Anyone running SLI with an Enermax 485w

MeatLoaf

MeatLoaf

MeatLoaf

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Decided to get a 2nd 7800GT for my rig but im a bit worried my PSU may not be up to it. Its an Enermax 485w. Its only got 1 pci-e power connector but thats not really a problem as ive got a 2 molex to pci-e converter i can use.

The box on my present 7800GT recommends 500w for SLI but as im only 15w out im hoping it will be fine.
 
Does the psu have two (or more) 12v rails? If not then its unlikely it will support two gfx cards.

I've just tried running a dual core amd, asus board and an ati x1900xt (all at stock) on an old-ish 430w Antec Truepower - and all I got was a slight twitch of the fans and nothing else.... :(

Put a boring old PCI gfx card in instead of the Ati, and it all came up fine - so looks like power requirements on modern pc's are going a bit mad... ;)

Bought myself an FSP 700w psu today - and everything is fine now. :D

Not sure how much juice the Nvidia cards uses against the Ati, but I would think you would need a beefier psu if you plan to run an sli setup.....

....unless somebody else has that setup and and running?
 
Its got nothing to do with the number of rails. Some of the older single rail designs are more than capable, OCZ 520 for example. It's the total current/wattage available to the 12v output. Newer ATX 2.2 split the rails and in most cases you can't just add the rails, look for the combined wattage 12v1+12v2 etc. Two 7800GT's are going to need 140/150 watts, a lot less than the newer ATI's. So you may get away with it.
 
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