Power Supplies - any brands better?

[Doug Kanter]

I've got a mission-critical machine that needs a power supply. Are there any
brands that are real standouts? If yes, which and why?

 

[UCLAN]

I've got a mission-critical machine that needs a power supply. Are there any
brands that are real standouts? If yes, which and why?

Read old PSU threads, and browse:

http://www.pcpowercooling.com

 

[thehick]

altho i think that ocz makes very gfood PSUs, the "modder"
supply I recently bought is a disaster! The power part is fine.
But the wires are bundled together tightly and covered in some kind
of UV sensitive wrap. Looks good in the package. But you
try bending 4 wires in a small area. then try 20!
....thehick

 

[kony]

I've got a mission-critical machine that needs a power supply. Are there any
brands that are real standouts? If yes, which and why?

Personally, I'd get redundant Deltas.
They are dominant for this in servers. Why? Build quality,
conservative ratings, quality fans, they're just designed
for demanding engineers building multi-thousand dollar
servers and being the largest manufacturer they have
long-standing contracts for high quality parts. I've ran
systems with supposed 300W Deltas that others would suggest
need 450W, because they are rated for 100% sustained output.
Main problem is Delta is seldom sold at retail, so even
though they're the largest manufacturer you have to know
what you're looking for and where to find one that (was
usually) diverted from OEM channels. You might check their
website for model #s to Google or look at some 'sites
selling high-end server parts.

There are other quality server supplies too, and in general
that class of supply isn't colored, no mesh or neon or
anything like that but are built for high cost systems with
higher quality in median wattages, while many "PC" supplies
may require buying a certain tier of product (at higher
rated wattage) to get same quality level- which will work
fine too, it's not like there's only one make or model you
need to pick. PC Power & Cooling are good as well, the
Turbo Cool line, which usually costs a pretty penny but a
few $ on a misson critical system is well spent. It's no
substitute for redundant supplies though.


One power supply? Depends on your definition of
mission-critical I suppose, and the cost of downtime plus
what the system is like... if it's just a generic PC-type
system then most of the name brands of suitable capacity
would work, same names popular for good gaming rigs are
ideal though I'd make sure it had a good exhaust fan in it,
name-brand dual ball-bearing type. I usually use Nidec or
NMB (replacing a stock fan even, if warranted) when fan
reliability is important but there are other very reliable
brands too.

 

[kony]

altho i think that ocz makes very gfood PSUs, the "modder"
supply I recently bought is a disaster! The power part is fine.
But the wires are bundled together tightly and covered in some kind
of UV sensitive wrap. Looks good in the package. But you
try bending 4 wires in a small area. then try 20!
...thehick

So get rid of the wrap, or just cut a segment out of it. If
it's a woven type you can stop the cut ends from fraying by
putting super-glue on them, sparingly, maybe finishing off
with some large diameter heat-shrink tubing though I don't
know the minimum diameter that'll fit over the ATX 20-pin
connector without taking it off... guessing I'd say around
1.5" which may or may not shrink enough. There's always
nylon wire-ties though.

 

[DaveW]

Antec are the most conservatively rated, longest lasting, best selling
models out there. I have been using them for many years successfully in
many systems.

 

[larry moe 'n curly]

I've got a mission-critical machine that needs a power supply.
Porn?

Are there any brands that are real standouts? If yes, which and why?

You may want to check www.jonnyguru.com and the stickies in the power
supply forums at www.overclockers.com and www.hardocp.com

The best are probably PC Power & Cooling, Fortron-Source, Antec
TruePower, Zippy-Emacs, NMB-Mineba, Lite-On, Win-tact, and Astec.
Unfortunately only the first 3-4 are easily found on the retail market
(Zippy seems to be common only outside of the U.S.). The other brands
are sold primarily to large OEMs, like Dell, but you can sometimes find
them cheap on the surplus market (computer or electronic dealers).

I doubt that PCP&C is worth the high price. Fortron-Source is probably
the biggest bargain, and for $40-50 you can get a 400-450W model from
NewEgg.com or Directron.com, but I've seen Antecs on sale a lot, too
recently (550W for $50, after rebate). Fortron-Source sells under
several brands, including Sparkle, Powertech (watch out for Powertek
with the name spelled this way), Hi-Q, PowerQ, Trend, some Casedge, and
older Powerman (current ones are by InWin and nothing to brag about).
If the model number starts with "FSP", it's a Fortron-Source. Some of
their model numbers start with "ATX", but unfortunately so do those of
other brands.

Be skeptical of power ratings because companies apply widely different
standards to them. For example, PCP&C rates its PSUs at 40 Celcius
while almost everybody else uses 25C, and that can make a 15-30%
difference (a 510W PCP&C can put out 600W @ 25C). Also don't trust
MTBF ratings because they're rarely based on actual product testing but
on typical results for similar devices, and some companies state MTBF
at 100% power while most use 70% power. Then there are the outright
lies. For example, JonnyGuru destroyed a couple of 550W Powmax
Assassins at loads of just 200-300W (he gave up on a third sample
because it was acting funny at around that power) but was able to
squeeze 500W from a Fortron-Source rated for just 300W.

