question where to measure voltages with volt meter

I usually get the free molex connector for 12v and 5v voltages and when I am looking for 3.3v, I check all of the orange cables in the motherboard power connector. Am I doing this right? Is ther special place where do I measure voltage becasue my volt reading aren't close to my mobo readings

you're doing it correctly

trust your dmm more than the sensors..

Lol. Yeah, welcome to the consumer world "accuracy". The A/D chips and the thermal diodes on your board are mass produced. To keep production costs of these chips (or atleast the cost of mass buying them) down they're pretty loose tolerances on both. PSU outputs can be called good by a manufacturer if within ±5-10% depending on the manufacturer and the grade (high or low $) of the PSU. I'd expect motherboard component's readings to be accurate within probably about the same tolerances. As long as the components on the motherboard do their job to regulate these voltages you wont notice a difference though.

Trust the volt meter.

What, did you find your 12V rail to really be like 11.45 and 5V to be something like 4.6?

YouEatLard said:

Lol.

What, did you find your 12V rail to really be like 11.45 and 5V to be something like 4.6?

Click to expand...

not even close, actually I got new psu seasonic 600w, when I measured 12 hours after and during prime, the 12v rails was like 12.01 and the 5v rail increased from 5.00 to 5.01 under load. Mobo reports 12v rail at 11.71 and 5v rail at 4.95. Everything looks good here

Awsome PSU then man.

How would you measure the 3.3v under load without removing the plug?

doesn't the aux (old 6 pin that doesn't get used) connected have a 3.3v?

kayson said:

How would you measure the 3.3v under load without removing the plug?

Click to expand...

Use a small probe and you can jam it in the back side of the ATX connector.

You can also read it off the underside of the MB, or any orange cable. (off the old 6 pin or an SATA drive connector)