PSU & AVR questions

[Der FüHRER]

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1. what kind of problems(if there are any) would arise if you plug a, say, 600w psu into a 500w avr, especially at high load? will this merely limit the psu's max rating or will it cause any hardware failures?

2. what does an avr that makes a low humming/buzzing sound mean? also, how bout one that makes clicking noises, like a dying harddrive's sound?


thnx in advance mga master

[blade4638]

1. assuming you'll running at full load, if you're using a generic 600w psu it might work as usually generic psus are overrated. on the other hand, if you're using a branded 600w psu, best case is a burned fuse; worst case is a damaged avr. when the psu is trying to pull out 600w from your 500w avr, the avr must provide increased current (assuming constant voltage at 110/220v). usually the generic 500w avrs have only 5 to 8 amp fuses and this may not be enough to withstand what it will pull from the outlet to provide the psu the current it needs.

2. i'm not sure about low/buzzing avrs (i either use a servo-type avr or just plug in direct to the power outlet) but for those with clicking noises, imho, what you're hearing is a mechanical relay inside the avr that is switched by the internal circuits to give stable output voltage when input is fluctuating.

[Der FüHRER]

thnx sa reply master blade

1. so the avr is the one thats going to be damaged, and not the psu right? i'm thinking of a cheap way to protect my psu/pc..i know that's the psu's job but medyo mahal man gud akong psu mao ngita sad kog 'protection' para niya and 600w+ avrs/ups are way more expensive than generic 500w ones. i dunno if a psu really needs protection tho, i have this extension wire that is rated for 2000w but i dont think it has a fuse or some kind of surge protection.

2. so the clicking noise just means that the input is fluctuating and the avr is just doing its job, and is not showing signs of wear and tear? thanks again

[muzikfreakah]

If you really want to protect it get a higher wattage AVR. Normally you dont really need to protect it but diri gud sa Cebu grabeh mu fluctuate ang kurinti, so all appliances including the PC should e protected.

Great explenation blade As expected

[blade4638]

@Der FüHRER:
1. imho, the psu will merely be just starved of the current it needs to provide the power needed by you pc components. the psu has many more protection circuits than a cheap avr so yes, i believe the avr will be the first to go if worst comes to worst. that's why its very wise to invest in a very good psu. if you want protection for your psu, either:

** get a 1000va ups. a ups already has a built-in avr plus you have back-up power when you need it (e.g. in the middle of flashing your board or video card bios)

** get a 1000va servo-controlled avr. this type closely tracks input voltage fluctuations and makes continuous adjustments to keep output voltage as constant as possible

the above items are significantly more than what you'll be paying for a generic avr... but then again, you get what you pay for c",)

for surge protectors, make sure that your power outlets have proper grounding. good quality surge protectors shunt voltage spikes to ground so if you don't have proper electrical grounding at home, a surge protector is useless. these normally have 3-pronged plugs (the 3rd one being ground) and have metal oxide varistors (or MOVs) inside as the main component that gives you the protection.

2. yup, the avr is doing its job. pero note that whether its doing a good job or a sloppy one is another story.

** i have my silverstone st75zf plugged directly to the wall outlet because i don't have an avr/ups enough to give it the juice it needs when its operating at its max rated power output.l

[Der FüHRER]

ok thanks for all the info!

[EarlZ]

Just a thought, what config are you using to actually draw 600watts ? a 2x 8800Ultra with a Qx9650 at 4.6Ghz doesnt even draw 500watts

[whoopz]

** i have my silverstone st75zf plugged directly to the wall outlet because i don't have an avr/ups enough to give it the juice it needs when its operating at its max rated power output.l

safe rani cya bro? what are the dangers of this? ganahan unta ko mubuhat ani ky old na kaayo ning ako mga avr and ups and buying quality ones is quite expensive.

[Abaddon]

plugged directly to the wall outlet? kuyawa oi... I rather buy a surge protector, cheaper. least some can accomodate to 2000watts. Hinoon PSU's now can protect themselves.

[EarlZ]

With the most highend PSU its still better to use servo type avrs.. im even using one.. atho its rated for 500watts and my PSU is 750.. but my current draw is no more than 400watts