Power Supply Questions

[LuckyDog]

Hello:

The original power supply that came with my barebone system is making
whirling sounds. I think it's going to die soon. It's a 350W. I am
going to buy a new one before this one give out. Should I go with a
higher wattage one - say 500W, or should I get another 350W one?

Thanks in advance for your help!

 

[Roy]

it depends on what you do with you computer.
a standard computer doesn't need 500 watt...350 is enough for it.
but if you like casemodding you better get a 400 or 500 watts.

 

[Christopher Pollard]

The original power supply that came with my barebone system is making
whirling sounds.

Have you tried cleaning the fan? Might be some dirt throwing it off balance.
--
Chris Pollard


CG Internet café, Tagum City, Philippines
http://www.cginternet.net

 

[kony]

Hello:

The original power supply that came with my barebone system is making
whirling sounds. I think it's going to die soon. It's a 350W. I am
going to buy a new one before this one give out. Should I go with a
higher wattage one - say 500W, or should I get another 350W one?

Thanks in advance for your help!

Do you plan on needing support for significant upgrades, and
if so, will you need a 2nd power supply and if so, one
larger or same size for similar 2nd system?

A moment to plan your PC's future will help determine the
best long-term strategy for replacement. Since it runs OK
from 350W, you could just get another 350W. If you're not a
hardcore gamer, don't run a half-dozen hard drives or SMP
system, 350W should be plenty for a next-generation rebuilt.

Typically a barebones generic system has a relatively poor
quality generic power supply in it. That means it's likely
not even worth 300W, let alone 350W. It also usually means
a low-quality fan, probably why yours is now noisey? You
might find that lubing the fan is all that's needed. If you
want to replace it anyway, something like a 350W Sparkle
should do fine and is a good value, or closer to 420-250W if
any of the former demanding scenarios apply.

 

[Ian Boys]

Changing the fan is no big deal. If you are lucky then the fan power lead is
socketed not soldered and you can simple replace it with a 80x80x25mm system
fan, plugging the red and black lead only in. If it's soldered then you can
use crimp splices or a small electrical junction strip. Make sure that you
leave the PSU unplugged for 30 mins to make sure it's fully discharged. The
whole process is described here:
http://www.bleedinedge.com/guides/psu_fan_r2/psu_fan_r2.html

 

[Al Smith]

The original power supply that came with my barebone system is making

whirling sounds. I think it's going to die soon. It's a 350W. I am
going to buy a new one before this one give out. Should I go with a
higher wattage one - say 500W, or should I get another 350W one?

Get a 300 W. It will run cooler, quieter, and has more power than
you are ever likely to need.

 

[Dave C.]

Get a 300 W. It will run cooler, quieter, and has more power than you are
ever likely to need.

A decent video card today requires a 300W power supply as a MINIMUM. If you
want the supply to survive even a minor upgrade, your power supply had
better be more than 300W. -Dave

 

[Al Smith]

The original power supply that came with my barebone system is making

A decent video card today requires a 300W power supply as a MINIMUM. If you
want the supply to survive even a minor upgrade, your power supply had
better be more than 300W. -Dave

Home builders almost always overstate the need for a large power
supply. If it works, it is big enough. If it works, it will work
just as well as a 500 W power supply, but with less heat and noise.

 

[LuckyDog]

Thanks very much for your help everyone. I will try to clean the fan
first. If that doesn't work then I'll probably replace it with the
same 350W. I don't run games or do complicated graphics on my machine.

 

[kony]

Home builders almost always overstate the need for a large power
supply. If it works, it is big enough. If it works, it will work
just as well as a 500 W power supply, but with less heat and noise.

Huh?

Typically a decent higher wattage PSU has larger heatsinks
and better fan control, it will be cooler and quieter unless
ill-designed (on average it would be at least cooler or
quieter if not both).

One of the main issues with power supply large enough to
work, but not with much margin, is the output filter caps
are stessed, fail sooner. Main issue is then if it provides
acceptible service life and what happens (if) it fails.

 

[BruceM]

Dissemble & then remove the sticker in the centre of the fan. On most you
then remove the little rubber plug in the centre & then put one drop of thin
machine (sewing?) oil in the hole but to one side of it while spinning the
blade. Pop the rubber back in to keep dust out. Forget the sticker as it's
usually hidden. That should get you another 3 years or till you sell the
machine.
BruceM

 

[Al Smith]

Home builders almost always overstate the need for a large power

Huh?

Typically a decent higher wattage PSU has larger heatsinks
and better fan control, it will be cooler and quieter unless
ill-designed (on average it would be at least cooler or
quieter if not both).

