Weird PSU problem...my theory

[stretch0069]

I have an PSU out of a Magma PCI Expansion Chassis. The name on the PSU is 3Y Power Technology. Only the company shows up on a Google search. Not really a whole lot of info.

The reason I'm trying to get info on them is that we are having problems with out expansion chassis. It is a 14 slot chassis and all 14 slots are being used (actually there are only 13 available slots, but I included the host card). Anyway, we are having random failures. (Tech support calls them "panic attacks". Great...now we need psychiatrists to fix computer equipment. )
The expansion chassis has 13 cards used for communications links. Each card has 8 links that go to modem splitters.

Ok...my theory is that the 420W PS (+3.3 along with +5 cannot exceed 220W) is not supplying enough juice.

If I can get into this PS further, I will post more info.

Oh yeah...another weird thing is that it has the normal ATX connector, but then it has a second ATX connector with just 1 red, 3 black, and 2 grey wires. The only connectors used in this application are the two ATX connectors.

Help??????

I hate being at work. They block all the good links.

[stretch0069]

Re: Weird PSU problem...my theory

two more pieces of info.....

1. Made in China

2. There are Teapo 1000μF 16V caps and some larger caps that have a big fancy P and then ce-tur that are 4700μF 10V caps.

[willawake]

Re: Weird PSU problem...my theory

omg they have crapcaps in stuff at the airport......

http://www.3ypower.com/

why dont you get an esr meter for the toolbox?

[stretch0069]

Re: Weird PSU problem...my theory

omg they have crapcaps in stuff at the airport......

http://www.3ypower.com/

are you kidding???? you should see the crap we're forced to use. its all based on BS specifications. Hell...Lockheed Martin owns the FAA. we're scheduled to get a new system in early 2008 that hasn't even been built yet. and once they DO build it, it won't work because they're already using the software and it sucks worse than $2 whore. and we have the better systems, for the most part. if you saw what was going on behind the scenes in the world's airspaces, you probably would never fly again.

why dont you get an esr meter for the toolbox?

are you kidding???? other than a DMM, the only other piece of test equipment here is an o'scope from the 70s. Its had a red tag (cannot be calibrated) on it since i got here over 2 years ago. no one here knows how to use the damned thing except me and the SPSs (higher grade specialists...older techs). which is funny since every quarter the ripple voltage needs to be checked on some old power supplies we have. hmmm...no...no one was pencil-whipping those.....[/sarcasm] i'm trying to get a new hand-held digital o'scope, but probably won't since we don't do that sort of work anymore. hell....the only reason we still have a soldering station on the bench is because i end up soldering something personal for people. rarely gets used for official reasons. too bad too....damned good Pace kit.

ok...back to problem at hand...

i saw that website, but couldn't get any info out of it. do they make their own PSs? i was curious if they were made by another company that is notorious for over-rating their PSs.

[Galvanized]

Re: Weird PSU problem...my theory

3Y builds thier own, builds for others and are not considered a junk SMPS provider by any means.
I think they are classed with Seventeam for build quality.

[willawake]

Re: Weird PSU problem...my theory

are you kidding????......

umm i bought all my work tools lol......when i am gone they will be like...where's that thing to fix the......oh yeah that was will's too.........

[stretch0069]

Re: Weird PSU problem...my theory

thanks for the info galvanized......


...i still wonder if maybe there's too much draw on the PCI bus of that expansion chassis. do you know what that second ATX connector is for??

basically, i'd like to find a 600W PS that would go in there. but it has to have that damn second ATX connector. ugh...i should have paid more attention in PSU school

[willawake]

Re: Weird PSU problem...my theory



Magma 13 Slot 32-bit/33MHz PCI Expansion Backplane (Part Number 01-04625-00)
Dimensions and Electrical Pin-Outs


well it says that both ATX connectors are in parallel? i have seen a few oem solutions and they are using just one psu. looks like the J16 ATX is the main power connector and the J1 is for the second ATX coming from a psu unit with redundant capability

if your unit has one psu with two atx connectors and two power cords then its probably a redundant psu (strange that it doesnt have all the wires though). if you want to replace then best get a server grade one like supermicro or zippy (supplying good 5v, 3.3v) not an overclock special.

anyway check the pinout of your second connector wires and see what its doing.

[stretch0069]

Re: Weird PSU problem...my theory

thanks Will....i'll check it out today. since its a critical system, i might not be able to test my theory here....might have to submit to the Tech Center.

that is the exact chassis we have. there are two of them per rack. both plugged into a Sunfire 280R. its for a communications gateway. all the radar, adas, fdio, etc information comes through it and gets distributed to its appropriate system.

i couldn't get the info at work because of security/firewall/"you can't go there" restrictions. Thanks for the info.