power fluctations

  • Thread starter Thread starter Skeleton Man
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Skeleton Man

Hi all,

Just wondering what's so different in technology, that when there's a power
fluction for a couple of seconds, my P4 system w/ 350W psu is unaffected,
yet my P200Mhz with a 150W AT supply resets ?

I realise we're talking vast differences in operation and a good 10 years
apart, but what's the major factor ? Larger caps or more than that ?

Regards,
Chris
 
Hi all,

Just wondering what's so different in technology, that when there's a power
fluction for a couple of seconds, my P4 system w/ 350W psu is unaffected,
yet my P200Mhz with a 150W AT supply resets ?

I realise we're talking vast differences in operation and a good 10 years
apart, but what's the major factor ? Larger caps or more than that ?

Regards,
Chris
Click to expand...


Most likely larger caps and more of a shift in amperage to
the 12V rail for the P4 CPU, resulting in a higher
proportional capacitance per amperage on 5V rail. Even so,
2 seconds is a fairly long time for a box to stay up without
AC input, if the problem is frequent you might consider
using an UPS.
 
Skeleton Man said:
Hi all,

Just wondering what's so different in technology, that when there's a power
fluction for a couple of seconds, my P4 system w/ 350W psu is unaffected,
yet my P200Mhz with a 150W AT supply resets ?

I realise we're talking vast differences in operation and a good 10 years
apart, but what's the major factor ? Larger caps or more than that ?

Regards,
Chris
Click to expand...
I've known several cases where, out of two or more computers with
closely similar specs, one is more tolerant of power fluctuations than
another. So it's not a generation gap thing.

I get a chance to observe such things when I build 4/5 computers
at the same time, the main difference between them being the cases,
chosen to suit a client's taste and requirements, which come with
their own PSUs.

Living in a remote area where most buyers are very price-conscious,
it's more convenient to use the built-in PSUs and tweak them if
necessary, rather than use separate big-name PSUs. But I've
never directed such tweaking towards tolerance of power
fluctuations. I'll keep it in mind and perhaps report the results in
this NG.
 
Skeleton Man said:
Hi all,

Just wondering what's so different in technology, that when there's a
power
fluction for a couple of seconds, my P4 system w/ 350W psu is unaffected,
yet my P200Mhz with a 150W AT supply resets ?
Click to expand...

My 386 already had a 250 W AT supply, so perhaps Your 150 W is a not quite
enough for Your P200...
Furthermore there may be a difference in quality like someone else already
suggested.

Rene
 
Skeleton said:
Just wondering what's so different in technology, that when there's a power
fluction for a couple of seconds, my P4 system w/ 350W psu is unaffected,
yet my P200Mhz with a 150W AT supply resets ?

I realise we're talking vast differences in operation and a good 10 years
apart, but what's the major factor ? Larger caps or more than that ?
Click to expand...

Likely, two reasons:

1) The 350W PSU likely has a longer holdover storage specification
at full rated load.

2) The 150W PSU is likely operating at closer to full rated load,
making it have an even shorter holdover storage.
 
Just wondering what's so different in technology, that when there's a power
fluction for a couple of seconds, my P4 system w/ 350W psu is unaffected,
yet my P200Mhz with a 150W AT supply resets ?
Click to expand...

Just to add more a little more info:

The P200 box is a server, just a mainboard and a 4GB hdd.. largely just a
gateway so 99% of the time the cpu is idle..

The power flucations aren't too common except during windy days.. it's not
worth investing in a UPS as it'd be worth about 4 or 5 times what the
machine is.. I'll try a larger psu if I can find one and see what happens..


Regards,
Chris
 
Skeleton Man said:
Just to add more a little more info:

The P200 box is a server, just a mainboard and a 4GB hdd.. largely just a
gateway so 99% of the time the cpu is idle..

The power flucations aren't too common except during windy days.. it's not
worth investing in a UPS as it'd be worth about 4 or 5 times what the
machine is.. I'll try a larger psu if I can find one and see what
happens..
Click to expand...

200 watt power supplies were the standard as far back as the XT. Is your
p200 a compact case or something like that? Really odd to hear about a 150
watt power supply.
 
200 watt power supplies were the standard as far back as the XT. Is your
p200 a compact case or something like that? Really odd to hear about a 150
watt power supply.
Click to expand...

Standard AT.. the PSU is just one I salvaged from a 2nd hand shop..

Regards,
Chris
 
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