I am currently using a 400W Powmax(Leadman) PS and 3.3 and 5V lines are fine (slightly over no matter how much is going on), but my 12V has been 11.70-11.74V since day one. When I upgraded my HSF to a Tt Vol. 7 and installed the CDRW, the 12V line dropped to a paultry 11.44V (all fans on high with the rheobus). With just the HSF and 1 exhaust fan on, the 12V rail is still only 11.56-11.62.
Everything works and there are no "electrical" problems, but my fans run slow because of it. The CPU fan in particular will only run ~4300RPM with all fans on high (as opposed to 4500 when it's on by itself). When it's on a mobo header (ie. by-pass the .5V loss from the rheo circuit in addition to the low 12V rail), it will run 5200 by itself and 5000 when everything else is on...still with the 11.44V reading.
The 12V rail sucks, but combined with the .5V loss on the rheo circuits, it's downright pitiful. I am thinking that a 12V rail that runs at an actual 12V or more will be able to run the HSF at 5000RPM through the rheo since it does it @ 11.44V without the .5V loss (ie. 12.0 -.5v=11.5V=5000RPM no problem as opposed to my current 11.44V-.5V=10.94V=4300RPM).
4300 to 5000 seems to make all the difference in cooling too...the CPU was 1.5-2°C cooler than it has even been in it's O/C'd life (idle @ 21.6°C w/1.825Vc) under the same conditions (case open, A/C and ceiling fan on
.
What has me concerned is that I just ordered 3 upgraded case fans for my Lian and am scared to death that the minute they go in, that 12V rail will drop even further and things will become flakey. I had planned on a 92 or 120 side intake and possibly a 92 blowhole, but I think that would all but be impossible...at least to 1) be able to run all of them 100% speed and 2) keep the 12V rail from going into the 11V range.
For the record my case has
1 CDRW
1 HDD
1 FDD
3 15mA ADDA fans (stock Lian)...upgrades on order are 23mA Enermax
1 Tt "Smart Fan" HSF, max: 50mA
2 PS fans @ 25mA each
1 old @$$ ATI All-in-Wonder (PCI)
That's it, besides a few LEDs/resistors/caps on the 12V rheo circuits.
Naturally, the power loss effects my cooling and Vc potential and may be limiting my current O/C at least a few MHz. I am on a Celeron now (see sig), but plan on going P4 in the near future and I hear they are particularly finicky about power when it comes to O/Cing.
So what do you all think? Poor 12V regulation or what? 3.3 hardly moves at all (.03V), Vc about .05, 5V about .1V, but they all stay over the rail spec (except for Vc, which starts at nice 1.87V then drops to 1.82 during benchs). How are your "name brand" PS's standing up to a few peripherals + 6-8 fans?
I've looked at the Antec 400W and Enermax 431W today in case I need to get one. I am not entirely sure what is better here. The Enermax's (EG465P) have slightly less 3.3+5V (220W) than the Antec PP-412X (245W), which is also $20 cheaper. I think my current PS 3.3+5V is 180W. The Antec True480 is the same price as the Enermax and has boat loads of wattage if it performs as advertised, but gives up the 2nd fan, 8A less on the 3.3V rail, and a few amps on the 5V rail over the Enermax. For that matter, the True550 is only a few bucks more than the Enermax 431 and is 120W more...not sure if that's total overkill....and I pay the electric bills
If you wanted to spend $90-100 max on a PS for a P4 O/C'd to hell with a bunch of fans, which one would YOU get? If it's not implied, if I spend $100 on a new PS, I definitely want all rail voltages to stay at or over their spec I could live with a hair under (~.1 or so) at max loads, but for $100, I expect something that will handle it.
Thanks!
Everything works and there are no "electrical" problems, but my fans run slow because of it. The CPU fan in particular will only run ~4300RPM with all fans on high (as opposed to 4500 when it's on by itself). When it's on a mobo header (ie. by-pass the .5V loss from the rheo circuit in addition to the low 12V rail), it will run 5200 by itself and 5000 when everything else is on...still with the 11.44V reading.
The 12V rail sucks, but combined with the .5V loss on the rheo circuits, it's downright pitiful. I am thinking that a 12V rail that runs at an actual 12V or more will be able to run the HSF at 5000RPM through the rheo since it does it @ 11.44V without the .5V loss (ie. 12.0 -.5v=11.5V=5000RPM no problem as opposed to my current 11.44V-.5V=10.94V=4300RPM).
4300 to 5000 seems to make all the difference in cooling too...the CPU was 1.5-2°C cooler than it has even been in it's O/C'd life (idle @ 21.6°C w/1.825Vc) under the same conditions (case open, A/C and ceiling fan on
.What has me concerned is that I just ordered 3 upgraded case fans for my Lian and am scared to death that the minute they go in, that 12V rail will drop even further and things will become flakey. I had planned on a 92 or 120 side intake and possibly a 92 blowhole, but I think that would all but be impossible...at least to 1) be able to run all of them 100% speed and 2) keep the 12V rail from going into the 11V range.
For the record my case has
1 CDRW
1 HDD
1 FDD
3 15mA ADDA fans (stock Lian)...upgrades on order are 23mA Enermax
1 Tt "Smart Fan" HSF, max: 50mA
2 PS fans @ 25mA each
1 old @$$ ATI All-in-Wonder (PCI)
That's it, besides a few LEDs/resistors/caps on the 12V rheo circuits.
Naturally, the power loss effects my cooling and Vc potential and may be limiting my current O/C at least a few MHz. I am on a Celeron now (see sig), but plan on going P4 in the near future and I hear they are particularly finicky about power when it comes to O/Cing.
So what do you all think? Poor 12V regulation or what? 3.3 hardly moves at all (.03V), Vc about .05, 5V about .1V, but they all stay over the rail spec (except for Vc, which starts at nice 1.87V then drops to 1.82 during benchs). How are your "name brand" PS's standing up to a few peripherals + 6-8 fans?
I've looked at the Antec 400W and Enermax 431W today in case I need to get one. I am not entirely sure what is better here. The Enermax's (EG465P) have slightly less 3.3+5V (220W) than the Antec PP-412X (245W), which is also $20 cheaper. I think my current PS 3.3+5V is 180W. The Antec True480 is the same price as the Enermax and has boat loads of wattage if it performs as advertised, but gives up the 2nd fan, 8A less on the 3.3V rail, and a few amps on the 5V rail over the Enermax. For that matter, the True550 is only a few bucks more than the Enermax 431 and is 120W more...not sure if that's total overkill....and I pay the electric bills
If you wanted to spend $90-100 max on a PS for a P4 O/C'd to hell with a bunch of fans, which one would YOU get?
If it's not implied, if I spend $100 on a new PS, I definitely want all rail voltages to stay at or over their spec I could live with a hair under (~.1 or so) at max loads, but for $100, I expect something that will handle it.Thanks!
