Got a new PSU

[Nightwatch]

As a few of you guys have heard, I've had a PSU mulfunction recently. My ENERMAX Liberty Modular 500W PSU shorted and took the full house electricity from the swithboard.
Fortunately it was guaranteed for 3 years and Ihave been useing it for a bit over 2 years. RMA process went very smoothly and I was ofefred a new on eas they decided on the phone that it would not be repairable. So I choose a new one as its replacement.

It's a CORSAIR HX series 520W modular. (for those who may not know what modular is: cables are not already fitted permanently. They come in a separate bundle and you choose what cables you need to use, so only the necessary cables are used and clutter of cables inside the case is avoided)

This is the PSU that will be feeding my system until I finally built another PC.

http://www.misco.co.uk/applications/Sea ... 58&CatId=0

Altough it's a 520 Watts PSU, however, it gives most of its poers to where it's actually needed. That's of course the 12V rails. It has 3x12V rails, with a total of 40 Amps on 12V rails. Total power output on 12V rails is 480Watts! So it gives to all important crucial parts a total of 480 Watts from its 520 Watts main total. Getting a 480 Watts power output on 12V channel can be expected from PSUs with much higher total power, say, from those which offer 700+Watts.

So, everything good so far, as it seems; except that all the (somewhat unavoidable) hassle of dismantling the old PSU, and installing the new one remains. Well, at least PCs are better than Game Consoles in this respect, too. Hassle or not, at least we can change parts in our PCs, whereas a broken down (or even an old) Game Console quite possibly finds itself in the garbage can.

Well, I'll post my impressions on this new PSU later. And due to this affair, I've had opportunity to go through the current PSUs and refresh my knowledge on the subject. so, I can try to help to a few questions on the subject if any arise meanwhile.

[audioave10]

I have THAT PSU plus the HX620(50amps) on my SLI system. I'm
sorry for Eggchen to have a failure on his 620 but the failure-rate of
the Corsair PSU's is among the lowest in the industry. I also had an
Enermax 550w that failed after one year which led to buying the 2
Corsairs. Good choice in my opinion.

[EggChen]

Yep, but until that point it had served me perfectly though, and it was 2+ years old. Had I had the choice (i.e not having to get something in stock at PC World) I would have gone for another Corsair.

I have to remind myself, I was running a GTX280, which that power supply preceded. The PSU had no connection for an 8 pin pci, and so I had to "acquire" an adaptor. Everything I read about these adaptors was that they are not the greatest idea. There is a certain amount of power loss with every connection you add*, and even the GFX card manual recommended not to use an adaptor.

So I don't really blame the PSU. It should have been OK, but I did push it a bit....

* Even modular connections are not considered the most power efficient, because power is lost at each connection. However I always choose modular... prioritising airflow and a PC that has room for when I wish to delve inside.

[Nightwatch]

Thanks guys. I was not much interested in Corsairs before, but as now realized, it was a mistake.
I would go to 620HX, too, audioave10, but was restricted at that time because I was getting this one as a replacement to the faulty one. Still it gives more 12V Amps than my old faulty one. But if I built a new one later, I'll go for a higher one. Great to hear that you have the first hand experience on the PSU that I'm getting it and that you're giving it a thumbs up.

I think, you're right there, EggChen about the thought that the adaptor to the GFX280 card might have (at least) initiated the problems that developed with the PSU later. These 8-pin connections have caused a lot of headache for many people.

[ket]

I've never had any PSU fail on me except one which I... "converted" for use in the UK so it was inevitable that unit would eventually die. Can't say I've used any Corsair PSUs, but I really wouldn't want to either. Much rather give my money to proven UK manufacturers such as Hiper. I once owned a 480w Type R that was absolutely brilliant. Powered anything I threw at it, to this day its still happily humming along in another system.

[Grump642]

Ket, I love the Type R Hiper. My comp tools are still sitting in a tool case that my Hiper came in. And I am typing on a Hiper Special Edition all metal black keyboard. HCK-1K18A. Good stuff. I almost bought a Hiper case for my new build. My Hiper PSU died, not its fault, but I still like their stuff.
Nightwatch: The Corsair TX550 is rated just as high, for a lot less money. Just not modular.

[Nightwatch]

I'll be checking this Hiper stuff, actually I need a new keyboard, too; preferably with a wider key arrangement.I have a bad habit of hitting (or touching) the next key to the one I intend to hit. So a lot of spelling mistakes arise.
I'll be checking the TX version of Corsairs for a later new built, too; together with Hipers as well. All good info need to be utilized.

edit: PS: Tonight I'm removing (re-removing) the faulty PSU for tomorrow is its "sending it back" day and -hopefully- the new PSU arrives. A lot of work inside the case. Well, what needs to be needs to be done at the end. So, I may be without a functioning PC for the whole day, between the PSUs.

[ket]

Hiper have magical super powers If all else fails, Logitech make some very nice perhiperals. I have a set of Logitech 5.1 X540s (70RMS watts, RMS power is what you want to look at along with frequency response when buying speakers) that are brilliant, only cost about £45 too I also have a very aged but still decent Logitech Quickcam Pro 4000 and a Logitech Media Keyboard 600 which is great for general use and in games. Currently looking for a new mouse tho.. who wants to bet that will end up being Logitech too?

[Nightwatch]

I'm also using a Logitech MX400 Laser mouse and Logitech Pro 9000.

[Grump642]

LX7 here. Love it
The Hiper keyboard I have is small, just the way I like it. Every bone in both hands have been broken, so the less I have to move them the better.

[audioave10]

Hey Grump...I DID get the Hyper case and I Love It. You can see it in my first post in the "Show us your PC toys" thread. Front to back
distance is huge so I'll be able to easily fit ANY video card they make. It's the coolest case I've ever had (temp-wise). I have SLI in
it and it runs VERY cool. Made out of aircraft aluminum it's greatly
built but not cheap. I've also heard about their great PSU's. Either
PSU should serve you well...Nightwatch.

[Grump642]

When I was getting ready to build my present rig, I looked at them on NewEgg. I did not get one because I wanted the silver and NewEgg only had the black. I ended up buying the Antec 900(black) and it's a very good case also.
Another PSU to look at now is the BFG PSUs. They are new, but winning awards everywhere. I was impressed because they hired Jonny Guru as a tech advisor when they started.

[ket]

Theres nothing to be impressed about with jhonny guru... I've worked for mushkin doing a similar role among other things, and its real simpleton stuff to make a decent PSU. Stay away from caps such as AsiaX and Teapo, instead opting for the likes of KZG and Rubycon, build the unit on a 8 layer PCB and give it decent heatsinks and good fans and your looking at a very reliable PSU indeed.

[Grump642]

I stand by my opinion of Jonny.His site is recognized all over the net as the place to go for PSU issues. But I will not get into a fight over it.

[audioave10]

Johnny Guru has HUGE amounts of blogs, test comparisons and has
published specs and ratings. He backs-up his opinions.

[ket]

Its nothing special, period. I'm not in that line of work anymore so unless somebody specifically asks me, I'm not going to go into rediculous amounts of detail. I'll just give people a base outline to look out for to ensure they get a decent PSU.

[Grump642]

Ket, this is not about you. This is about a company hiring someone because of a desire to make a high quality PSU. And if reviews like this http://www.anandtech.com/casecoolingpsu ... spx?i=3516 are any indication, they have done very well. Nuff said.

[ket]

I never said anything was about me, just saying if a company were to put half a effort into something like a PSU, it would be decent anyway.