Which 2 PSU's?

[scraggles]

I'm working on a pc and I should probably order the power supplies soon, so I figured, what better place to come, than here!

The PC is going to feature an Intel Core 2 Extreme, so of course I've got another month to shop around for parts before I get too antsy.

As for the PSU, I need 2. The case is a Lian-Li PC-G70B, so it has more than enough room for the 2 PSU's.

In this computer, I currently have an Ultra X-Connect 500w PSU and I absolutely love it. Having the ability to remove any cables that I don't need leaves the inside of my case immaculate. Therefore, I would love to continue along those lines.

I also would like something quiet. My current psu is fairly silent, and I do plan on adding some soundproofing to the case, so lets try to avoid any satanic noise machines.

Oh, and of course it has to support SLI or any other future power needs.

Finally, I would like to have it in black. If Black Anodized Aluminum is an option, that's a huge plus too.
Thanks for any suggestions!!!

[tohito]

Do you know what you're doing? Have you ever put two PSUs in the same computer before? I would love to be able to do it, but I was under the impression that it was not possible. How are you going to synchronize them to get them to share the load? If we're talking about the ATX form factor, the motherboard turns on the PSU when you press the power button on the motherboard. But only one PSU can be connected to the ATX connector on the motherboard, which means that only one of your PSUs would come on. This is just one of the many problems I imagine you would have. Is there some way to connect two PSU to make them work as one? I have heard rumors about booster PSU that will be released in coming months, but these fit in 5.25" drive bays and provide a few hundred extra watts of power for your video cards. That doesn't sound like what you're talking about. Did I completely misunderstand your post? If so, please forgive me. What are you talking about? :?

[scraggles]

Maybe I am wrong. I had imagined that I could use 1 psu for the mobo, video card, and fans, while using the 2nd psu for the 8hdd's I have and DVD-RW.

Maybe I am wrong. I'm not sure! lol

[CanaBalistic]

My sugestion would be to get the most powerfull PSU you can find. There is a 1 Killowatt PSU on the market and that should supply you with enough power.

PSU's have a "power good" wire in the atx 20 pin connector. I dont know if it would work but you could try this on a ****ty PSU. Find out wether or not its a positive or a negative wire and route an opposite wire into it then check the molex plugs for power.

[scraggles]

I did do a mod to a PSU before to use a PSU as a tester for my mods, like fans/cd-roms and whatnot. Maybe that'd work?

[scraggles]

Do you know what you're doing? Have you ever put two PSUs in the same computer before? I would love to be able to do it, but I was under the impression that it was not possible. How are you going to synchronize them to get them to share the load? If we're talking about the ATX form factor, the motherboard turns on the PSU when you press the power button on the motherboard. But only one PSU can be connected to the ATX connector on the motherboard, which means that only one of your PSUs would come on. This is just one of the many problems I imagine you would have. Is there some way to connect two PSU to make them work as one? I have heard rumors about booster PSU that will be released in coming months, but these fit in 5.25" drive bays and provide a few hundred extra watts of power for your video cards. That doesn't sound like what you're talking about. Did I completely misunderstand your post? If so, please forgive me. What are you talking about? :?



http://www.lian-li.com/Product/Chassis/Server_Full_Tower/Classical/S_C_PC-G70.htm

Look at the specs listed there. "Enclosed a cable for turning on two PSU at the same time" I'm not quite sure I have it though. If I do, I don't know what the hell it is. I see the fan wires, and the USB/Firewire/Headphone crap. Thats it.

[FyR]

To make a PSU think its being turned on by the motherboard is simple, you just link the green wire (pin 7 of the atx) to any of the blacks (pin 9 is ideal as it is next to it) This will switch the PSU on. To link two together that would come on using the main switch would be simple aswell. All you would have to do is splice the two green wires from each PSU together and leave everything else alone. When the ATX connector is plugged into the motherboard and the power switch is pressed both greens will be shorted to ground (black wire via the motherboard) and hey presto will switch on together in perfect synchronicity!

As for your new PSU, why not just get another one of what you already have? You say you love it, its quiet ect ect just get another :)

[scraggles]

I would, but I'm giving this PC to my girlfriend when the new one is finished, not to mention, this one doesn't support SLI.

