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Thoughts about Dual PSU Setup

T

TheMafioso

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Feb 19, 2006
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System Specs
Processor Intel core2duo e4300
Motherboard ASUS P5B Vanilla
Cooling Stock
Memory 2x512MB DDR2 Kingston 667MHZ
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Hi Guys,

I recently upgraded to a new system, that is proving quite a burden on my old 450W PSU, so I am thinking of going for Dual PSU Setup, since I don't have much cash left for purchase of high end PSU, after the purchase of new system...

I came across this product while searching for Dual PSUs :
http://www.performance-pcs.com/catalog/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=21193

Its a pre-made Dual PSU 24-Pin Adapter cable from Ultra meant for Daisy Chaining two 24-Pin PSUs...
It seems a pretty easy job with this cable to install a Dual PSU setup, without the messy cutting, striping, etc required for dual PSUs.

So I wanted to know, is it really this easy as it seems....I know there would be some problems in placing and for the power cable of secondry PSU in the case, and maybe some noise issues...but apart from that, anyother issues that should I know of...

Regards,
 
im not too sure tbh but i wouldnt bother installing 2 low end/generic psu's in a system and would spend a little bit of $ on a half-decent SINGLE psu, you dont even have to break the bank, im sure for around $70-$100 you could get a psu thats decent enough to cope with your system, cheap generic psu's are a no-no, and you could well be asking for trouble :shadedshu
 
^^As I said, I recently got my whole system upgraded, and infact did little overspend of the initial budget i've had thought...so 'am really outa cash

Actually the system is on a sort of okay PSU even now.....no issues as such, just that 12V line voltage drops sometimes low(measured with DMM also) when on load and mild OC...so was thinkin of setting up dual PSU's before I get into serious OCing...So wanted thoughts from anyone already having/having used a dual PSU setup..
 
wait till you get about 150 to 200 bucks and check newegg.com out. If you get a PC Power and Cooling Silencer 610 or the Quad 750...youll be oodles and caboodles better than a dual psu setup. Recently, Polywell had a cpu using to FSP (Fortronics PSUs I believe) 700W power supplies to power a QX6700, dual 8800GTX in SLI and a bunch of other niceties. The thing about dual PSUs is, the second PSUs power isnt evenly distributed and used to its fullest. So basically, its running up your energy bill and not being fully utilized. I hope this helps you out. Its in this months magazine (Mar 2007) of MaximumPC.
 
the mafioso,if you could fill in your system spec on the usercp it would help :D
 
Hey what would happen if I just plug in two power supplies, and without doing any modding or anything just plug in the second power supply into my video card ? Too scared to try :o
 
It would be fine, the only thing is that you plug it all in to the same surge protector, so the the grounding voltages dont differ.
 
Khriez said:
Hey what would happen if I just plug in two power supplies, and without doing any modding or anything just plug in the second power supply into my video card ? Too scared to try :o
Click to expand...

Use a paper clip to short black and green wire on 20(4) pin connector to fire up PSU, or buy the cable doubler you talked about earlier.

Better off with one good PSU to power everything as stated earlier.
 
Ok cool I was worrying that both 20 (or 24) pin connectors of the two Power supplies had to be both connected to each other and into the motherboard. I thought some weird electrical kind of problem would happen since the video card is plugged into the same motherboard, but it's getting it's power from a different power supply.

I was thinking the card might get too much power from the secondary power supply and it would break my whole computer.

Not sure if that made any sense.

Namslas90 said:
Use a paper clip to short black and green wire on 20(4) pin connector to fire up PSU, or buy the cable doubler you talked about earlier.

Better off with one good PSU to power everything as stated earlier.
Click to expand...

Is this a necessary step or just another method? I could plug in both power supplies into the same surge protector outlet.
 
Khriez said:
Is this a necessary step or just another method? I could plug in both power supplies into the same surge protector outlet.
Click to expand...

The second Psu should not fire up if it does not detect the presence of a motherboard. Shorting the green to black leads makes the PSU think it is attatched to a motherboard!

I hope that covers it.
 
Just make sure you have SOME airflow for the fan. But, as I digress, I Strongly disagree with a dual PSU system. However, if its your only way, go for it.
 
