PSU Question

[asher_onyx]

I just recently purchased this card:

XFX GeForce 7600 GT XXX Edition / 256MB GDDR3 / SLI / PCI Express / Dual DVI / HDTV / Video Card

I have an ATI Radeon X600 Pro that I am changing out for the 7600. I know that the 7600 takes a minimum recommended power supply of 350 Watts. My PSU says its DC Output is at 300 Watts. I have read reviews saying this card doesn't need PCI-E power cords and that it draws from the MoBo.

Is this true? Do I need to get a new power supply for this card? Or can it just draw from the MoBo? If I have to get a new PS, what should I get to take care of the problem?

Thanks a bunch,

Asher:lol:

[Mike]

My personal recommendation when it comes to determining whether or not your P/S is hefty enough to handle a given video card is to simply install the card and see what happens. There are cases where it's obvious whether or not your P/S can handle a card, but whenever it's close, the best thing to do is just try.

If the P/S isn't good enough, you'll get lockups, program crashes, random reboots and the like...if that happens just upgrade to a brand name unit with at least 450W.

[asher_onyx]

Yo Mike,

Thank you so much for the advice and the incite!
You responded with a quickness and I really appreciate that! I will just install it and try it then and see what happens...

That won't blow stuff up right? Ha ha!!!

Thanks again,
Asher:lol:

[MrWizard6600]

hooolllddd up.

I would have to disagree with Mikes statement. that combined with a crappily made PSU will toast your PSU. I know, cuz that was my philosaphy for a long time too, until i installed a little 6600GT in a computer with some crap PSU.

If it had been a dell, the PSU woulda been Seasonic, and Id'a been fine. If it had been Velocity micro, or some other good manufacturer, it woulda been an antec or Enermax PSU, and I'da been fine. but no. This computer, came from the little shady computer store, which had gone outta business. At the time i knew nothing of PSUs, and what did it have in it? an aspire.

So, i plug this 6600GT in. Here are the events, as i recall

POP!!
"whats that smell?" -customer
"Ummmm...... I think... its your psssuuu????" -yours truly
"whats that?"
POP!!!
*Unplugs computer*
I think, I just blew your powersupply, first Time i've ever done this...

anywho, the PSU took the graphics card, and the mobo with it. I left that job with a deficit of nearly $200. That was NOT a fun job.

so, how do you find out if your PSU is good enough?

take off your side pannel, most modern PSUs have the info on the side of them, under the 12V column or row there should be a number followed by an A, between 10 and 20. EX 16A. that means you have 16 amps on your 12V rail, meaning your 12V rail can supply a total of 192W. your Graphics card is a divice which draws its power from the 12V rail.

for a 7600GT, you should be fine with, 14A on that rail.

[mysorevampire]

hooolllddd up.

I would have to disagree with Mikes statement. that combined with a crappily made PSU will toast your PSU. I know, cuz that was my philosaphy for a long time too, until i installed a little 6600GT in a computer with some crap PSU.

If it had been a dell, the PSU woulda been Seasonic, and Id'a been fine. If it had been Velocity micro, or some other good manufacturer, it woulda been an antec or Enermax PSU, and I'da been fine. but no. This computer, came from the little shady computer store, which had gone outta business. At the time i knew nothing of PSUs, and what did it have in it? an aspire.

So, i plug this 6600GT in. Here are the events, as i recall

POP!!
"whats that smell?" -customer
"Ummmm...... I think... its your psssuuu????" -yours truly
"whats that?"
POP!!!
*Unplugs computer*
I think, I just blew your powersupply, first Time i've ever done this...

anywho, the PSU took the graphics card, and the mobo with it. I left that job with a deficit of nearly $200. That was NOT a fun job.

so, how do you find out if your PSU is good enough?

take off your side pannel, most modern PSUs have the info on the side of them, under the 12V column or row there should be a number followed by an A, between 10 and 20. EX 16A. that means you have 16 amps on your 12V rail, meaning your 12V rail can supply a total of 192W. your Graphics card is a divice which draws its power from the 12V rail.

for a 7600GT, you should be fine with, 14A on that rail.