[archmaille]

Whoever said that it was impossible to use two PSU's was mistaken. It is easy to do all you have to do is jump the wires like FyR said, or get one of these psu starter (http://www.performance-pcs.com/catalog/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=22_101&products_id=3163) or one for modular PSU's (http://www.performance-pcs.com/catalog/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=22_101&products_id=4057) I don't really know what the difference is, but that gives you the option of having a switch... If you don't want the switch and just want the PSU to be on all the time you could get one of these PSU Jumpers (http://www.performance-pcs.com/catalog/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=22_101&products_id=2850) they're nice because you don't have to worry about wires falling out or anything like that.

if you're running 2 PSU's I would also suggest using one for mobo and one for Vid. Card then deviding the load between HDD's it will relieve a lot of stress from the PSU. Also modular PSU's are horrible, but if looks is more important to you than performance go with what you want.

[FyR]

If your PSU's are modular, i think the supplier may have released some new modules for an SLI setup. If not get an Antec NeoPower, i have one (500W) and its quiet, dual 12v rail for SLI and it looks good.

[scraggles]

if you're running 2 PSU's I would also suggest using one for mobo and one for Vid. Card then deviding the load between HDD's it will relieve a lot of stress from the PSU. Also modular PSU's are horrible, but if looks is more important to you than performance go with what you want.

Why are they so horrible? This one has served me well.

[The boy 4rm oz]

You should be able to connect the 2 PSU's so that they turn on at the same time all you need is an adapter. I've seen them somewhere but I cant remember where. The thermaltake GPU dedicated PSU has one...I think.

As for the PSU (if you have got the cash) go for a Thermaltake Toughpower Cable Management 700 or 750W. These work great, i just bought the 750W model and its awesome. It's got a 14cm fan for maximum silence, the cables are sleved and it comes with a gell pad that you put between the PSU and the rear of the case to minimise vibration noise. Oh and it's black appart from the badge on the side. It only cost me $239 AUS.
check it out:
http://www.thermaltake.com/product/Power/ToughPower/W0116/w0116.asp#

Or you can get the 600W model but that doesn't come modulised.

[archmaille]

Modular PSU's are bad because the connection from the wires to the PSU adds unnecisary resistance the added resistance is as much as 2 feet of wire... doesn't seem like a big deal, but in actuality it may cause system instabilities.

Ohms LAW:
Ohm's Law defines the relationships between (P) power, (E) voltage, (I) current, and (R) resistance. One ohm is the resistance value through which one volt will maintain a current of one ampere.

in other words to increase resistance decreases amps, which people generally don't talk about amperage in computer terms you see wattage more often (amps = the square root of watts/ohms(resistance) or amps = watts/volts[in a perfect system that has no resistance you can simply divide watts by volts that is]) everybody loves to throw around wattage, when in reality amerage is more important.... of course we never have to figure out amps for computers because we "know" that our 12v runs at 12v our 5v runs at 5v etc. but when you throw in more resistance for the fun of it you are actually "suffocating" your computer parts and adding unnecisary stress to them.

Of course there is also the long term affects of a modular PSU that is run in a moist area, or is plugged in and out often, this can lead to loosening of the plugs or corrosion which can then lead to fun little fires inside your computer... can anyone say case lighting? :D

Of course, it is up to you... if you would prefer for your computer to look purty get the modular... you will never see one near my computer, but that is my personal preference.

[scraggles]

Well, I've had this one in here for 2 years and it has been by far the best powersupply I've ever used, so I have no problems with modular. Besides, when there are modular PSU's out that are getting good professional reviews, I see no reason not to get one. I've been looking at the Enermax Liberty series, which is made for dual cpu systems, so I'm sure it can handle a large workload.

http://www.xoxide.com/enermax-liberty-620w-psu.html

[DaveW]

You can always make your own modular PSU's. I've done it, although I never posted it here because it's such a trifle.

-Dave

[archmaille]

You're entitled to use whatever you want. I'm just saying that no matter what the reviewers say it does put extra stress on your computer.

[FyR]

Modular PSU's are bad because the connection from the wires to the PSU adds unnecisary resistance the added resistance is as much as 2 feet of wire... doesn't seem like a big deal, but in actuality it may cause system instabilities.

Ohms LAW:
Ohm's Law defines the relationships between (P) power, (E) voltage, (I) current, and (R) resistance. One ohm is the resistance value through which one volt will maintain a current of one ampere.

in other words to increase resistance decreases amps, which people generally don't talk about amperage in computer terms you see wattage more often (amps = the square root of watts/ohms(resistance) or amps = watts/volts[in a perfect system that has no resistance you can simply divide watts by volts that is]) everybody loves to throw around wattage, when in reality amerage is more important.... of course we never have to figure out amps for computers because we "know" that our 12v runs at 12v our 5v runs at 5v etc. but when you throw in more resistance for the fun of it you are actually "suffocating" your computer parts and adding unnecisary stress to them.

