Good brands for power supplies?

I bought a pair of Enermax 550-watt PSUs for the dual core releases. You might want to snag a unit with the 8-pin connector (dual 12v) in case you switch to a dual core sometime in the near future.

 

I'm not sure why this is a factor? AFAIK, all PSUs have all their 12V rails go back to a single source, so you're not getting two separate rails (like, say, the TrueControls have separate 3.3 and 5V rails). Manufacturers simply divide their total 12V rating across two lines however they choose, knowing that you can only offer 18A max per rail.

Or are you talking about another aspect of the 12V rail(s)?

Interesting idea, but if you're doing it to reduce PSU noise, you're probably better off not sucking hot case air into the PSU, as PSU fans get louder as the PSU temp increases. Might as well just mount it on top of the case and slap a fan or two in its place at the back of the case.

 

atx 2.03 and atx 2.2

<--- have a good laugh at the name, it's a been a while since I posted and I can't remember who I was. I not really sure about a few things after reading the ATX standards from Intel's form factor site, but from the look of the spec's the one rail is dedicated to the cpu and the other rail is left with hard drive motors the two 12 v lines going into the 24 pin connector the 6.25 amps the pci spec requires {75 watts on 12v on 24 pin connector} and any other device requiring 12 volt power, I know having 12v lines means you need far less amps then a 3.3 volt line requires to supply the total power/watts, but that looks like you could really be hammering the one line which is supposed to be under 18amps. No one mentions why it needs to be under 18 amps but mouse houses in the US use 18 gauge wiring for everything except washers, and then you only going to 16 gauge. I can see some reasons for it but seems to me if they would just a little nicer electronics and/or 16 gauge wiring there wouldn't be any problem going higher unless the 16 gauge wiring lets too much juice through...

oh I have seen rosewills other site beside newegg but they are defently rebrading someone else's electronics I picked one up for a new machine and I may open it up and run the parts numbers to see who actually makes since there wasn't a warrenty seal on it. As cheap as it was though I'm temped to leave it alone since all my equiment says it is working right... If anyone has one and is willing to post the numbers here I can find out who made by the part numbers, but I'm not suggesting it is a good idea to stick your fingers in there as you probablity won't be in any shape to post the number here afterwards...

 

Is wiring rated for A or VA/W? I'm probably forgetting my electricity and magnetism, but it seems to me that 18A at 120V would be more stressful than 18A at 12V.

IIRC, the PSU's 18A declared limit per rail is due to the PSU's wiring gauge or molex connectors, and it allows for some leeway around the actual ~20A limit. But then, I'm just going by what I read, and I haven't read the actual ATX spec.

Re-reading my source, I'm either omitting or lumping together potentially disparate terms such as transistor, transformer, and rectifier when I refer to "rails." Apparently ATX v2 gives the CPU its own 12V rail, separate from other 12V devices but ultimately dependent on the single 12V transformer and rectifier in a PSU. So, you're likely right about the CPU getting a separate rail through the 20/24pin MB connector, but I'm not sure about your wiring gauge and amperage thoughts.

Though you can't remember who you were, I hope you at least know who you are.

 

Finding good reviews on PSU's is hard, that's why I always take a look at the top ten 3dmark scores in the ORB and look what PSU's they are using. If anyone knows what a good PSU is, these top overclockers certainly do.
Result: OCZ powerstream all the way. It used to be Antec though.

 

oh wow...

That would make a big difference, I tend to foget about the 110 - 120 nominal voltage, as the voltage doesn't change {in houses, industrial lines totally different story} your only recomended to upgrade to 16 gauge wire around 20 amps I think you have to around 40 amps don't remeber off the top of my head. Anyway anyone wooried about the wiring in your computer handling the juice, 12v x 18a = 216 watts, and your 18 gauge wiring in your household cairres 115v x 5a - 20a = 575 - 2030 watts! Household wiring can and does get hot and give off emi though, so some of those shield wraps for your psu lines might not be a bad idea. I think this line off that link really is what the issue of dual rails is all about, "It's "safer" because inexpensive transistors capable of supplying more amperage (say more than 34A) at any kind of decent efficiency (70% or better) are subject to blowing up. "

I bolded the important word inexpensive, so I may build my own, from commercial parts. WARNING I'm not suggesting this is a good idea if you are NOT a certified electrician as this is a good to kill your self and/or fry your delicate componets!