Thermal master PSUs....

[stevo1210]

I recently put a middle range computer together for a client on a very tight budget of just under $800 ($800 includes a 22" LCD and other bits and pieces as well). And it ust clicked to me today that I may have done something wrong and I don't know what to do.
I think I may have cheaped out on the PSU. The PSU I used for my clients was the one that came with the case. The case is a Cooler Master Elite RC331 and the PSU that came with it was a Thermal Master 350W PSU. On the side of that PSU it has the text "Certified by cooler master". The PSU is very quiet and I've checked the fans are working perfectly.
I don't know who makes this PSU, I was only relying on the fact that if it was certified by a big company like cooler master.... it must be good?.
I don't know if the parts I used for that system are going to strain the PSU too much... but here are the system specs.

* Intel Pentium Dual Core E2180
* Asus P5N-SLI Motherboard
* 2GB Kingston DDRII 800MHz RAM (2x 1GB modules)
* nVidia 8400GS 512MB graphics by Asus
* Pioneer SATA DVD Burner
* 56K Modem
* 250GB Seagate SATAII 7200.10 HDD
350W Thermal Master PSU
* Cooler Master RC331 ATX case

So far I haven't heard any complaints, but I am concerned about the PSU.
I need some opinions on how reiable this PSU is or do I have to o the most embarrassing and issue a recall for my clients PC to get them a replacement PSU?

Thanks.

[acstech]

Re: Thermal master PSUs....

My initial thoughts are I wouldn't trust it.

If it states the amount of amperage on each rail, post it.

Other than that, load up Prime95 on both processor cores, and take a measurement of the 5v and 12v to see if they're out of spec, how much they drop, etc. Plus, if it won't void the warranty, open it up and take pictures.

Cooler Master makes great cases, no doubt, but their PSU's...

Or so I've heard...

[i4004]

Re: Thermal master PSUs....

next time check with us FIRST.

if this is it
http://cgi.ebay.com/NEW-OEM-THERMAL-...07161510r19507
i would remove it and put fortron.
thermal master seems to be one of those chinese comapnies that don't exist.

[stevo1210]

Re: Thermal master PSUs....

next time check with us FIRST.

Sorry I couldn't check here first, I would have checked up about it here if I had enough time. It was a very sudden event. I got a call at 3PM on Tuesday and the client needed the PC that day. So by about 4PM I was at the store with my client and we chose the parts and by 5PM the job was done.

if this is it
http://cgi.ebay.com/NEW-OEM-THERMAL...807161510r19507
i would remove it and put fortron.
thermal master seems to be one of those chinese comapnies that don't exist.

Yes, that is it. It looks exactly the same as that. I managed to find some pictures of an identical unit that was 420W on a NZ trading website (pictures below).
The unit my client has a power output of 350W and I can't get to it because the PC isn't here. At the moment I can't even imagine what i'll have to say to get that PC back here.

[Fizzycapola]

Re: Thermal master PSUs....

As long as Speedfan / MBProbe ( / monitoring app) reports no ripples off spec more than 2% I wouldn't worry for the time being.

Maybe you can send a "good virus" through email to the client - a "voltlogger" as it were.

In any case you want to offer a follow up "free service" before the machine gets filled with embarassing wifey porn.

[stevo1210]

Re: Thermal master PSUs....

I checked the voltages when I put the PC together and the voltages are quite stable and they aren't jumping around or anything. But even if I took the PC back to do a "routine service", I simply can't afford for them a new PSU on my behalf because something decent would cost $60+ and that's simply cash I don't have.... if it came out of my clients pocket then I can do that. I think i'll just have to leave it as is for now and count on the fact that cooler master has some good QC control with thier PSUs. At best I can probably recap it but I don't ever recap PSUs for anyone apart from myself due to the risks it carries.

Thanks.

[stevo1210]

Re: Thermal master PSUs....

Ok, I finally got the info about the PSU from another Australian forum on computers. These are the rating on the side of the Thermal Master PSU and they seem to match the ones that I've commited to memory when I was building the PC.

+12V, 10A
+5V, 14A
+3.3V, 14A
-5V, 0.5A
-12V, 0.5A
+5Vsb, 2A

Apparently when all the rails are added up, output is only 250W and not 350W.

Well at least they are being honest in this part. My Hipro is also 250W and powers a power hungry P4 without any big issues.... so maybe this one will be OK i guess??

My client is a close friend of mine and she is a uni student and she doesn't use the computer as much as I do.... probably 4 hours or so each day. I told her to unplug the computer if it is not in use.... and guess what?...... she told me she unplugs her new PC when she doesnt use it.... just like her old PC. So I guess there will be less stress on the PSU since it won't be on all the time.

Thanks.

[acstech]

Re: Thermal master PSUs....

Did you load up the processor (and / or video card) when you checked the voltages?

[stevo1210]

Re: Thermal master PSUs....

I think I was installing Microsoft office at the time and I checked voltages through the Asus PC Probe. I guess installing Microsoft office 2007 isn't going to be much load on the system though. My client was talking to me yesterday night.... she is very happy with the new system. But that darn PSU is still on the back of my mind.... argh!