Of course there is also the long term affects of a modular PSU that is run in a moist area, or is plugged in and out often, this can lead to loosening of the plugs or corrosion which can then lead to fun little fires inside your computer... can anyone say case lighting? :D

Of course, it is up to you... if you would prefer for your computer to look purty get the modular... you will never see one near my computer, but that is my personal preference.

Nearly all well made modular PSU's use gold plated crimps to connect and even if they didnt, as long as nothing really bad (like a dodgy crimp) comes into play, the resistance from a join would be hardly anything at all (if anything). A multimeter can prove this.

Saying that a join in the wire is going to put sufficient stess on a PSU that will result in system instability is untrue. You create a join when you connect a PSU connector to a harddrive, motherboard, optical drive and graphics card. Unless your going to go round hardwire everything together with solder you will always have joins in the loom, joints which have no impact on system stability whatsoever.

And how the hell would a loose crimp lead to corrosion and setting fire to your case? If corrosion was going to happen it would happen on all the exposed parts of your motherboard ect, and INSIDE the PSU, not just the crimps, if the crimps became corroded they would not set on fire, they would probably just fail to connect. Besides, if you run your pc in a moist enough area to get corrosion woithout using moisture filters your an idiot and deserve to be set on fire.

[Omega]

You _can_ use two. Just short out the pins on the second PSU so that as soon as it gets power, it's on. Then make the other PSU work via the power button.

Or you can get fancy and splice the 2nd PSU's power switch lines into the first PSU's, which might work, but I would suggest the first, as I have no idea what i'm talking about.


My dad runs two PSU's, one for mobo, opticals, soundcard, videocard, and the other for all the fans and also the HD's.

[archmaille]

Nearly all well made modular PSU's use gold plated crimps to connect and even if they didnt, as long as nothing really bad (like a dodgy crimp) comes into play, the resistance from a join would be hardly anything at all (if anything). A multimeter can prove this.

Saying that a join in the wire is going to put sufficient stess on a PSU that will result in system instability is untrue. You create a join when you connect a PSU connector to a harddrive, motherboard, optical drive and graphics card. Unless your going to go round hardwire everything together with solder you will always have joins in the loom, joints which have no impact on system stability whatsoever.

And how the hell would a loose crimp lead to corrosion and setting fire to your case? If corrosion was going to happen it would happen on all the exposed parts of your motherboard ect, and INSIDE the PSU, not just the crimps, if the crimps became corroded they would not set on fire, they would probably just fail to connect. Besides, if you run your pc in a moist enough area to get corrosion woithout using moisture filters your an idiot and deserve to be set on fire.

If they use gold plated connections than much of what I said is irrelevant, being that I've never used a modular PSU I wouldn't know, and I've found nothing on any site that says in the description that they are. System instabilities from a brand new motular PSU is highly unlikely from the amount of resistance that it adds to the wire, but from one that is faulty or loose yes it could. As far as running this risk with any PSU because you connect it all over this is also true, but the resistance, and chances of failure are doubled with a modular PSU. The only reason I pointed this stuff out is because most people don't look at these things, but for a person like myself that prefers performance over anything else it may be important. I'm not saying that a modular PSU will most definitely destroy your system, all PSU's run that risk of doing very bad things to your computer, but my question is why put additional risk into something that you've spent so much money and worst of all time on.

[Silenced_Coyote]

http://www.lian-li.com/Product/Chassis/Server_Full_Tower/Classical/S_C_PC-G70.htm

Look at the specs listed there. "Enclosed a cable for turning on two PSU at the same time" I'm not quite sure I have it though. If I do, I don't know what the hell it is. I see the fan wires, and the USB/Firewire/Headphone crap. Thats it.

The Silverstone TJ07 can hold 2 PSUs too and comes with a cable. This is what it looks like:
http://www.thetechlounge.com/files/articles/258/images/31.jpg
So I guess that is the cable you should be looking for.

Just wondering, wouldn't 2 PSUs be better and cheaper? Like getting 2 Antec NeoPower 550 PSUs would be way cheaper than getting one PC Power & Cooling 1KW PSU.