Mxsmanic]

Thanks for the "detailed" response. This, I can probably do, I bought
the Aspire for $60 with a $10 rebate. Why don't they just sell it for
$50 so I don't have to play the rebate game?

In part because it's difficult to change prices once the product is
sold to retailers, and in part because they know that hardly anyone
bothers to go to the trouble of requesting a $10 rebate.

 

[John Doe]

In part because it's difficult to change prices once the product
is sold to retailers,

The manufacturer could easily send the merchant the rebate per unit
sold.

and in part because they know that hardly anyone
bothers to go to the trouble of requesting a $10 rebate.

Maybe that's true, but then the rebate has hardly any advertising
value. It has negative advertising value to me, I look the other way
whenever I see a mail in rebate offer.

Besides just being a scam involving lost rebate requests and such,
maybe the main value of a rebate scheme is an attempt to prevent
returns.

 

[Mxsmanic]

The manufacturer could easily send the merchant the rebate per unit
sold.

Yes, if the manufacturer really wants to give up the money. Of
course, it's harder to guarantee that the consumer is seeing the
rebate in that case.

Maybe that's true, but then the rebate has hardly any advertising
value. It has negative advertising value to me, I look the other way
whenever I see a mail in rebate offer.

I just ignore rebate offers. For me, the price is whatever I pay when
I buy it, and if that's too high, I don't buy, no matter how much the
rebate is.

If I do notice, it usually gives me the impression that the product is
not selling very well, since the manufacturer had to some up with
something to move more of it after the fact.

But some people are attracted to such things, apparently.

 

[John Doe]

Yes, if the manufacturer really wants to give up the money. Of
course, it's harder to guarantee that the consumer is seeing the
rebate in that case.

The consumer would be seeing the lower price.

It must have to do with the consumer rebate process. And yeah,
apparently the product isn't selling well enough. That's why it
would be useful to prevent returns.

 

[Robert BL]

I'm slowly procuring components for a PC to be built by my geek
offspring, in whom I am well pleased, I might add. The geek shall
inherit the earth ya know.......

I'm buying a little bit at a time for financial reasons

Although this doesn't address your question, there's two reasons I wouldn't
advise buying your components over time:

1. You've already thought about this -- you may find once you get it all
together that you either have a compatability issue or something is not
working but the time to send the problematic component back or exchange it
for something different has expired.

2. The technology is constantly advancing over time. As this happens,
older technology goes down in price. That means in six months or a year the
same components will be cheaper or you could buy updated technology for the
same price you would have paid six months to a year ago for the older
technology. I'd advise you save your money until you're ready to upgrade
then do it all at once.

Robert BL

 

[Mxsmanic]

The consumer would be seeing the lower price.

Not if the retailer doesn't pass along the rebate.

It must have to do with the consumer rebate process. And yeah,
apparently the product isn't selling well enough. That's why it
would be useful to prevent returns.

Unfortunately, just offering a rebate can imply that there's something
wrong with the product and/or that it is overpriced.

 

[breetz]

You are answering my question by pointing out the error my ways. I
agree with you regarding technology changes. My intention was to get
the motherboard, processor, and videocard last at the same time. I
thought I had thought this through. I've been buying things like the
case, power supply, network card, DVD burner, Hard drives, etc a little
at a time or when there are sales/rebates. And this stuff is farily
inexpensive now. Most of it I can test to make sure it works in my
existing PC. Hence the original power supply question. I hadn't thought
about compatibility issues though.

 

[Robert BL]

Well, if you're just buying basically the peripheral equipment as you
describe over time I think you should be fine. To your original question --
It's my understanding you must have a load to test the power supply. You
mention you have another PC to test your purchases -- why not just try the
power supply in that PC? If everything spins up OK the power supply should
be fine and if you would like to take it one step further you could check
all the voltages while the PS is under load.

Robert BL