Too Little Power?!

jrodga2k5 · 25 Feb 2009 at 16:49

Hey guys,

My Mate bought a Dell Studio PC with the following specs...

Intel Core i7 920
6GB DDR 3 Ram (x3 2GB sticks)
Ati Radeon HD 4850 512 MB
2x500GB HDD's in Raid Config
DVD RW Drive...
350W Dells own PSU

Now the thing that sticks out for me is the PSU which has came with the PC and he has been experiencing crashes and blue screens from day one.

Both the CPU and the Motherboard have been replaced already and he has still encountered crashes etc. He also claims if he swaps one fan with another then it runs just fine.

THe 350W just screams out at me as not enough!

Anyone else agree that it may not be enough for the components?

OneTime · 25 Feb 2009 at 16:53

Agreed...wow...350watt...lol.
Definitely change that ASAP.

Why did he buy a dell?....lol.

Admiral Huddy · 25 Feb 2009 at 16:53

It does seem a bit low.. the graphics card drains quite a bit. Depends on the maximum load on each of the rails and not necessarily the total output.

jrodga2k5 · 25 Feb 2009 at 16:55

Yeah as i said...its a bit crazy for that spec!!

I do have a spare PSU going (580W Hiper which is an RMA replaced one so it should be fine before people ask

) he should be able to test using that and confirm my thoughts on the issues!

OneTime · 25 Feb 2009 at 16:58

Hiper 580watt Type R?

:eek:

jrodga2k5 · 25 Feb 2009 at 17:00

OneTime said:
Hiper 580watt Type R?

Yes

I know I know but as I said RMA replacement and tbh it gave me a good 2.5years before I had a problem

Should be enough for a few days testing.

OneTime · 25 Feb 2009 at 17:01

jrodga2k5 said:
Yes I know I know but as I said RMA replacement and tbh it gave me a good 2.5years before I had a problem

Should be enough for a few days testing.

Ok. As long as you are aware and understand the risks

jrodga2k5 · 25 Feb 2009 at 17:02

OneTime said:
Ok. As long as you are aware and understand the risks

Indeed I do...

Sasahara · 25 Feb 2009 at 17:06

jrodga2k5 said:
Hey guys,

Now to me it sticks out as the PSU not being up to the job as 350w in theory is only like 280W if we go with the scenario of 80% efficient.

Anyone else agree that it may not be enough for the components?

PSU power ratings refer to output, not input. If your 350W was running at 100% rated load @ 80% efficency, the power draw from the mains would be 437.5w.

IF it was a decent PSU, like Antec EarthWatts 380W Power Supply it would be ok. As it's a dell, that's unlikely.

jrodga2k5 · 25 Feb 2009 at 17:14

Sasahara said:
PSU power ratings refer to output, not input. If your 350W was running at 100% rated load @ 80% efficency, the power draw from the mains would be 437.5w.

IF it was a decent PSU, like Antec EarthWatts 380W Power Supply it would be ok. As it's a dell, that's unlikely.

Ah right ok!

Yeah it is pretty much a Dell's own, I'll try and have a look at the sticker on the side of it tomorrow night however to make sure.

He bought some new fans which made the PC crash a lot more frequenty too...he is now back to the stock fans he got with the PC.

Should have built it himself in all honesty.

OneTime · 25 Feb 2009 at 18:01

jrodga2k5 said:
He bought some new fans which made the PC crash a lot more frequenty too...he is now back to the stock fans he got with the PC.

Should have built it himself in all honesty.

Definitely that PSU then if the power consumption of the fans made it crash more.

Yes you should have built it your self. Dell...ppfffttt...

bremen1874 · 25 Feb 2009 at 19:23

Dell are in a position to match the PSU size to the machine they are building. There may not be a massive amount of headroom but it should be sufficient. Running the machine specs through Thermaltake's online PSU size calculator comes up with a recommendation of 308W.

I'd guess that it's either overheating (and changing the fans could have made this worse) or there's a fault with the memory. If there is a fault then keep badgering Dell until they either fix it or supply a replacement machine.

jrodga2k5 · 25 Feb 2009 at 23:01

bremen1874 said:
Dell are in a position to match the PSU size to the machine they are building. There may not be a massive amount of headroom but it should be sufficient. Running the machine specs through Thermaltake's online PSU size calculator comes up with a recommendation of 308W.

I'd guess that it's either overheating (and changing the fans could have made this worse) or there's a fault with the memory. If there is a fault then keep badgering Dell until they either fix it or supply a replacement machine.

Well they running at a minimum with no additions so the 350w is plentiful for the tests they done clearly...

Update tonyte, my mate hooked up his graphics tablet and external HDD to do some work and the PC slowly but surely started to stutter with sound and performance issues, adding a few USB powered components seem to have put it over the edge in power consumption.

He will need to get on the phone with Dell essentially and now put that to them and if he states he feels it may be a power issue and see what they do.

They already replaced his CPU and Mobo earlier as that was supposedly the problem

exhumedye · 26 Feb 2009 at 05:16

OneTime said:
Hiper 580watt Type R?

I had one of those
:E