When to change PSU?

LeoK said:
Hi,

I brought this PSU about 15 years ago. https://www.overclockers.co.uk/ener...tx2.2-modular-psu-ca-029-en.html?template=amp

It still seems fine. Does anyone know if it is generally safe to keep a PSU for so long in their everyday computer?

I cannot see any signs of wear. I am just worried it might go pop. Take out anything plugged in with it. Am I paranoid?
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Wow, you have got some good value out of that! Suspect most of these 1000W psu's are not that 'stressed' in their lifetime, so run at lower temps and can go on and on .... that's what I am hoping ;)
Reckon you are fine.
 
Best for its time. Not 80+ certified from what I can see. I doubt it would take the rig with it. if and when it goes pop. Just bear in mind that a PSU that old may not work properly with intel based systems from Haswell onwards because of its C7 sleep state feature (yes @EsaT Im aware that I've said this before) ;) I'd keep it & replace when its upgrade time.
 
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Thank you both so much for taking the time and effort to reply. It’s very helpful to know the PSU is unlikely to work with newer systems. I had thought about trying to recycle it into a third PC. Probably I shouldn’t :)

thank you again
 
turbot1984 said:
Suspect most of these 1000W psu's are not that 'stressed' in their lifetime, so run at lower temps
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While not stressed power output wise, that PSU had bad efficiency already decade ago and with no doubt insane oversizing runs at Roman Empire era efficiency most of the time PC is powered on.
That means many times more power wasted into heating itself, than in properly sized modern PSU.

Heck, basing on this efficiency curve it might waste nearing ten times the power of 80+ Titanium PSU when PC is at idle/desktop:
https://www.anandtech.com/show/2395/14
Just from age and size I would put its no load power draw to 30+W level.
For comparison top efficiency PSUs would waste less power under 500W load!
And as it's one of the few PSUs with actually more than one 12V transformer, that might well duplicate some losses in keeping PSU itself running.
 
I can vouch for that old PSU power draw. I remember years ago when using a power meter to check the vampiric draw on my PSUs, some brands would draw 27w, and some would do 11w, and the best I saw at the time (Corsair HX620) was like 3-5w as it was a highly rated PSU.
 
EsaT said:
While not stressed power output wise, that PSU had bad efficiency already decade ago and with no doubt insane oversizing runs at Roman Empire era efficiency most of the time PC is powered on.
That means many times more power wasted into heating itself, than in properly sized modern PSU.

Heck, basing on this efficiency curve it might waste nearing ten times the power of 80+ Titanium PSU when PC is at idle/desktop:
https://www.anandtech.com/show/2395/14
Just from age and size I would put its no load power draw to 30+W level.
For comparison top efficiency PSUs would waste less power under 500W load!
And as it's one of the few PSUs with actually more than one 12V transformer, that might well duplicate some losses in keeping PSU itself running.
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Is that the same as standby power draw? Looked my old Antec up ( 8 yrs old) and it says 0.5W standby, which looks good?
 
LeoK said:
Thank you both so much for taking the time and effort to reply. It’s very helpful to know the PSU is unlikely to work with newer systems. I had thought about trying to recycle it into a third PC. Probably I shouldn’t :)

thank you again
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I re-use PSUs in old systems that are usually worth less than the psu :o But, if you're planning to build a 12900k + 3090 system, I think I'd pass.
 
Tetras said:
I re-use PSUs in old systems that are usually worth less than the psu :o But, if you're planning to build a 12900k + 3090 system, I think I'd pass.
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Thanks, that’s good advice. It sounds like first step is replacing my aged PSU and case (Antec 1200).

EsaT said:
Standby draw doesn't matter.
What matters is PSU's power loss when PC is running.
And there's plenty of range in that depending on PSU's design and size.
https://silentpcreview.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/Figure-2-16-PSU-idle.png
https://silentpcreview.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/Figure-3-16-PSU-load.png
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thank you too for sharing. Sorry I couldn’t reply sooner. #15postperdaylimit ;)
 
When you're approaching or at the warranty ending is when i'd be thinking about a replacement. If the PSU is still holding strong, awesome, but it's still designed with a typical lifespan in mind, so i'd keep my eyes peeled for a good offer/deal on something nice if the warranty window is approaching. My last one died just inside the warranty period, but mid-pandemic, shipping costs and waiting on the turn around (i'd still have to put something in the system interim), it was easier to just grab a new one (the dying one still functioned enough it held on whilst i shopped around). You're lucky if they die slowly and gracefully, it sucks when the system is just dead and unresponsive and you need something yesterday.
 
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