So what do I do with my firehazard? :)

I took some grief about my 600w Diablotek FireHazard Xtra Crappy PSU. It seems it might have been one of the worst choices for any build ... ever. A of now I have replaced it with the beauty in my sig ( I like it very much , it had fair reviews and fit the budget and is quieter than I ever though was possible)

But now to the main point if I may. I now have a PSU that I have grown to hate like the Devil that is its namesake. Hate is too light a word perhaps. This psu seemed like a low cost answer to my underpowered problems, but was actually a box from hell. At first I thought folks were just being dramatic when they called it a firehazard but then the issues started. Id leave prime running to test an OC , and when I came back my comp was off. I tested and retested my OC and found no problems. Hours of days were wasted when this damnable psu was damning all my progress! Then there was the outpouring of folks that just plain considered my ugly little demon box to be the harbinger of doom for my build. For the last few days before my new psu arrived I was afraid to power on my pc

So the question remains... what do I do with this First Rate POS? It has been suggested to try to run it at the advertised power rating to see if it pops and if I had the knowhow I might (taking applications for step by step instructions of anyone cares to chime in) but what Id really love to do is pull it apart and take some pics so someone can tell my why this thing is such a piece and maybe learn something along the way. And honestly if it could be reassembled into a working unit with the addition of a few quality parts.... well that would just be gravy. If nothing else , Ill cannibalize the fans for little projects and all the clips and wires will see use somewhere in the future as well.

Thanks again for figuring out the problem was the psu and not any other part of my build guys. I never would have guessed how much disparity there was amongst different brands!

You replaced it with what?!!!! Another no name brand????!!!!!!!!!!!

Throw the other PSU away... throw the one you have away (return it). And get one off the list like we said in your other thread.

Aw come one man youre gonna make me cry. Its not another no name brand and as you and I have already discussed Topower in the recommended list (albeit you gotta look rather hard to find it) kind of anyway.

http://www.overclockers.com/forums/showthread.php/458204-PSU-buyers-guide-and-How-to-guide



OCZ is on the list of good psu right?

Also I know its not the same series, but its the same brand. http://www.jonnyguru.com/modules.php?name=NDReviews&op=Story&reid=186

Cut me some slack man Im a budget shopper!

If it's a real Topower, it's decent but nothing special.

However... Topower is no longer making their own units. Their factory shut down. No idea where the EPower fits in all of that.

Glad you got rid of the Diablotek, though.

1. KC series is not the NANO series that you own.
2. OCZ had some decent models and some poor ones.
3. That is not an "Approved" list, that is a listing of the OEM's of the PSU. Topower makes the Powerstream series. I am not sure of those were reviewed well or not.

I understand you are on a budget. I hope this works out fine. Moving forward, do not skimp out on your PSU. I am not saying you need to buy a Tier1 unit, but something known good, which is not what you have (again), isn't a great idea. I would have went with a Corsair CX500 or something similar as it least it is a known good line.

EDIT: And we hear it from the man himself... thanks OW!

The Epower is kind of a mystery to me too. It says 650 in the name but is only listed as 600w on the sticker, and I cant seem to find it amongst the other Epowers on the site. Theyve got a 600 and a 700 but no Epower 650. It cant help but be better than the Firehazard though

If this one craps out on me Ill consider it a lesson learned and shell out for a top of the line shelf model next time. Thanks again guys.

Again, it doesn't need to be top of the line. Just something known good versus taking a chance.

Id fight it more but I think I got a fair unit and only time will tell. My big point was that I arrived at this unit through using the approved list + my own frugal nature. I really thought I had lucked out (still do) and just wanted to defend my choice a bit. Really just trying to say I didnt pick this one out of a hat or anything. I used credible resources and took as little risk as possible.

But back to the original point, is there something better than throwing the Diablotek away? My frugal nature makes me want to squeeze every last bit of value from this demon even if it is just to cannibalize parts. If I could understand how I would build one of the DIY psu load testers and see if this thing can actually push the 600w it claims, but barring that.... maybe I could remove the innards and make a pretty flower pot? As I already said if nothing else Ill claim the clips, wires and fans and call it good. I just dont think theres more fun to be had here ! Thanks again guys

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Oklahoma Wolf said:

Glad you got rid of the Diablotek, though.

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So am I good Sir. So am I

As I said, it wasn't on the approved list here... Nor was the 750W recommended at JG (not that it was bad). So the credible resource wasn't credible as all it did was tell you the OEM, NOT if it was quality or not. See excerpt:

Few companies actually make their own PSUs. In most cases, they are made by another company (the OEM), and sold under a different brand name. This guide is intended to provide information as to who is the actual manufacturer of PSUs sold by various companies. In many cases, knowing the OEM will give you a better idea as to the actual quality of the unit.

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Regardless, its OK, and you should be OK. But, sorry to be so blunt, don't mistake the research you did - looking at a list of OEMs - as adequate. the link in my signature however takes you to a list that we 'approved' by looking at top notch reviewers results.

EarthDog said:

As I said, it wasn't on the approved list here... Nor was the 750W recommended at JG (not that it was bad). So the credible resource wasn't credible as all it did was tell you the OEM, NOT if it was quality or not.

Regardless, its OK, and you should be OK. But, sorry to be so blunt, don't mistake the research you did - looking at a list of OEMs - as adequate.

