NF7-S v2.0 PSU Question

MERRICKMERRICK In the studio or on a stage
edited September 2004 in Hardware
Hello Everyone.

Dumb question but I'd like to know if one can have too many Watts PSU?

I'm asking in particular since I'm debating between a 480Watt PSU and a 580Watt PSU to go with my NF7-S v2.0/Barton 3200+ setup.

I see that the board has been tested with 550Watt PSU and recommends minimum 350 Watt PSU.


For the record:
I'll be running All IDE and SATA Channels with HD coolers, AGP, 2 PCI Sound cards, 1~2 USB, 2 DDR 400 Chips, Floppy many fans (server tower).
I'll be disabling; ACPI, Onboard LAN, Onboard Sound, IEEE 1394.

Thanks again!!

Comments

  • mmonninmmonnin Centreville, VA
    edited September 2004
    Either will work. A computer will only draw the current it needs, so the extra wattage will just be left unused.

    What PSUs are the ones you have in mind.
  • Geeky1Geeky1 University of the Pacific (Stockton, CA, USA)
    edited September 2004
    Quality of the PSU is far, FAR more important than the wattage.
  • MERRICKMERRICK In the studio or on a stage
    edited September 2004
    Okay first I hate being a newbie and leeching like this. In my KT7 RAID days I was a playa both ways in Icrontic and then here. I promise to be a good newbie and payback!

    mmonnin thanks for the confirm!

    Second Geeky1 you're like an angel setting me straigth on s**t. Thanks

    Third, guys be gentle! I'm looking at the PowMax Demon stuff because of price to Watts and My KT7-RAID ran with an old PowMax 400Watt for years which only blew when my outside line got f'd up due to the connectors being 40+ years old. After the utility co fixed it I got a replacement PowMax 400watt and she runs fine.

    I just realized I should be in the other forum with this. Sorry.
  • mmonninmmonnin Centreville, VA
    edited September 2004
    Do you have a link to one so we can look at the specs?
  • Geeky1Geeky1 University of the Pacific (Stockton, CA, USA)
    edited September 2004
    MERRICK wrote:
    Second Geeky1 you're like an angel setting me straigth on s**t. Thanks

    np. that's my job. :)

    IMO, you should probably stick with an Antec, PC Power & Cooling, Enermax, Fortron Source (FSP), Channel Well Tech. (CWT), or possibly a Thermaltake or Vantec PSU, of at least 350w. :)
  • Mt_GoatMt_Goat Head Cheezy Knob Pflugerville (north of Austin) Icrontian
    edited September 2004
    I strongly recomend an Antec 380, 430, 480 or 550. Depending on how many HD's and big fans you plan on running.

    Also, I see that you mentioned wanting to run 2 PCI sound cards. Why? You do know the NF7-S has better onboard than most PCI card solutions.
  • EQuitoEQuito SoCal, USA
    edited September 2004
    Get one of these http://store.yahoo.com/directron/sf450ts1.html or the 550W version

    Great price, heavy HS's and 4 fans. Rumor has it they're made by the same company that makes Enermax or Antec (I forgot which one).
    Anyway, they're OC'ers choice cause the 12/5v rails can be adjusted. I have 2 of them on my OC'ed XPM's working flawlessly.

    Good luck!
  • MERRICKMERRICK In the studio or on a stage
    edited September 2004
    mtgoat: On the two soundcards One is my DAL Card Deluxe which is my workhorse with 2 balanced analog outputs, 2 balanced analog inputs, 2 digital AES/EBU switchable to S/PDIF outputs and 2 digital AES/EBU switchable to S/PDIF inputs all running 24/96. My MIDI I/O is an ISA MidiMan 2 channel card which will have to be upgraded to a PCI MIDI card of which I haven't decided upon yet.


    Okay first the links:
    http://www.powmax.com/pics/power/demon580w.htm
    http://www.powmax.com/pics/power/demon480w.htm

    After looking these over and reading my review as a satisfied user, I am pretty sure I'll go for the $35 and get the 580. But if someone has a good reason against this move...
  • Geeky1Geeky1 University of the Pacific (Stockton, CA, USA)
    edited September 2004
    How about because I've had the "580w" PSU you linked to and it died at <300w?

    There are no regulations regarding rating PSUs, and a cheap PSU is more likely to die and take your entire system with it. Is it worth risking a $1000 system to save $50 on a power supply?

    Get one of the brands I mentioned earlier so you don't have to worry about it.
  • EQuitoEQuito SoCal, USA
    edited September 2004
    Geeky1 wrote:
    and a cheap PSU is more likely to die and take your entire system with it.
    IIRC (it's all over the web) some Enermax models are dropping like flies so no brand it's inmune to failure...
  • Geeky1Geeky1 University of the Pacific (Stockton, CA, USA)
    edited September 2004
    Of course not. That's like saying that there are cars that never break down. However, just like Toyota, Lexus, Mercedes, etc. have a reputation for exceptional reliability, certain PSUs are better than others. The cheaper the PS, the bigger the risk you're taking, as a general rule. You get what you pay for with power supplies.
  • MERRICKMERRICK In the studio or on a stage
    edited September 2004
    Hi EQuito your post got in while I wrote. The PSU you linked me to is real nice.
    How about because I've had the "580w" PSU you linked to and it died at <300w?

    Okay that's cause for pause!
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