Spirit

Actually for a power supply to cause problems the voltage can be
low or not clean enough of a wave length (tough generally computers
are fairly forgiving of either of these issues). High voltage or a high
forced amperage can also cause issues, especially spikes.

"w_tom" <w_tom1@usa.net> wrote in message news:1187287730.604173.204080@19g2000hsx.googlegroups.com...
> If a power supply creates damage to any computer part, then another
> function was missing inside that power supply. To damage a video card
> or hard drive, then voltage must be excessive. But even power
> supplies 30 years ago contained separate circuits so that overvoltage
> would not happen. It is required in all supplies today. However, with
> so many A+ Certified computer techs having no electrical knowledge,
> the market is chock full of power supplies missing essential functions
> and selling only on watts and price. To dump supplies missing
> essential functions, a supply manufacturer need only forget to provide
> that long list of numeric specs. What did your supply manufacturer
> do?
>
> Take the 500 watt number. That could be a 350 watt supply measured
> differently. They did not lie. They only (intentionally?) deceived.
> Again, they can do what in a market where computer assemblers have
> little electrical knowledge - don't even know how to read spec
> numbers. Then a supply may not even do 350 watts. Put the computer
> into maximum power consumption mode (multitask to all peripherals) and
> take voltages on orange, red, yellow, and purple wires. If power
> supply is sufficient, then voltages will remain above 3.23, 4.87, and
> 11.7 volts. Best way to confirm size of a supply - measure it under
> full load.
>
> No conductor has same electricity at both ends. CPUs can go from
> consuming less than 1 amp to demanding tens of amps - in only
> microseconds. Therefore PC traces through motherboard are too long.
> We put 12 volts at the CPU with that 4 (black and yellow) wire next to
> CPU's power supply. To provide sufficient power fast enough, a CPU
> has a power supply adjacent and a dedicated 12 volt power source.
> That four wire connector would connect somewhere next to CPU.
>
> We test power supplies even better outside the computer. That is
> hundreds of dollars in test equipment with dynamic loads, cooling for
> those loads, and measurements even for response times. We also use an
> oscilloscope. Either you do that, or you do something hundreds of
> times less expensive. Using the meter is the only useful test you
> have without major expenses. It must be 3.5 digits because an analog
> meter is not sufficiently accurate. If your motherboard has a voltage
> monitor, then the meter is necessary to calibrate that monitor.
>
> On Aug 15, 1:46 pm, K8 notsogrand
> <K8notsogr...@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote:
>> This could explane my problems i'm having. (Thanks)
>>
>> Could it be that the old PSU had damaged somthing (vidio card, hard drive,)?
>> I better get my hands on a meter to see if the new PSU is even working right.
>>
>> I can't see it being undersized since the new one is 550w ATX. (the old one
>> was 500w)Or did I even hook it up right?
>> The new one has one 20 pin and two 4 pin connecters for the motherboard.
>> but I only room for one of the 4 pins. One has two yellow and two black
>> wires (this is the one I hooked up) and the second 4 pin has Red, black,
>> ornage and yellow.
>>
>> Now the motherboard manual says that the 4pin should be two +12v and two
>> ground.
>>
>> Is there a way to test the max load with out a meter?
>