Corsair CX430

[Phaedrus2129]

So in case you don't know someone pulled a CX430 off the shelf and did a technical analysis and showed that it is a massive piece of garbage. Most importantly, the rectifying bridge has no heatsink, and without a heatsink is only rated for 3.5A, or 402.5W (assuming 115VAC mains), which factoring in efficiency makes it about a 300W power supply. Plus the primary cap is a 180uF wonder from SamXon, a cap I'd expect to see in a 250W PSU. The secondary caps are mostly SamXon as well, with one Teapo and one Jun Fu.


Naturally, many enthusiasts who thought this was going to be another decent mid-range unit from Corsair are disappointed and want to mod their PSU for $20, rather than buy a brand new one. The design isn't bad, DSAII is a decent platform, it's just that Corsair cheaped out on components.

So my plan for "fixing" the CX430 is:
- Attach heatsink to rectifying bridge
- Replace primary cap
- Replace secondary caps

Now a heatsink is no trouble, and the secondary caps should mostly be able to be replaced by Rubycon PX caps, but I'm not sure on the primary cap. I think a Rubycon MXC should do it, >250uF. I'm not sure of a good source for them though. I found one place selling a 330uF one for $5, but I don't know anything about them: http://www.newark.com/jsp/search/pro...FC-GB100000001

Any good source for MXC caps? And any other advice on how to improve this overrated disgrace?

[PCBONEZ]

Re: Corsair CX430

Rubycon PX are not low enough ESR.
- In fact they aren't low ESR at all. - They are GP caps.

Output filters are 'tuned' to optimize filtering at a certain frequency and the value of the inductors, the caps uF, and the caps ESR are all take into account when the designer specs the caps.

Look up the specs for the old caps and find caps that match closely or your mod may well result in MORE Ripple in the output by de-tuning the filters.
.

[Phaedrus2129]

Re: Corsair CX430

Ah, research fail.

[Phaedrus2129]

Re: Corsair CX430

Well, is the MXC still a good fit for the primary then? I've seen MXGs in a couple other power supplies, and the specs look similar. And I may go Teapo on the secondaries to save some money.

[PCBONEZ]

Re: Corsair CX430

Primaries are not low ESR so look up the Ripple for old cap, look up Ripple for MXC, make sure it is measured at the same frequency, if not the same frequency adjust the Ripple on one of them by amount given in data sheet so the Ripple -is- for the same frequency.

After all that if the MXC's Ripple is the same or more than the old cap it is a suitable replacement.

[Sounds like a lot but it isn't that hard.]
.

[weirdlookinguy]

Re: Corsair CX430

Teapo is worse than Samxon. Not much of an improvement there.

Good japcaps are cheap, why do you want to save money?

[370forlife]

Re: Corsair CX430

Well, is the MXC still a good fit for the primary then? I've seen MXGs in a couple other power supplies, and the specs look similar. And I may go Teapo on the secondaries to save some money.

Where does one buy teapos? Samxon is above teapo, anyways. Might as well just get samxon RS from topcat here at badcaps, they're cheap. 10v/3300uf and 16v/3300uf in 10mm diameter, but check the ESR and ripple specs as to what samxon's are already in the corsair.

[Rulycat]

Re: Corsair CX430

Where does one buy teapos? Samxon is above teapo, anyways. Might as well just get samxon RS from topcat here at badcaps, they're cheap. 10v/3300uf and 16v/3300uf in 10mm diameter, but check the ESR and ripple specs as to what samxon's are already in the corsair.

I've seen some floating around on eBay, but the ones I've seen pictured lack the little indents in the vent that teapos have, so someone seems to have been copying Teapos.

[goodpsusearch]

Re: Corsair CX430

I get Teapo for free from old psus.

[PCBONEZ]

Re: Corsair CX430

I've seen some floating around on eBay, but the ones I've seen pictured lack the little indents in the vent that teapos have, so someone seems to have been copying Teapos.

I saw some that were over ten years old.

[Rulycat]

Re: Corsair CX430

I saw some that were over ten years old.

I don't know why anyone would want Teapos...

[mockingbird]

Re: Corsair CX430

Corsair has really upset me with their new "GP" series power supplies which deprecate their excellent "VX" series.

The GP use Samxon "GF" capacitors, which are garbage, but I have already seen a review on a Chinese website where they said something to the extent of "Samxon caps - good, but not the best", when in fact, GF series are just about as 'good' as Capxon or Teapo - which is to say - not very 'good' at all.

Money money money, more business is better than good business, this is how these companies fall.

[Agent24]

Re: Corsair CX430

I thought Corsair were smarter than this. This is a stupid move