I grant you this might be the case -- but only because you won't
find a really shoddy 500 W power supply that easily. People who
buy 500 W power supplies want quality. However, it stands to
reason that a 500 W power supply of the same quality as a 300 W
power supply is going to generate more heat. As for noise, that
depends on the quality of the fan, and on its diameter.

 

[kony]

I grant you this might be the case -- but only because you won't
find a really shoddy 500 W power supply that easily. People who
buy 500 W power supplies want quality. However, it stands to
reason that a 500 W power supply of the same quality as a 300 W
power supply is going to generate more heat. As for noise, that
depends on the quality of the fan, and on its diameter.

Unfortunately there are a lot of poor 500W, for example
http://www.google.com/froogle?q=500W+ATX&btnG=Search+Froogle&scoring=p

It does not stand to reason that a 500W will generate much
more heat, perhaps it's a couple percent less efficient, but
that's hardly significant if the system would've ran from
300W anyway, lower system power usage makes percentage
difference even less meaningful.

Noise may depend on quality of fan after it's worn out, but
initally it can depend more on how much time and thought was
put into engineering the fan control circuit. Take a PSU
with relatively quiet fan, typical single 80x25mm size, and
swap in a cheap junk fan of similar amperage rating, and
it'll still be quiet due to the integral fan speed
controller.

 

[ric]

I grant you this might be the case -- but only because you won't
find a really shoddy 500 W power supply that easily. People who
buy 500 W power supplies want quality. However, it stands to
reason that a 500 W power supply of the same quality as a 300 W
power supply is going to generate more heat.

Huh? Why?

 

[Ken]

Get a 300 W. It will run cooler, quieter, and has more power than
you are ever likely to need.

A bigger PSU runs cooler and quieter than a small PSU.

 

[LuckyDog]

Hi, again:

It turned out to be the CPU fan instead of the power supply. I turned
on my computer Friday morning and it booted up for about 2 seconds
then shut off completely. I borrowed my brother's power supply to test
out the machine and mine was fine. I dug into my cabinet and found a
brand new AMD heatsink and fan. So I took the fan and put it on top of
my old heatsink which is over the CPU. Now my machine is humming along
again.

Question, how do you remove the heatsink once it's been installed of
the CPU? I tried to remove it, but it wouldn't budge at all. I didn't
want to force it as I was afraid I might damage the CPU. Yes, I have
already unlocked the metal clips before I tried to remove it.

Thanks everyone for your help!
Lucky Dog

 

[kony]

Hi, again:

It turned out to be the CPU fan instead of the power supply. I turned
on my computer Friday morning and it booted up for about 2 seconds
then shut off completely. I borrowed my brother's power supply to test
out the machine and mine was fine. I dug into my cabinet and found a
brand new AMD heatsink and fan. So I took the fan and put it on top of
my old heatsink which is over the CPU. Now my machine is humming along
again.

Question, how do you remove the heatsink once it's been installed of
the CPU? I tried to remove it, but it wouldn't budge at all. I didn't
want to force it as I was afraid I might damage the CPU. Yes, I have
already unlocked the metal clips before I tried to remove it.

Thanks everyone for your help!
Lucky Dog

Run system (make sure heatsink is still on good) to heat up
the 'sink, which will soften the interface material.

If you can get both the CPU and 'sink out of the socket
safely, there is the option to use a hairdryer (or other
low-heat appliance) to moderately heat the 'sink.

Additional interface material remaining after CPU is
detached from 'sink can be cleaned off with a petroluem
based solvent (take your pick) and scraped off the heatsink
base with a plastic tool (like a credit card, something
softer than the base of the 'sink so it isn't scratched up).

 

[LuckyDog]

Thanks again for your help, kony!

Run system (make sure heatsink is still on good) to heat up
the 'sink, which will soften the interface material.

If you can get both the CPU and 'sink out of the socket
safely, there is the option to use a hairdryer (or other
low-heat appliance) to moderately heat the 'sink.

Additional interface material remaining after CPU is
detached from 'sink can be cleaned off with a petroluem
based solvent (take your pick) and scraped off the heatsink
base with a plastic tool (like a credit card, something
softer than the base of the 'sink so it isn't scratched up).

 

[Joe]

Thanks ..... for now computer is working fine with the old power
supply, except the noise in the fan once in a while.

Next local Computer show I will pick a cheap old 20 pin 350watt power
supply. Or a replacement fan if I do not find one.

Thanks for your feedback.