How do I connect up a power supply?

[smlunatick]

  Even an undersized supply must never fails as described. The supply
should make most AC power problems irrelvant.  Yes, missing ground
might cause a power supply or other computer failures.  But only if
the power supply was defective when purchased.  A missing safety
ground should never cause electronics damage.  That does not even
suggest the necessary and required safety ground exists or can remain
missing.  But a missing safety ground must never create that kind of
hardware failure.

  smlunatick is right to demand that safety ground exist.  But if a
missing safety ground causes hardware failure, then the OP has more
and serious problems beyond a missing safety ground.

Checking of the proper "grounded" may also reveal a "reverse polarity"
problem. I have seen outlets inmproperly installed cause "havac!"

 

[CaptAmerica]

And what is this newsgroup about. The OS or the Hardware. Sheeees............

No. Read the title. XP.hardware. Now connect the dots: hardware
issues RELATED to the OS. Not just pure hardware.

Of course I don't expect the naysayers against me to ever admit they
are wrong...you included.

 

[JohnO]

Hey Cap'n Crunch: I don't see that in the name of the newsgroup. Where is
that, exactly?

Top-posted just for you.

 

[Frank Martin]

This is a picture of the two fixed cables
on that power
supply. One is PCI Express, the other is
the main 24 pin (20+4)
power connector for the motherboard. The
two fixed cables
are pictured here.

http://www.jonnyguru.com/modules/NDReviews/images/Toughpower750W/IMG_1013.jpg

The text is here.

http://www.jonnyguru.com/modules.php?name=NDReviews&op=Story&reid=7

"Oddly enough, the second of the two
fixed cables on the Toughpower 750W
is not a +12V for ATX12V or EPS12V, but
is a PCI-e connector. Both the
fixed ATX main power connector and
PCI-e connector are on the same rail.
There are two PCI-e connectors on the
Toughpower 750W other than this
fixed one, and these two connectors are
on their own 12V rail. The manual
states if you are using high end
SLI/Crossfire that you should use the two
modular PCI-e cables. So I'm not really
certain what purpose this fixed
PCI-e serves."

So that makes a total of three PCI Express
connectors. PCI Express connectors
come in 2x3 and 2x4 types. The 2x4 was
added as an afterthought, when some
extra high power video cards came out.

The signals on the two kinds of PCI
Express, are shown in the wiring diagram
for the following power supply. The 2x3 has
three yellow 12V wires, and
three black ground wires. The 2x4 has three
yellow 12V wires, and five black
ground wires. As far as I know, one of the
ground wires on the 2x4 PCI Express
is a "presence detect" pin. The video card
senses the ground has been connected,
and then the card knows a 2x4 has been
plugged in. I don't know if a pin was
hijacked for this purpose on the 2x3
connector or not. It might have been.

http://www.pcpower.com/downloads/S75_diagram_3827.JPG

Some PCI Express 2x4 are hinged, and break
apart into a 2x3 section and a 2x1
section. This is so the connector can be
used for either situation (2x3 or 2x4).

In any case, you haven't mentioned any PCI
Express video cards, and
if you're not using one, or if the PCI
Express card doesn't use Aux
connectors on the non-faceplate end of the
card, then that "fixed"
PCI Express can be left dangling.

A basic computer build uses -

1) 2x2 for the processor, +12V and ground
2) 24 pin main connector, for motherboard
power
3) A least one peripheral cable, with
floppy, hard drive, CDROM power

You can add to that

4a) The fixed PCI Express, for a low
powered card with a single Auxiliary
connector.

or

4b) Use the two modular PCI Express, for a
higher power card. (8800GTX?)
If there is no video card like that
present in the computer, then
the two "red connector" cables, can
stay in the cardboard box.

5) The additional peripheral power cables
would be needed, if you have a whole bunch
of hard drives or something.

The clamp-on ammeter is an expensive tool,
the most expensive of
my cheesy collection of meters. Not every
DIY home builder needs
one, but if you ever have concerns about
where the amps are
flowing, I find it a handy tool. I can use
the DC measurement scale
for computer work, and the AC measurement
scale for working on my
central air conditioner (bad fan motor).

Many cheap general purpose multimeters,
have a 10 amps limit (protected
by a fuse on the multimeter). That clamp-on
meter doesn't have a fuse
on it, and can measure 40 amps DC full
scale or 400 amps DC full scale.
I've measured 16 amps flowing on one of the
lower voltage rails in
one of my older computers. One of the
reasons I bought the clamp-on
meter, is because it did not have the
typical 10 amp measurement
limit. Since the meter uses magnetic fields
for measurement, it
doesn't get in the circuit path, and that
is one of its better
features. I feel real good when working on
220VAC and not making
contact with live voltage. With a normal
multimeter, you have
to put the current measurement interface,
in series with the load,
which would require cutting a wire.

