Antec Earthwatts EA430 with fathead RLX

[Techno Pride]

Recently I sold off my 45w Athlon X2 processor and Abit motherboard. Wanted to reuse the Antec Seasonic-made Earthwatts for a new Intel i7 setup.

SilentPCReview and Antec Earthwatts 430

Since the warranty for the Earthwatts has apparently expired (purchased April 07), I decided to open up the PSU and check for bad caps. Lo and behold, a bulging RLX staring at me.

The previous Abit motherboard which had 100% Rubycons showed no similar signs upon a visual inspection. All the caps looked good. Amazed that the setup even managed to last nearly 5 years.

Did I also mention that the Earthwatts, like the Gen 1 CWT-made Truepowers had messy entangled cables coming out of the PSU?

[Techno Pride]

Re: Antec Earthwatts EA430 with fathead RLX

More pictures for your amusement. Fuhyyuu Antec.

[mockingbird]

Re: Antec Earthwatts EA430 with fathead RLX

Looks like the -5VSB cap. I would do a total re-cap of this PSU. Looks like a mix of those PCE-TUR caps with OST and some Teapo.

[Techno Pride]

Re: Antec Earthwatts EA430 with fathead RLX

Hi,

thanks for the suggestion. I don't have the skills to do a re-cap. Besides, the messy wires are pissing me off. Makes cable management a pain.

Thankfully, no components fried by the Earthwhats.

I'll probably pick up one of the modular Seasonic branded PSUs instead. I want the new i7 setup to last 4-5 years as well.

[mockingbird]

Re: Antec Earthwatts EA430 with fathead RLX

Get an Antec High Current Gamer. They now have a modular version. It's Seasonic.

[dmill89]

Re: Antec Earthwatts EA430 with fathead RLX

I would do a total re-cap of this PSU. Looks like a mix of those PCE-TUR caps with OST and some Teapo.

I'll second that. On these units it looks like Seasonic reached into the Cap grab bag on the early ones, I've seen low ESR and GP caps of various brands in the same position on different examples of the same model PSU. You could probably get away with good GP caps such as Nichicon PW, Rubycon PX or entry level low ESR such as UCC KY (I'd probably stick to at least entry level low ESR for all the larger >1500uf caps). That being said the later examples of these Seasonic Built Earthwatts I've seen had all low ESR OSTs, some motherboard grade. These later models seem to hold up better, so it might be better to use something like UCC KZE, Panasonic FM, Nichicon HM, Rubycon ZLH, etc. Also the Seasonic branded version of this platform also has all Low-ESR caps so it looks like this PSU was designed to use low ESR but GP caps were substituted in many of the early Earthwatts for cost reasons.

[dmill89]

Re: Antec Earthwatts EA430 with fathead RLX

Hi,

thanks for the suggestion. I don't have the skills to do a re-cap. Besides, the messy wires are pissing me off. Makes cable management a pain.

Thankfully, no components fried by the Earthwhats.

I'll probably pick up one of the modular Seasonic branded PSUs instead. I want the new i7 setup to last 4-5 years as well.

Disreguard my previous post, I posted it before seing this reply.

Get an Antec High Current Gamer. They now have a modular version. It's Seasonic.

Antec HCG and HCP (Delta built) are both very good PSUs, along with any non-CWT built Corsairs, and of course Delta and Seasonic branded PSUs themselves, also the PCP&C Silencer MKIII (Seaconic built) is good if you can find one for a decent price.

[mockingbird]

Re: Antec Earthwatts EA430 with fathead RLX

Hey, what's the difference between HCP and HCG. Also, are these the same as S12-II? I can't get any straight S12-II anymore, I wonder why Seasonic stopped making them.

if you can find one for a decent price

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16817371057

$70 for the 400W modular version.

[dmill89]

Re: Antec Earthwatts EA430 with fathead RLX

Also, are these the same as S12-II

HCG 620w and less are based on the Seasonic S12II platform the larger HCG PSUs are built by Delta, The PCP&C Silencer MkIII is also on the S12II platform.

Hey, what's the difference between HCP and HCG

The HCP is made by Delta and intended to be higher end then the HCG.

The HCP was intended to replace the sigunature series as the best PSUs Antec has to offer, while the HCG is one step below that replaceing the True-Power Trio/ True-Power Quattro, then NEO ECO/ Earthwatts, and finally Basiq at the low end.

I can't get any straight S12-II anymore

For actual Seasonic Branded S12II/M12II's I can find several on newegg:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...nufactory=1697

[Techno Pride]

Re: Antec Earthwatts EA430 with fathead RLX

Hi all,

the Earthwatts is Seasonic-built as well. Someone somewhere decided to save one dollar or so and put lousy caps on there.

I'll go with a Seasonic-branded this time round. Most likely an X560.

430w is enough to power a stock i7-2600S (65w, 2.8GHz) + integrated graphics, but no, Antec had to be a cheap fuhyuu, and now I've to buy an overpowered PSU.

[Techno Pride]

Re: Antec Earthwatts EA430 with fathead RLX

sorry for the whining, but Antec and their minion AntecRep are awful

[dmill89]

Re: Antec Earthwatts EA430 with fathead RLX

Hi all,

the Earthwatts is Seasonic-built as well.

To be specific they were SeaSonic built. The newer Earthwatts (all the models in current production) are now made by Delta, The NEO ECO's are SeaSonic.

