Power Supplies

[Hale]

Interesting article on computer power supplies:

http://www.tomshardware.com/howto/20021021/index.html



How can you tell how big a power supply is? Are there different standard form factors, or do you just get the dimentions? I currently have low end (135 watts) power supply from Compaq that I'm mildly interested in upgrading. Its kind of small, so I'd like to make sure whatever replacement I get is going to fit.

Thanks!

[[AK]Gunny Highway]

Hale compaq tends to be proprietary, I am not sure that you can get a 3rd party power supply for it.

[[AK]StitchJones]

Oh boy power supplies. I had a power supply catch fire over the summer. It was a 350w that came in a 35$ case that I picked up at a show. My fellow HBR guys will bust my chops as to why it caught fire, I'm sure. (that's your que Gunny and Choozoo)
I bought a Enermax 400w silent power supply. And it is just the coolest thing ever. I know it's just a power supply but it was worth the money.
I can post the model number if anyone is interested.

[[AK]Hylander]

When I built PCs, I always put an Antec in the case. I've never had a single problem with them.

[Zorro]

If it has an ATX spec, it should fit in an ATX case... Standards, gotta love em...

[[AK]Gunny Highway]

Anyone who has ever worked on a compaq knows they do not have standard parts unless you are buying from them. They do that intentionally so that you have to buy parts from them as do all the major mfg companies. You can find ps that fit compaqs from 3rd party mfg's but they are not that reliable and they are usually fairly expensive. Standards do not apply to compaq obviously you have not worked on many compaqs, I have and just trying to save Hale some time and maybe from wasting money on something that wont fit.

Hale what model is the compaq? Also what form factor? as compaq has several and the parts are not interchangable the screw patterns are different as are the dimensions of the actual power supplies.

[Hale]

I emailed Compaq the other day and they said my system (5000 series) takes a standard baby ATX power supply.

This is after my first email to them where they said they didn't know what power supply their systems take, and then followed up with a survey to me a day later asking if I was satisfied with their service.

After I replied their service sucked, I received an email confirming that a standard power supply will fit.

Actually I ordered a 300W antec for my significant other's system as her power supply has a bad fan. I may put it in my system and make sure it works and then order another one.

[[AK]Abaddon]

Sounds good. My recent problems setting up a P4 system revolved ENTIRELY around the power supply. I had to go from 300 W to 400 W to get the system stable. Of course, I can't hear anything over the roar of the 9 fans in my case, and the computer levitates about two inches over the desktop while making an eerie hum.

4 80mm Case fans
2 80mm fans on power supply
1 slot cooler fan
1 60 mm CPU fan
1 graphics card fan

Need more power!

[Hale]

I'll send my my current 135W supply and you can run them in parrallel.

[[AK]Abaddon]

Heh ... I wondered about that. Could I take the old 180w Dell Power Supply I have, affix it outside the case, and use it to run my fans? :-)