[geeks] Need Advice

[Mark]

On 4 Jan 2008, at 23:24, Phil Stracchino wrote:

> Bill Bradford wrote:
>> On Fri, Jan 04, 2008 at 02:02:58PM -0500, Ido Dubrawsky wrote:
>>> Thanks for the help and I'd still like advice regarding whether I  
>>> should
>>> put in a Seasonic or a ThermalTake power supply.
>>
>> Avoid Thermaltake.  go for Seasonic or, even better, PC Power &  
>> Cooling
>> (some of their models are rebadged Seasonics).
>>
>> I put PCP&C supplies in every machine I build, and have never been
>> dissapointed.  They're more expensive, but worth it.
>
> I've personally had good luck with Antec power supplies.
>
> (Though occasionally I wish they were a bit more communicative.  I had
> one that refused to power up a board because it detected a fault, but
> didn't have any way to tell me of that fact.  So I assumed the power
> supply was bad, swapped in a different - and less smart - power  
> supply,
> and the board burned up.  Literally; a thumbnail-sized area next to  
> one
> of the RAM slots smoked, then glowed orange-red, then caught fire, in
> the time it took me to realize what was happening and yank the power  
> cable.)

As someone who's recently had extensive woes with Earth LEakage trips  
on my mains system here, I'd like to add that whatever PSU you buy  
make sure it has Active Power Factor Correction built into it.  It's  
only really an issue if you do have Earth LEakage detectors (RCD  
trips) on your mains circuits, but it's generally a 'good thing' as it  
reduces the hit o nthe mains when you plug the PSU in and it powers up  
from cold.

For the record when our RCD was having a sensitive spell I tripped it  
out by just plugging my Mac Pro in. Makes me wonder if Apple bothered  
to use a PFC'd PSU unit in it - if they didn't it was fairly  
irresponsible given that the PSU is rated at about 1200W!

-- 
Mark Benson

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