Power supplys are built like as toss aways now
Thats why every machine I get has the power supply pulled and replaced with a dual fan 500 plus watt supply
Most psu or power supplys are made over seas they are not regulated my an angetcy i can't spell it's late bare with me. IF they were made here they would be regulated. My point being is when you buy a dish warsher you have an ideal when it would die b4 you buy it. With computer no such thing.
I would pretty much disagree with all of that.
Where it's made has little, if anything, to do with it, as they all must pass the same LOW specs to carry the FCC interference label, whether they are import or domestic, as well as the flammability ratings. Those are all that are required.
You get what you pay for, period.
Caveat Emptor
A $9.95 power supply (that comes with a $14.95 case) is worth exactly that and no more.
Anyone
SHOULD know that it is of low quality and limited life without having to be told. :slap:
The same size PS costing $49.95 will have heavier duty components and much longer life.
Advertised wattage size in a PS has about as much relevance as it does in an audio amp -
virtually nil.
The specs are what you need to look at, period.
300 watts is more than adequate for almost any dual P3 syatem with 4 drives,
IF it is in the right places across the correct rails.
You need to
KNOW what your system needs, not guess.
All the info is available for the asking (or in most cases, looking, as specs for everything are posted on the net)
Bigger ain't always better.
BTW - Power supplies do not have more than very basic surge suppression at best.
Incoming AC power irregularities are what kills 95% of all PSs, not component failure on it's own.
The other 5% is from PS rails being overloaded becuase of the PS not being matched to the demand.
Power supplies (and their components) all die a slow death without some sort of line conditioning.
We have yet to have a PS failure here in over 19 years at this location, which we attribute to
quality line conditioners and
quality UPSs.
(And if you think that is not unusual, you've obiously never looked at your local power grid with a less than highly damped meter.
If you want nightmares, reduce the damping rate on your meter and monitor an AC wall oulet.
But don't say I didn't warn you.
)
Everything here is dual processor with multiple drives (up to 6 normally, but it varies as ALL drives are in swappable cases) and usually burners, and yes, the largest PS we use currently is a 375w unit.
(We do not have any P4 based units at this time though, and do expect to have to step up wattage to 425-450 to accomadate the dual Xeons and Sata Raid5 w/burners on the rigs due to be built next month)
As mccoffee would say - Please share your views.