Anything below the HCG will likely have some medicore caps in it (LTecs in the Deltas and OST/Teapo in the Seasonics) the HCG and HCP series PSUs use all japanese caps

[mockingbird]

Re: Antec Earthwatts EA430 with fathead RLX

Yea Newegg has some stock, but my supplier stopped carrying the 380watt S12-II. Also, the brochure in the 380W mentions a 320W model, but I've never seen it for sale anywhere...

It's a really old platform now, reliable, but old.

[PCBONEZ]

Re: Antec Earthwatts EA430 with fathead RLX

I'll second that. On these units it looks like Seasonic reached into the Cap grab bag on the early ones, I've seen low ESR and GP caps of various brands in the same position on different examples of the same model PSU. You could probably get away with good GP caps such as Nichicon PW, Rubycon PX or entry level low ESR such as UCC KY (I'd probably stick to at least entry level low ESR for all the larger >1500uf caps). That being said the later examples of these Seasonic Built Earthwatts I've seen had all low ESR OSTs, some motherboard grade. These later models seem to hold up better, so it might be better to use something like UCC KZE, Panasonic FM, Nichicon HM, Rubycon ZLH, etc. Also the Seasonic branded version of this platform also has all Low-ESR caps so it looks like this PSU was designed to use low ESR but GP caps were substituted in many of the early Earthwatts for cost reasons.

PX are GP caps.
PW are not GP, they are entry level low ESR and exact equivalents to Panny FC for all sizes they both have.
KY are a step above what I'd call entry level and exact equivalents to Nichicon HE for all sizes they both have.
KZE, ZL, WX, HD are all equivalents and a couple notches above KY.
Oh hell...
https://www.badcaps.net/forum/showpo...1&postcount=17
.

[Scenic]

Re: Antec Earthwatts EA430 with fathead RLX

Oh hell...
https://www.badcaps.net/forum/showpo...1&postcount=17
.

*bookmarked*
thx

[Techno Pride]

Re: Antec Earthwatts EA430 with fathead RLX

To be specific about the rig this EA430 was running, it never saw anything more than an AMD Athlon X2 2.5GHz (45w energy-efficient) and an AMD 4670 graphics card (<75w, no PCIE power connector). I even ensured that the PSU was not competing for airflow with the CPU fan using some ducting.

This Earthwhat dud is using a straight-thru cooling system and a 80mm fan. Some of the higher powered Earthwatts use a right-angled airflow system and 120mm fan IIRC. Not sure about the newer EA-xxxD Deltas.

[PCBONEZ]

Re: Antec Earthwatts EA430 with fathead RLX

Stop buying ad hype.
.
A 430w 80+ PSU is dissipating a max of 86 watts internally if it's at 100% load.
An 80mm fan is -more- than enough.
.
A 550w 80+ would dissipate a max of 110w.
An 80mm fan is enough for that too.
.
There were P4's that dissipated 130+ watts and a 70mm fan was enough as long as it wasn't a shitty fan or heatsink.
.
And it -really- unlikely you'd be running a PSU at 100% load continuously.
.

[Techno Pride]

Re: Antec Earthwatts EA430 with fathead RLX

?

What ad hype? Just pointed out that the PSU was running a low power rig. Never saw 50% of its rated wattage. And that a single product line can have different specifications (both 80mm and 120mm cooling). Prudent to do basic research before purchasing, but when makers change their specifications, the glowing reviews published months ago which you read about an earlier version no longer apply.

It's the retail DIY consumers who are gobbling up the ad hype. PSU makers simply make the products and give the consumers what they want, which are uber-megawatt PSUs.

I already know the stock i7 setup with integrated graphicsneeds no more than a good quality 300w PSU. Finding a decent 300w PSU on the retail shelves is another matter altogether. The shelves are filled with gigantic boxes of >500w PSUs screaming BUY ME BUY ME

[PCBONEZ]

Re: Antec Earthwatts EA430 with fathead RLX

The hype that says PSU's need loads of fan.

All the Earthwatts 500 watt and below have -always- had the single 80mm.
That hasn't changed at all

Only 650w and 750w have the 120mm.

They didn't change specifications, they changed models in the line.
For example with the 500w
First there was EA-500
Then EA-500D
Then EA-500D Green
There were NO specifications changes without a model number change.
Albeit confusing - there is NOTHING wrong with that at all.
.
There -were- a number of retailers [including Newegg] that failed to update their ad when the model number changed.
But that isn't Antec's fault. Talk to the retailer.
[And read the box before you buy things.. The model number is on the box and usually the specs are too..]
.

[Techno Pride]

Re: Antec Earthwatts EA430 with fathead RLX

I purchased the PSU after reading the SPCR review and well-knowing that it had a 80mm fan. If it is important to you that I had somehow bought into the big fan hype, then fine. I stupidly purchased a 80mm fanned PSU while buying into the stupid hype that PSUs need big fans. And then it had a bulging RLX cap, which must be my fault too.

The infamous AntecRep isn't even here yet.

Anyway, tried to do some research for the Seasonic X560 which I'm thinking of purchasing. I read the jonnyguru review. Then, I was reading some review of a higher powered X PSU. The PSU chassis and fan grill look different.

Maybe there's some Rev A/B/C, or version 1/2/3/etc going on here. Now what? Do more research?