The power coming into a computer may be the most critical component, and it may be one of the most overlooked. It is just taken for granted that it will possibly be there and working the right way. A top of this line processor and super powerful video card do nothing if your system does not obtain ample, stable power this demands. Having quality components providing and regulating the power supplied to a computer is critical, and this brief overview looks at a few areas value consideration.
Power Supplies
Computer power supplies require the high (110V or perhaps 220V) DC voltages from an electrical outlet and convert it to the various lower AC voltages required for a system to operate. The typical voltages required inside a computer are 3. 3V, 5V, and 12V, where the 3. 3V and 5V lines are generally used to power circuitry, and the 12V line provides power to run items such as hard drives, optical drives, and cooling fans.
Power supplies are sold in terms of their total power source, in terms of wattage. Choosing the correct power supply means not only finding one which will provide enough power for all of the components connected to the device, but also one that is the correct size physically, has enough connections for standard drives and fans, and if necessary, that also has extraordinary connections for things such as Serial ATA drives in addition to modern video cards.
Choosing a power supply with good enough power shouldn’ t be much of a problem, as having more power than you need is never a awful thing. Just because a power supply is rated for the purpose of 400W, or perhaps 600W, does not imply that it is drawing that at any given time. It just indicates the total power available to the various lines inside the personal computer. For those interested in getting a good idea of their minimum power requirements, this Power Wattage Calculator is a convenient reference. In addition to looking at the total wattage of the power supply, looking for strong amperage ratings on the 3. 3V, 5V, and 12V lines is also recommended, as power supplies with the help of identical total power ratings may distribute the power to the various lines in different quantities.
Power supplies come in a few different vigorous sizes, but the most common are designed to fit the standard ATX along with micro ATX (mATX) mode factor cases. A typical ATX power supply, such as this Echo-Star 680W item, measures 3. 25” x 6” x 5. 5” and features two cooling fans to not only cool the power supply, but to also allow draw hot air out of the computer. A typical mATX power supply, such as this A-Power 320W item, measures 2. 5” x 5” x 4” and due to the smaller size features just one cooling fan. mATX cases are generally much smaller than ATX occasions, and therefore have scaled-down power supplies, with generally lower power ratings, and fewer connectors.
The connectors on a power supply also require consideration. Most power supplies come with what looks to be an electrical octopus of wires hanging off the back surface, and you need to make sure that somewhere in of which tangled bundle are all of the connectors you need. The power supply should at least have as many connections as the number of drives, cooling fans, and other items found in the case. Up until recently power supplies had a fixed number of connections, and if you needed more, you needed to use splitters to distribute the power to all the parts. Modular power supplies, such as the Ultra X-Connect 500W device, are now available which will eliminate that “ electric octopus” all together, and allow the end user to connect just the cables they require. The flexibility of a modular power supply design not only enables you to customize the connections with your needs, it also makes for a simple and nice and clean installation, since there are very little extra wires dangling inside the case.
The selection of a high quality power supply may cost an abundance of funds up front, but down the road it could wind up saving money. Many manufacturers now provide you with power supplies that consume less energy thanks to high quality internal features, advanced designs, and active power factor correction. These units are now able to provide the same power to the components in your computer, but due to elevated efficiency, draw less power from the electrical outlet.
Surge Protectors
Surge protectors are intended to protect your electronics from the brief increase in voltage caused by such things as lightning, rolling blackouts, and heavy drawing electrical gear. A surge protector reacts to divert the extra electricity to ground, and thus protects your expensive pc equipment from damage. A surge is any improve lasting three nanoseconds and / or longer, so a surge protector needs to react quickly. Most surge protectors also include a fuse (or breaker), and if the surge is too great to be handled without interruption, the fuse will blow. Although the fuse may be killed, it’ s a small loss compared to what it may acquire saved.
Surge protectors come in all shapes and versions. Some basic models can even be found at your regional dollar store, but offer no more than a few outlets connected to some breaker. No serious safety is obtained, but many people just want more boutiques, not protection.
More serious surge protectors will probably cost a bit more than a dollar, but will offer some peace of mind that your equipment is actually being protected. In addition to protecting from electricity surges, some devices include extra features such as conditioning to filter out and about line noise and ports to protect other lines such as cable television, telephone, and networking.
The Fellowes Smart Surge Power Strip protects up to 10 devices from spikes, as well as delivering line conditioning and ports to protect your phone line. A highly appealing feature of this type of surge protector is that 4 of the ports are designed to accept bulky AC adaptors. For those with surge protectors that weren’ t designed to be this user friendly, there is still hope in the form of Power Strip Saver Connections. Basically just 7 inch long extension cords, these items can are available in very handy when trying to connect multiple AC adaptors to some more traditional surge guard.
Uninterruptible Power Supplies
Many people familiar having Uninterruptible power supplies (UPS) know that they can keep a computer up and running during a total electric power failure, but don’ t know what else they do. Most UPSes will also provide protection from voltage spikes and sags (when typically the voltage drops below normal), as well as protection from the possibility of a shift in the particular electricity’ s frequency.
UPSes come in two varieties, standby and continuous, although standby versions are far more common and less overpriced. A standby UPS allows the devices connected to it to run in the normal electrical connection until a loss of power is detected, at which point it quickly (in a good matter of milliseconds) switches to the battery backup of your UPS. A continuous UPS always has the devices connected to it running from battery power, while the batteries are recharged by the normal electrical connection.
UPSes are sold in terms of their capacity, in conditions of VA (voltage increased by amperage). This implies that devices connected to the UPS can draw a maximum of so much amperage within a specific voltage. A run time after a power failure is also generally specified for any UPS based on even a full load being placed at the device.
Selecting a UPS needs to be based on the supposed use… A smaller unit, such as the Fenton 600VA, would be adequate for powering a typical desktop computer, monitor, and smaller peripherals such as a printer and lighting meant for what they rate seeing that 15-23 minutes at entire load. If multiple systems need to be powered, or perhaps there are actually plans for future expansion that will add to the power demands, a larger unit such as the Tripp Lite 1500VA might be more appropriate. The first two units are intended to be set in close proximity to the devices to become powered, perhaps on the floor behind a desk, but if you are seeking to add a UPS to some server, there are also rackmount solutions such as the Opti-UPS 1100VA.
No matter the application, sizing a UPS may seem overwhelming. One manufacturer, APC, has created a helpful UPS Selector Application which will take some of the guess work out of choosing the right UPS for any selected application.
Final Words
A computer system is only simply because strong as its most basic feature, and many times that distinction falls about the power supply and similar components. By choosing a quality power supply, surge protector, and perhaps a UPS, one can make sure that they have adequately strong and stable power to keep their system functioning now, as well as down the road when upgrades may increase the demand on their method.