calculating wattage usage by psu

[demonikal]

I didn't see anything like this under the sticky under "Accurately calculating power draw and PSU requirements."

I asked on the Yahoo forum a few weeks ago about if there was something I could download to calculate the wattage being used without opening up my case and writing down everything that I don't still have the original box and manual for. One person answered and just said "In doubt, get a more powerful psu." Not exactly the answer I was looking for. Two conclusion: 1, Yahoo Answers is not the place for questions; 2, Do your own research sometimes.

I found this website (link below) today and now I know. I think this would be helpful for anyone looking to see if they are drawing too much power than their psu can handle, which of course will cause problems.

Maybe something like this should be put in the stickies?

http://extreme.outervision.com/psucalculatorlite.jsp

Hope this helps anyone looking for this kind of answer now and in the future.

 

[StrangleHold]

How alot more to do with the minimum wattage a power supply needs. Alot of cheaper brands of power supples wattage is alot lower then the true wattage on the 12V rail then it really has. Some has it listed as MAX, which means it can only pull that much for a short period of time. PLus you have to take in consideration the quality of the power supply itself.

 

[demonikal]

I just thought I'd share what I found. I post questions on this site about once a week and often get zero answers. I figured I'm not gonna hold it against anyone and instead help anyone that ever had the same question I had. I don't think I ever asked it cuz I figured no one would answer it. Hence, the 2nd conclusion. But thanks, StrangleHold, for telling me more about the whole issue. I don't claim to know much of anything. Just thought I was helping.

 

[MMM]

How alot more to do with the minimum wattage a power supply needs. Alot of cheaper brands of power supples wattage is alot lower then the true wattage on the 12V rail then it really has. Some has it listed as MAX, which means it can only pull that much for a short period of time. PLus you have to take in consideration the quality of the power supply itself.

Actually I thought the OP attempt at calculating the wattage required from PSU's was OK, gives you an idea of what size PSU you might need....


Your comment on cheaper PSU's is irrelevant to his post.


If you want to discuss cheap PSU's to quality PSU's then why don't you put a list which is definitely quality and what is cheap rubbish to avoid?

 

[Okedokey]

Your comment on cheaper PSU's is irrelevant to his post.

How is it irrelevant? The rated wattage on a given PSU is meaningless in modern PSUs as the 12V rail amperage is the spec that is important. So a cheap 800W PSU may only have 26A on the 12V rail, wheras a quality one may have 65A.