Will my current power supply support my upgrade?

CaxusCaxus
edited March 2008 in Hardware
I have a 550w enermax with 36a on the 12v rail.

I'm about to get:

Core 2 Duo E6750
4GB of RAM
2x GeForce 8800 GT in SLI mode
160gb WD Raptor
Secondary 80gb hard drive.

Will need to upgrade my psu or should I be ok?

Comments

  • RyderRyder Kalamazoo, Mi Icrontian
    edited March 2008
    If you run stock, you will be borderline, if you overclock, you need at least 700W+.

    Even if you are not an overclocker, I would still get something in the 700W range and 850W if you intend to overclock, just my opinion.
  • ThraxThrax 🐌 Austin, TX Icrontian
    edited March 2008
    I concur. Generally those video cards would be given a rail of their own @ 36a, and then you'd use a secondary rail to power everything else.
  • CaxusCaxus
    edited March 2008
    Are you sure because it seems like power needs are overestimated a lot of the time. When I see this it makes me think it should be fine. Do I run any serious risks of damaging my system by trying it out or is the more likely outcome just some crashes and reboots if it isn't enough?
  • RyderRyder Kalamazoo, Mi Icrontian
    edited March 2008
    Things like this are hard. Yes damage can occur from being underpowered. Will damage occur? No way to say 100% either way, yes or no.

    You posted asking for help/opinions/facts, but you appear to have your mind fairly made up that it will be ok. It is, in the end, up to you to take the advice you receive and bring it together in a decision.
  • mas0nmas0n howdy Icrontian
    edited March 2008
    700w+ is overkill IMO, that system probably won't draw 400W at peak load but will pull most of it off the 12V, so you'll still need something better than what you have.
  • edcentricedcentric near Milwaukee, Wisconsin Icrontian
    edited March 2008
    If you want to know go ahead and install one video card, run a very demanding game, and measure the power draw.
    You want full load to be about 85% of the full rating.
  • muddocktormuddocktor
    edited March 2008
    RyderOCZ wrote:
    If you run stock, you will be borderline, if you overclock, you need at least 700W+.

    Even if you are not an overclocker, I would still get something in the 700W range and 850W if you intend to overclock, just my opinion.

    I'll go along with this statement too. While your Enermax might be able to handle all that 12v load , it will be marginal, especially with overclocking involved. And it will be taxing your enermax to the extreme and could lead to premature failure of the psu. I would also recommend a 700-850 watt quality psu for this purpose. With a psu in that range, you will have a reserve of power and will be operating the psu in a more efficient range,n saving you money on electricity. But do what you want, this is just internet advice.
  • CaxusCaxus
    edited March 2008
    Can anyone recommend a good psu for this setup that's under $150?
  • muddocktormuddocktor
    edited March 2008
    The Corsair TX750 is a good choice, as is the PCP&C Silencer 750 Quad. Both are listed at more than your $150 cutoff but the Corsair has a $45 rebate and the PCP&C is only around $10 higher. Both should do you well with your setup, with the Corsair having 60 amps on the 12v rail as does the PCP&C.
  • HarudathHarudath Great Britain Icrontian
    edited March 2008
    Hmm.... I have a 350W PSU powering an overclocked E6750, an 8800GTS 512 (overclocked) 2GB ddr2 800MHz RAM and an Antec 900 with alot of fans >.> I'm looking for a new PSU around $100 too, so I'll pay attention to this thread :D
  • muddocktormuddocktor
    edited March 2008
    Harudath wrote:
    Hmm.... I have a 350W PSU powering an overclocked E6750, an 8800GTS 512 (overclocked) 2GB ddr2 800MHz RAM and an Antec 900 with alot of fans >.> I'm looking for a new PSU around $100 too, so I'll pay attention to this thread :D

    Harudath, I have a Corsair VX450 powering a rig that has an 8800GTS 512, a Q6600 overclocked to 3510, 2 gigs of ram with4-80mm fans, 1-92mm fan and 1-120mm fan and doing it well. But I wouldn't try powering that rig with it if I were running SLI in it; just not enough reserve power for an extra vid card even if I were running a dual core C2D instead of a quad. That Corsair VX450 is a very good psu and should fit your price criteria even across the big pond where you reside.
  • CaxusCaxus
    edited March 2008
    edcentric wrote:
    If you want to know go ahead and install one video card, run a very demanding game, and measure the power draw.
    You want full load to be about 85% of the full rating.
    What's a good program for measuring power draw?
  • CaxusCaxus
    edited March 2008
    No one knows a good program for measuring power usage?
  • Your-Amish-DaddyYour-Amish-Daddy The heart of Texas
    edited March 2008
    Program?! You need a tool to do that. Computers themselves are not equpped to measure amperage flow or wattage. A EZwatt Pro or a KILL-A-WATT works just fine. Put that between your surge bar and the wall to get a good idea.

    Your system tells me you need about 500W at 36A. The Cooler Master TX550 oughta be perfect for you.
  • CaxusCaxus
    edited March 2008
    Harudath wrote:
    Hmm.... I have a 350W PSU powering an overclocked E6750, an 8800GTS 512 (overclocked) 2GB ddr2 800MHz RAM and an Antec 900 with alot of fans >.> I'm looking for a new PSU around $100 too, so I'll pay attention to this thread :D
    What is the exact model of your psu?
  • CaxusCaxus
    edited March 2008
    So if i upgrade, what am I looking for? 600w+ with 60a on a single 12v rail or 36ish amps on two 12v rails?
  • Your-Amish-DaddyYour-Amish-Daddy The heart of Texas
    edited March 2008
    Well; You can do it either way. My 36A is what I figure you'd need at a bare minimum.
  • CaxusCaxus
    edited March 2008
    Your Amish Daddy wrote:
    Well; You can do it either way. My 36A is what I figure you'd need at a bare minimum.
    That's what I have right now. 550w enermax with 36a on the 12v rail.
  • HarudathHarudath Great Britain Icrontian
    edited March 2008
    Caxus wrote:
    What is the exact model of your psu?

    http://www.fsp-group.com/english/1_product/2_detail.asp?mainid=1&fid=52&proid=205

    That's the exact PSU I have, and below is a link to a nifty little website that calculates how much power (roughly) your system uses/needs

    http://www.extreme.outervision.com/psucalculatorlite.jsp
  • CaxusCaxus
    edited March 2008
    Harudath wrote:
    http://www.fsp-group.com/english/1_product/2_detail.asp?mainid=1&fid=52&proid=205

    That's the exact PSU I have, and below is a link to a nifty little website that calculates how much power (roughly) your system uses/needs

    http://www.extreme.outervision.com/psucalculatorlite.jsp
    Wow, according to that site i'd only be using 381w at peak everything.
    http://www.extreme.outervision.com/PSUEngine

    I'm tempted to go ahead and get this though. 650w Corsair with 52a on the 12 rail for $119 ($99 after rebate). I should be just fine with that, right?
  • LeonardoLeonardo Wake up and smell the glaciers Eagle River, Alaska Icrontian
    edited March 2008
    Rock and roll with the 650 Corsair. With 52A on the 12v line, whatever 12v devices the computer has, they'll get enough quality power.

    But then, it might not be enough to power 2 CPUs overclocked, 3 or 4 high end video cards, 2 optical drives, and two RAID arrays each with 4 hard drives.
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