Damn, I shouldn't have relied on a Cooler Master OEM PSU. I was only judging by price as the case + PSU is $100AU which is quite dear. In fact it even costs more than the Thermaltake case combo I have. But then again the store only had Deer/ generic ones in stock if I was to by a another PSU on that day.
My friend unplugs the system when she is finished so I think that will prolong the life of the PSU. I guess i'll leave it at that for now.

Thanks.

[stevo1210]

Re: Thermal master PSUs....

In any case you want to offer a follow up "free service" before the machine gets filled with embarassing wifey porn.

The owner of the PC is a close friend of mine. She is a college student, so I know that it is quite rare that I will have to take a look at that PC.
I tend to notice that girls take care of the computer much better than guys. Never have I had a computer owned by a girl with any porn on it. But when a guy drags a PC in here.... I am to be stunned with the amount of porn on the HDD.
Girls also tend to not get as many viruses as guys do for the obvious reason above.
Anyway, it's been about a month now and that PC is still going strong.

Thanks.

[Newbie2]

Re: Thermal master PSUs....

The owner of the PC is a close friend of mine. She is a college student, so I know that it is quite rare that I will have to take a look at that PC.
I tend to notice that girls take care of the computer much better than guys. Never have I had a computer owned by a girl with any porn on it. But when a guy drags a PC in here.... I am to be stunned with the amount of porn on the HDD.
Girls also tend to not get as many viruses as guys do for the obvious reason above.
Anyway, it's been about a month now and that PC is still going strong.

Thanks.

I'm a guy and my PC has been clean with no porn at all, and it has no viruses or spyware and it has a very clean organized desktop, and I just dusted it out a week ago.

I've had an L&C power supply running fine in a Celeron 2.2GHz computer, then an Athlon XP 2200+ computer, and now an old Pentium III 450MHz computer. That L&C power supply I have is now 3 years old (I got it in 2005 with a cheap case) and it still works, but I have recapped it and replaced the fan in it. I'd assume the Thermal Master power supply in your friend's computer is better than my L&C power supply.

The E2180 isn't a very power-hungry processor at stock clock speed (65W TDP), and the NVIDIA GeForce 8400GS 512MB video card shouldn't consume a lot of power either. You could even have built that with an L&C power supply and it would still run fine.

[zandrax]

Re: Thermal master PSUs....

I'm a guy and my PC has been clean with no porn at all, and it has no viruses or spyware and it has a very clean organized desktop, and I just dusted it out a week ago.

Me too (except for the well organized desktop: three rows of program icons and two of files I never bothered to move away): I suppose our opinion doesn't apply to 99% male users

Zandrax

[i4004]

Re: Thermal master PSUs....

>As long as Speedfan / MBProbe ( / monitoring app) reports no ripples off spec more than 2% I wouldn't worry for the time being.

i don't really think these apps show ripple.
scopes do.

> I am to be stunned with the amount of porn on the HDD.

have you ever seen a girl with any porn anywhere whatosoever?
if you did, give me her phone number....lol!

curiosity is good reason to have pc, and porn is one way of being curious...
<wink>

stevo, why don't you buy her a good psu from your pocket?
then bring back that junk, and if it's any good you can put it to next person in the need...incase it needs recapping, recap it.
charge the price you payed for good psu.

[stevo1210]

Re: Thermal master PSUs....

I'm a guy and my PC has been clean with no porn at all, and it has no viruses or spyware and it has a very clean organized desktop, and I just dusted it out a week ago.

I am proud to say that I am the same and have no porn on my PC whatsoever. My desktop is clean. Except for whats inside the case. Theres so much dust in my case....

stevo, why don't you buy her a good psu from your pocket?

I am practically broke so that's one thing I can't do. If I had the money, I would be able to do that for her. For now, the only thing I can probably do is recap that PSU sometime down the line.

Thanks.

[zandrax]

Re: Thermal master PSUs....

I am proud to say that I am the same and have no porn on my PC whatsoever. My desktop is clean. Except for whats inside the case. Theres so much dust in my case....

Well, clean it before an army of dust bunnies tries to invade your home

I am practically broke so that's one thing I can't do. If I had the money, I would be able to do that for her. For now, the only thing I can probably do is recap that PSU sometime down the line.

At least check caps' brand and the presence of a RFI/EMI filter (or anything resembling that).

Zandrax

[kc8adu]

Re: Thermal master PSUs....

yeah make sure it doesnt look like this P.O.S!

[zandrax]

Re: Thermal master PSUs....

yeah make sure it doesnt look like this P.O.S!

What the ...
I saw AT psus with more caps and coils inside.

Zandrax

[Newbie2]

Re: Thermal master PSUs....

yeah make sure it doesnt look like this P.O.S!

That PSU wouldn't be so bad for a basic computer after a complete recap and a new fan, it would be okay for a basic Intel Celeron Dual-Core E1200 computer with integrated graphics.

[linuxguru]

Re: Thermal master PSUs....

Swap out the Thermal Master and put in your 250W Hipro, recapped of course. Either eat the loss on the Thermal Master, or recap it and put it in an older P3 or Athlon 32 class machine.

[arneson]

Re: Thermal master PSUs....

Girls in school definitely get computer viruses because they click on every cute cat screen saver, E-greeting card and I love you attachment.
My very old computer actually had girls falling down from top of screen like naked tetris game and of course the boob wash inner screen cleaner.
Then I got married.