TheMafioso said:
^^As I said, I recently got my whole system upgraded, and infact did little overspend of the initial budget i've had thought...so 'am really outa cash

Actually the system is on a sort of okay PSU even now.....no issues as such, just that 12V line voltage drops sometimes low(measured with DMM also) when on load and mild OC...so was thinkin of setting up dual PSU's before I get into serious OCing...So wanted thoughts from anyone already having/having used a dual PSU setup..
Click to expand...

Tsk Tsk Tsk.

I have seen this sooo much.
People spend $800+ on a system and then power it with a $30 PSU lol.
What do you think might happen.
Often I hear My system blew up WTF.
lol.

The PSU is very important and I wouldnt trust a $300 machine on a crap PSU.

Listen get a good PSU its that simple.
If you dont you run a high risk of the system eventually blowing up or parts getting under/over volted.
Its kind of like getting a Ferrari and running it on a battery you found in the dump.
It just brings in all kinds of distaster.
 
I was just playing aorund I got the old 250W to power up by putting a pin in the black and green wire. Only problem is it would be on 24/7 unless I turn off the surge outlet :o This one doesn't have a power switch lol.
 
Khriez said:
I was just playing aorund I got the old 250W to power up by putting a pin in the black and green wire. Only problem is it would be on 24/7 unless I turn off the surge outlet :o This one doesn't have a power switch lol.
Click to expand...

You are going to be running your computer 24/7 on those PSUs:eek: :eek: :eek:

Does anyone else see this as a recipe for disaster.:banghead:
 
Hehe nope I just wanted to see what happens, I should hook up all my fans on it though but I don't think it's worth it.

I'm not going to try it anymore.
 
I have actually been contimplating running a dual psu setup for my file server. all you need to do to a dual setup correctly is snipping of the secondary motherboard connector and soldering extentions to the green/black wires and connecting those to the primary motherboard connector. for larger full atx cases fitting two psu's is quite easy. i would however run all harddrives fans cdroms etc off the secondary and leave anything connected to the motherboard directly, video card, etc on the main psu.
 
I think, I have fitting the 2 psus in the case prob. sorted out, I would probably mod the case for it...and i'm from India, so don't much choices for high end/mid end PSUs, except for Antec(s) and maybe seventeam but they're terribly expensive here...so lets just say buying a high end PSU is out of question for a while..

And this setup looks very easy and effective especially with that cable.....and gives gEEk pleasure :), so I was wondering why aren't many people using it.....so that's why the thread..

ktr said:
It would be fine, the only thing is that you plug it all in to the same surge protector, so the the grounding voltages dont differ.
Click to expand...

I have a APC UPS through which I would be connecting the 2 PSUs, i think it would be the same..?

tigger69 said:
the mafioso,if you could fill in your system spec on the usercp it would help :D
Click to expand...

Funny thing....i had filled it up for quite sometime now..but just forgot to set "yes" to display specs :nutkick:
 
Last edited:
You said that black and green wires must be connected for the power supply to work without beeing connected to the mobo. I found the green wire but there are plenty of black ones. Which one is the correct?
 
Has anyone had any success having a 2nd PSU power up with the computer's on/off button? I ask because I'd actually like to power up an ATX PSU in a separate case used as a drive enclosure. AT-style PSU's are just too noisy for my tastes.

Somebody should make an adapter for this that comes directly from the case's power switch to the PSU's motherboard CONNECTION, without having to plug into a motherboard. :)
 
Demos_sav said:
You said that black and green wires must be connected for the power supply to work without beeing connected to the mobo. I found the green wire but there are plenty of black ones. Which one is the correct?
Click to expand...

Pins 14 & 15 ... 99% sure

neptunefix said:
Has anyone had any success having a 2nd PSU power up with the computer's on/off button? I ask because I'd actually like to power up an ATX PSU in a separate case used as a drive enclosure. AT-style PSU's are just too noisy for my tastes.

Somebody should make an adapter for this that comes directly from the case's power switch to the PSU's motherboard CONNECTION, without having to plug into a motherboard. :)
Click to expand...

Make yourself a switch!!! Very easy!


All those "special" connectors are doing is taking pins 14 (black) and 15 (green) and tying them into your other psu that is connected to your motherboard. Very easy to setup BUT you must share them both on the same ground (stated in above posts). VERY IMPORTANT!
 
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