 

[bgd]

"Antec are the most conservatively rated, longest lasting, best selling
models out there. I have been using them for many years successfully in
many systems.

--
DaveW"
I second DaveW ... Proof is in action's results. I have killed more than one
PSU because that little label on the side with thier "true" rating is a
crock., it takes other things too when they arent correct Now I've got a
quiet 300w single fan Antec runnin a large system nicely for a very good
year now....

 

[kony]

For example, JonnyGuru destroyed a couple of 550W Powmax
Assassins at loads of just 200-300W (he gave up on a third sample
because it was acting funny at around that power) but was able to
squeeze 500W from a Fortron-Source rated for just 300W.

Unfortunately, JonnyGuru's testing methodology is flawed.
He tests for sustained load for only a short time, short
enough that many PSU we generally accept as crap would pass
such a test but do end up failing months later. There are
other nagging problems with some of his reports about ripple
too (don't know if they're on his site, I was arguing with
him about it once). I suppose the point is that data is
better than no data but a bit quick to conclusion sometimes.

 

[Jamie]

If you get a Antec or a OCZ you won't be dissapointed, the ratings are solid
and the warrantys back it up. If your running a Server for a bank or
something lol get something industrial like kony suggested.

 

[UCLAN]

Be skeptical of power ratings because companies apply widely different
standards to them. For example, PCP&C rates its PSUs at 40 Celcius
while almost everybody else uses 25C, and that can make a 15-30%
difference (a 510W PCP&C can put out 600W @ 25C).

PCP&C rates its supplies at 50 degrees Celsius, not 40.

 

[Gary]

I've got a mission-critical machine that needs a power supply. Are there
any
brands that are real standouts? If yes, which and why?

PCPower&Cooling are the best in my opinion. I have been purchasing them
since the mid 90's and have never had one fail.

 

[larry moe 'n curly]

Unfortunately, JonnyGuru's testing methodology is flawed.
He tests for sustained load for only a short time, short
enough that many PSU we generally accept as crap would pass
such a test but do end up failing months later. There are
other nagging problems with some of his reports about ripple
too (don't know if they're on his site, I was arguing with
him about it once). I suppose the point is that data is
better than no data but a bit quick to conclusion sometimes.

It seems that those Powmaxes failed quickly under sustained load, and
Tom's Hardware managed 454W for at least 30 minutes from a different
model 350W Fortron, although they probably did only static testing too.


I wish these people:

www.xbitlabs.com/articles/other/display/psu-methodology.html

would test more PSUs.

 

[larry moe 'n curly]

PCP&C rates its supplies at 50 degrees Celsius, not 40.

You're right. They must have improved their products and changed their
rating system since the time they had put out the following:

http://static.flickr.com/42/85930952_1e85a06b89.jpg

Here's the current version:

www.pcpowercooling.com/pdf/Turbo-Cool_510_vs.pdf

In both pictures, the other, unnamed, PSU is a 550W Enermax (rated @
25C).

 

[larry moe 'n curly]

Antec are the most conservatively rated, longest lasting, best selling
models out there. I have been using them for many years successfully in
many systems.

But, as UCLAN mentioned, PC Power & Cooling rates its PSUs at 50
Celcius, compared to 25C for Antec:

www.pcpowercooling.com/pdf/Turbo-Cool_510_vs.pdf

(the other PSU in the picture is not an Antec but an Enermax).

 

[UCLAN]

You're right. They must have improved their products and changed their
rating system since the time they had put out the following:

http://static.flickr.com/42/85930952_1e85a06b89.jpg

That link gives me a "This photo is currently unavailable" announcement.

Here's the current version:

www.pcpowercooling.com/pdf/Turbo-Cool_510_vs.pdf

In both pictures, the other, unnamed, PSU is a 550W Enermax (rated @
25C).

I'm really interested in what the "old" link is for. PCP&C has been
rating their products at 50 degrees C. for as long as I remember.

 

[UCLAN]

But, as UCLAN mentioned, PC Power & Cooling rates its PSUs at 50
Celcius, compared to 25C for Antec:

The Antec NeoHE 550 *is* rated at 50 degrees C., while their
True Power 550 is only rated at 530w at 50 degrees C. Go figure.
It varies by model.

 

[kony]

The Antec NeoHE 550 *is* rated at 50 degrees C., while their
True Power 550 is only rated at 530w at 50 degrees C. Go figure.
It varies by model.

Supposedly there have been some reports of NeoHE problems.

Personally, I'd be more apt to avoid Antec for the time
being till they get whatever these issues are, sorted out.
That is, if one expects high amperage out of one.

 

[larry moe 'n curly]

larry moe 'n curly wrote:

PCP&C rates its supplies at 50 degrees Celsius, not 40.

That link gives me a "This photo is currently unavailable" announcement.


I'm really interested in what the "old" link is for. PCP&C has been
rating their products at 50 degrees C. for as long as I remember.

Sorry. I accidentally deleted the picture. The link has been fixed.

 

[UCLAN]

Sorry. I accidentally deleted the picture. The link has been fixed.

Do you have the whole .pdf for that ad? I'd *love* to see the date
(far bottom right in the small print.)