HTH,
Paul

Thanks again. The video driver is "Nvidia
GeForce 6200 Turbocache", the video card is
"Winfast A340 TDH"

I have left the fixed PCI-express cable just
dangling free inside the case; a shame
because it looks bad and takes up space.

Frank

 

[smlunatick]

Thanks again. The video driver is "Nvidia
GeForce 6200 Turbocache", the video card is
"Winfast A340 TDH"

I have left the fixed PCI-express cable just
dangling free inside the case; a shame
because it looks bad and takes up space.

Frank- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

You can always find a cable tie and tie it up, out of the way.

 

[w_tom]

Checking of the proper "grounded" may also reveal a "reverse polarity"
problem.

Polarity reversal also must not create problems in a properly
designed supply. If polarity reversal causes problems, then a defect
also exists in that power supply.

Primary purpose of the safety ground is human safety. If safety
ground is missing, then safety issues and other lesser issues such as
insufficient filtering can exist.

 

[Frank Martin]

message

Thanks again. The video driver is "Nvidia
GeForce 6200 Turbocache", the video card is
"Winfast A340 TDH"

I have left the fixed PCI-express cable
just
dangling free inside the case; a shame
because it looks bad and takes up space.

Frank- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

You can always find a cable tie and tie it
up, out of the way.

I did do this, using a plastic tie looped
around the power-supply fan inlet grill.

Incidentally, I have found that all the
components such as DVD writers, HDDs, power
supply, etc are cooler to the touch if I
leave the side panels off the computer.

Skeleton Clocks were in vogue in the 19th
century, and now I have a skeleton computer.

 

[smlunatick]

message




You can always find a cable tie and tie it
up, out of the way.

I did do this, using a plastic tie looped
around the power-supply fan inlet grill.

Incidentally, I have found that all the
components such as DVD writers, HDDs, power
supply, etc are cooler to the touch if I
leave the side panels off the computer.

Skeleton Clocks were in vogue in the 19th
century, and now I have a skeleton computer.

Of course! With the panels off, there is more "air" to circulate.
There is just a few drawbacks to this:

1) More things can fall into the case to gum up the "fans."
2) More dust will be sucked into the fans
3) Things can fall into the case and yank the cables out.

 

[Bob I]

Of course! With the panels off, there is more "air" to circulate.
There is just a few drawbacks to this:

1) More things can fall into the case to gum up the "fans."
2) More dust will be sucked into the fans
3) Things can fall into the case and yank the cables out.

And 4) Cats!

 

[smlunatick]

And 4) Cats!

5) US also, especially if the PC is at floor level.

 

[Frank Martin]

message

And 4) Cats!

5) US also, especially if the PC is at floor
level.


I'll wrap the computer in chicken wire.

 

[Michael W. Ryder]

And 4) Cats!

Or snakes! I had to fix a computer after a 10' boa crawled into it for
a nap after dinner. Somehow the entire snake fit in and the only damage
was the IDE cable was knocked loose.

 

[Bill in Co.]

Or snakes! I had to fix a computer after a 10' boa crawled into it for
a nap after dinner. Somehow the entire snake fit in and the only damage
was the IDE cable was knocked loose.

A *ten foot* boa fits into a computer? Yeah, right! Sounds like a
Texas tale.

 

[Michael W. Ryder]

A *ten foot* boa fits into a computer? Yeah, right! Sounds like a
Texas tale.

I know the person that owned the computer and knew the snake. The snake
wasn't too big around and there is enough room in the bottom of the
tower to curl up into a ball. He barely fit and that is why the drive
cable got disconnected. I figure he crawled in as it was a nice warm
and dark place to take a after dinner nap.

 

[Bob I]

I know the person that owned the computer and knew the snake. The snake
wasn't too big around and there is enough room in the bottom of the
tower to curl up into a ball. He barely fit and that is why the drive
cable got disconnected. I figure he crawled in as it was a nice warm
and dark place to take a after dinner nap.

I'll bet that wireless mouse would take a while to digest too! ;-)

 

[M.I.5¾]

No. Read the title. XP.hardware. Now connect the dots: hardware
issues RELATED to the OS. Not just pure hardware.

Of course I don't expect the naysayers against me to ever admit they
are wrong...you included.

That's because we're not wrong. You are. And we already know that you
won't admit it.

****wit.