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Power Question...
Posted: Wed Jun 28, 2006 7:25 pm
by Bdw3
Is there a limit to the number of components on a single lead from a power supply?
Like right now I have my video card on the same lead as three 80mm 12v fans. Is this okay, or should I run separate lead from the PSU for the card?
Antec 550w PSU btw.
Posted: Wed Jun 28, 2006 7:32 pm
by Foo
If you can take a seperate lead, do so. My memory of how PSUs distribute power is hazy, but I think it is better to distribute components across the leads rather than stack them all on one lead.
Posted: Wed Jun 28, 2006 7:43 pm
by AmIdYfReAk
the antech will have a "dual rail" 12V line.
so having that drain on the one line wouldent effect the rest of the PSU, and also.
i wouldent Worry about it, if the Videocard takes more Draw, the Fans will slow down due to power loss. NO biggie
p.s. Foo, Two fans dont even take 2 watts of load, so its fine for that kinda load on a leed.
Putting a HDD in the mix there would be a little more questionable.
Posted: Thu Jun 29, 2006 4:22 am
by Bdw3
I see, thanks guys. :icon26:
Posted: Sun Jul 02, 2006 2:44 pm
by Nightshade
It may not make any difference, but I wouldn't do it. I'd want the gfx card to have the cleanest 12v supply possible, and the noisy, inductive load of the fan motors isn't going to help with that.
Also, loading multiple components on a single 12V lead WILL affect the rest of the PSU, as it will cause increased current draw on the 12V bus. If the PSU has shitty voltage regulation, the 12V will no longer be 12V (which it's not exactly anyways), it will drop lower and weird shit will start to happen. This is assuming you have all the other 12V connectors in use, as well.
Posted: Mon Jul 03, 2006 3:59 am
by Bdw3
I don't. Reason I ask is that when I bought this PSU, I bought it from FrozenCPU, and they had the option of making it "modular." Sounded cool at the time, but it's not. Just a mess of 2 inch wires and molex ends up against the top of the case. :icon27:
It came with a dozen or so lengths of wires and you were to wire to your liking.
It's set up now like so:
Optical drive is plugged straight through from it's own 12V, along with a X-Fi front panel.
Two 7,200RPM HDDs on a single lead, with the floppy dangling on the end.
And the other lead with the 3 fans and the Video card.
I'm thinking now, that I do want to put the video card on it's own lead, as BFG just replaced it.
The problem is that and all my 'modular' leads are somewhere other than where they're supposed to be. :icon7:
Posted: Mon Jul 03, 2006 11:43 am
by Nightshade
Hehe, yeah, I'd go ahead and get those noisy fans off the vid card's 12V line.
Posted: Tue Jul 04, 2006 1:19 am
by Bdw3
I've managed to rearrange the inside a bit, even without my extra leads.
Lead One:
Video Card
Optical Drive
X-Fi Front Panel
Lead Two:
20Gb, 7200RPM HDD
100GB 7200RPM HDD
Floppy
Lead Three:
80mm Fan
80mm Fan
80mm Fan
Front LEDs
Forgot I had the LEDs, so I plugged them back in. 
(CoolerMaster Wavemaster case)