burnm3w1thf1r3
Member
I have a Delta Electronics DPS-465AB-1 C in my back room but the sticker on the side is a little messed up and I can't seem to find any specs on it. Can anyone tell me with this has a 12v rail?
To narrow it down even more, a 9800GT doesn't need 40A on the 12V rail. Not even close.
Maximum GPU wattage is 105W (http://www.geforce.com/hardware/desktop-gpus/geforce-9800gt/specifications) and even with overclocking 150W would be sufficient. This is 12.5A.
So a system with a 9800GT would be safe with a single 28A (336W on the 12V rail) like the Corsair 430W. About $25 and a better PSU.
If you plan on upgrading, heavy overclocking, multiple cards, of course this requirement would increase.
Finally please don't get carried away with multiple rails. In reality, it is a single coil transformer, so there is only really 1 rail. Voltage dividers are used to emulate rails at certain voltages.
Also, generallly you cannot add them up as you have suggested. Firstly, in older ATX standards (1.3 and down), 1 of the 12 V rails will be dedicated (e.g. isolated) for the CPU only. Also on cheaper PSUs, amperage and wattage ratings are usually specified as MAX, not useful as that is when it shuts down, so its lower than the rated spec.
To make it more complex, you then have a few other issues to consider. One is temperature derating. This occurs because heat increases resistance, and reduces efficiency, meaning that a 12V rail rated at 20A at 25oC, will derate (in extreme cases) around 4W per degree (C) above 25oC. This means that in summer, the inside of your case is 50oC (altogether possible), you will have to derate the 12V rails by their division of 100W (25oC x 4W). (e.g. 2 rails make 12V rails reduce by 50W / 4.2A each). Meaning in this example, each rail that was rated at 20A now can realistically only deliver 15A or so.
Finally, there are considerations such as active PFC, efficiency etc etc.
To cut a long story short, post your intended full system specs that the PSU will have to supply (and any future use-cases such as multiple gpu, oc) and we'll recommend a suitable unit.
Thank you. you're definitely helped a lot. Here's my issue then. My current PSU is a Coolmax cx-550B.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817159026
If I'm reading it correctly, it has a single 12v rail @ 35A? So wouldn't this suffice for my card or am I reading something wrong? If this psu is enough, then my question goes back to what is causing my problem. During game play really ANY game with light graphics or heavy graphics the game will lock up almost like a scratch on a vinyl record, the sound will skip an loop. Then after a few mins the game will free back up but the graphics will be completely distorted. Almost to the point of not being able to make anything out. And to resolve the graphic issue I need to minimize the game (Alt+Tab) and then maximize it. And ideas? Also, I've checked my temperature when this occurs with gpu-z and the temperature barely breaks 56c with less than 40% fan speed.
Id suggest try the card in another PC. It sounds to me like a damaged VRAM. The PSU, although not great, should be sufficient. So I think your GPU is damaged. Also try a clean install of the latest drivers.