Follow wat Mr.wizard6600 has said and you'll be perfect or else not much is gonna happen except for one small thing ......You ll be blowing up the supply you have right now.

[mysorevampire]

hooolllddd up.

I would have to disagree with Mikes statement. that combined with a crappily made PSU will toast your PSU. I know, cuz that was my philosaphy for a long time too, until i installed a little 6600GT in a computer with some crap PSU.

If it had been a dell, the PSU woulda been Seasonic, and Id'a been fine. If it had been Velocity micro, or some other good manufacturer, it woulda been an antec or Enermax PSU, and I'da been fine. but no. This computer, came from the little shady computer store, which had gone outta business. At the time i knew nothing of PSUs, and what did it have in it? an aspire.

So, i plug this 6600GT in. Here are the events, as i recall

POP!!
"whats that smell?" -customer
"Ummmm...... I think... its your psssuuu????" -yours truly
"whats that?"
POP!!!
*Unplugs computer*
I think, I just blew your powersupply, first Time i've ever done this...

anywho, the PSU took the graphics card, and the mobo with it. I left that job with a deficit of nearly $200. That was NOT a fun job.

so, how do you find out if your PSU is good enough?

take off your side pannel, most modern PSUs have the info on the side of them, under the 12V column or row there should be a number followed by an A, between 10 and 20. EX 16A. that means you have 16 amps on your 12V rail, meaning your 12V rail can supply a total of 192W. your Graphics card is a divice which draws its power from the 12V rail.

for a 7600GT, you should be fine with, 14A on that rail.



Follow wat Mr.Wizard6600 has said and you'll be perfect or else not much is gonna happen except for one small thing ......You ll be blowing up the supply you have right now.......

[Mike]

I've seen a lot of power supplies fail, I've never seen one blow up and take a motherboard with it. But, of course, it's entirely possible. Though I'd say the chances of that happening (especially in this case where it would only be a slight overload if any at all) are pretty slim.

Honestly, if you don't trust the power supply, just buy a new one. The entire computer is useless if you're not sure if it's going to blow up or not.

[Track]

My PSU crashed 57 times in the past 2 weeks.. Im still writing this.

[David]

My PSU crashed 57 times in the past 2 weeks.. Im still writing this.
World Record?

[Track]

World Record?

Probably.

It was because the fan died. Took me a month to figure that out.

[asher_onyx]

Alrighty, here is the lowdown on my PS:

Lite On
Model #:PS-5301-08HT
DC Output: 300W

Input: 100-127V ~ / 8A 50 - 60Hz
200-240V ~ / 4A 50 - 60Hz


Output: +12V / 19A MAX

Combine power on +12V and +5V rails not to exceed 268W MAX.

-------------------------------------------------------

So, with this info and with what Mr. Wizard said:

for a 7600GT, you should be fine with, 14A on that rail.

I should be fine running the 7600GT on my system because of the 19A right? :eek:

[Track]

I should be fine running the 7600GT on my system because of the 19A right? :eek:

Yes, you will.

[aliquidparadigm]

I've seen a lot of power supplies fail, I've never seen one blow up and take a motherboard with it. But, of course, it's entirely possible. Though I'd say the chances of that happening (especially in this case where it would only be a slight overload if any at all) are pretty slim.My neighbour had his Antec 550w True Power blow up on him when he tried to run a pair of 7950gx2's with 4 molex-to-pcie (2 of the 2-to-1) adapters; basically, it blew like a transformer while he was playing (yeah, it actually booted and ran without a hitch somehow) and didn't kill any hardware (other than the PSU, of course), but a PSU can most certainly blow up, and I wouldn't be surprised if a low-quality one took some hardware with it.

Edit: Clarifying molex adapters.