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Bluntness is always appreciated honestly. I have enough reading to do

I do once again feel the need to step up and defend my research though. I wouldn't call it meticulous by any means but, I did have more than one positive source for the brand. One of them was a list of oem manufacturers, but we have seen time and time again that no matter what bag the cherrieos are in they are *ususlly* still cherrieos. Not that I am simplifying a psu to cereal but, I hope the point gets through. Two sources said to power is capable of making quality units, both of them directly linked in the psu sticky. While more research could have been done, I believe that I made a fair start and didn't poke myself in the foot.

As to a previous comment that my Nano series isn't the KC series, that is also true, but I'd like to point out that when my Diablotek deservingly went on the chopping block a similar review was linked as evidence that it was a poor choice, even though the reviews was for a different series. The fact that my diablotek followed suit with the review only further strengthened my belief that I might be able to trust Topower.

Like I said I appreciate the bluntness, but I do feel that I should stand up for what was probably not a poor choice And honestly it seems like I'm wrestling with bigger minds than mine right now and being disrespectful( which is the last thing I intend to do) , so let me just say thanks again, I'm getting a lot of good info here

You can make plenty worse choices, that is for sure, but there may have been better quality choices available. In the end, you will be fine.

but we have seen time and time again that no matter what bag the cherrieos are in they are *ususlly* still cherrieos. Not that I am simplifying a psu to cereal but, I hope the point gets through...

As to a previous comment that my Nano series isn't the KC series, that is also true, but I'd like to point out that when my Diablotek deservingly went on the chopping block a similar review was linked as evidence that it was a poor choice, even though the reviews was for a different series. The fact that my diablotek followed suit with the review only further strengthened my belief that I might be able to trust Topower.

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The thing with PSUs, its not cereal. The bulk bag of cheerios are still similar enough and are cheerios (i get your point). We have seen decent PSUs and firehazards 'from the same bag of cheerios' (manufacturers). That really doesn't work here without checking the UL# which generically goes back to Topower, which OW explained he doesn't know who makes them. Which make me concerned personally. So time and time again we have NOT seen that the same level of quality throughout a PSU MFG line.


Again, you will likely be fine... its just not a brand anyone here tends to lean on as 'quality'... even with fitting in your budget. Personally, a Corsair CX series would have been a good budget pick.

As for repurposing... I don't know enough about the internals to know what you can do with them. I wouldn't waste my time polishing a turd though... but perhaps that is just me.

Enjoy your PC man!

If you want my opinion knoober I'd just list it on E-Bay (assuming it's working) and see if you can recover some of the funds. DO NOT crack the case open unless you're screen name begins with O and ends in f. There's stuff in there that'll kill a lesser man. If I had something nicknamed "firehazard" it would NOT be taking up residence in my house. Just my 2c.

Also this:

The Epower is kind of a mystery to me too. It says 650 in the name but is only listed as 600w on the sticker, and I cant seem to find it amongst the other Epowers on the site. Theyve got a 600 and a 700 but no Epower 650.

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Should be a big red flag for you too. The manufacturer doesn't even know what it is.

EarthDog said:

Enjoy your PC man!

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I will if I ever get done building it! Then I have more stuff to learn every time I hit the power switch. I have hopes that someday my desktop will be able to beat my phone in.... Anything at all I had a quad core mobile device before I ever had a quad in my desktop. My running joke is that someday my phone will build itself a set of robotic legs to arse kick the desktop out the door (cuz it's that much more advanced) really thanks for your help, I really didn't mean to argue so much

Well I didn't know it was a firehazards when I got it it became that way later. All I knew when I got the thing was that the 450w teenie weenie I had wasn't giving the GPu enough juice, as evidenced by monitors that wouldn't function.

And yeah it works just fine, it's a firehazards by reputation. I guess I shouldn't say "just fine" as it kills after an hour or so into a session of prime95. Kills just sitting idle as well. But I bought it used so it's not a big loss. Perhaps eBay might like it, but I'd almost feel bad for whomever buys the damn thing. I'm sure someone would but it no matter what disclaimers I put in there though.

And I've got no excuse for buying a psu that isn't even listed by the manufacturer. That is simply my nature exerting itself. The barest scintilla of defense there is that there seems to be some double branding going on. The specs match the Nano Series (as well as the fan brand inside) but superficial details like case color don't match the listing. So while the serial number matches the Nano's (and I'm going from memory here) the Epower label has no business there at all (because the manufacturer doesn't even have an Epower 650 listed). In the end, no excuses other than adventuring where angels fear to tread you know... Like a dummy

We all start somewhere. I review power supplies today thanks to the 250W Deer pile of junk that came with my first computer case. It killed several hard drives before I thought to put my electronics training to work and actually look inside the housing.

hey, send me that diablowtec, I can put in my ex wives rig!!!!!!!!!!!!

caddi daddi said:

hey, send me that diablowtec, I can put in my ex wives rig!!!!!!!!!!!!

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Oddly enough I had a similarly evil thought. See what the devil makes people do! Oh Diablotek you are possessed by the devil himself!

Aren't Diablotek models made by the same OEM that made those terrible Powmax units? Leadman I think? Yikes.

Whoever made them they are indeed terrible. From the amount of horrible reviews I dont understand why these things are even on the market anymore. From the quick searching I did , it seems that Diablotek used to make different types of GPU back in the win95-xp days. I havent been anywhere where these things arent dirt cheap and full of terrible reviews though, and I cant say my experience was any better. Though to be absolutely fair, I did buy mine second hand

Though to be absolutely fair, I did buy mine second hand

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Buying a second hand piece of junk makes it better for.................. who exactly?

Let someone buy it third hand. I just might be OK by then