Retro comparison: Antec SP-500 and SP-400

[c_hegge]

Re: Retro comparison: Antec SP-500 and SP-400

Antec never fixed the problem with the SP series. They just discontinued them and moved on to the Earthwatts series.

[ben7]

Re: Retro comparison: Antec SP-500 and SP-400

Hello everyone, sorry for bumping an ancient thread, I just had a quick question about an old Antec SP-500 and wasn't able to post a new thread yet.

I bought one of these back in 2005 or so, and it started whistling some time after adding a Geforce 7950 GX2 in 2006 (who would have thought?). I bought an OCZ GameXStream 700W (which actually just died on me a month ago after 8 years of reliable use). I did RMA the PSU though, and got a replacement and it went into an old Athlon XP system for several years before being replaced.

The PSU is identical to the SP500 in the original post, it has a serial number of D06080140698 , and after reading about these things having failing caps I cracked it open and it DOES have some purple Fuhjyyu caps in it (a 3300uf, among others) but as far as I can tell they aren't leaking or bulging and I never had any problems with it.

Did Antec ever solve the problems with these? Is it possible that later Fuhjyyu caps weren't as bad? I'm just wondering if I should keep this and use it or if its basically a bad motherboard waiting to happen. Its in pristine condition since it was only ever installed into a PC once, and I have all of the modular cables.

I hate to throw things away, but my last attempt to replace caps in a PSU didn't go very well. Just last week I tried to recap my old OCZ (its an FSP design) and I must have botched something because it wouldn't power on afterward. Likely a stray piece of solder got stuck somewhere I couldn't get to... the board has slots in it from one side to the other, and the top of the PCB is so jam packed with wires and components that I'd never be able to check it thoroughly. Thankfully, I redeemed myself by replacing a broken inductor on a SATA hard drive a few days ago.

Any input on this? At this point, I'd probably sell it if someone wants it and has more experience recapping PSUs. I just hate to see a decent unit go to waste. For that matter, I still have the OCZ unit around too, waiting for an E-waste recycling day.

Hey, those f!@#-you capacitors won't last long.
Go ahead and try re-capping ... we all have messed stuff up before, it happens.

I think you still should try fixing the OCZ PSU. Check to make sure you have the capacitors in the right way around. Did you even check to see if it outputs 5V standby? That would be a good starting point.

[Ozzuneoj]

Re: Retro comparison: Antec SP-500 and SP-400

Hello everyone, sorry for bumping an ancient thread, I just had a quick question about an old Antec SP-500 and wasn't able to post a new thread yet.

I bought one of these back in 2005 or so, and it started whistling some time after adding a Geforce 7950 GX2 in 2006 (who would have thought?). I bought an OCZ GameXStream 700W (which actually just died on me a month ago after 8 years of reliable use). I did RMA the PSU though, and got a replacement and it went into an old Athlon XP system for several years before being replaced.

The PSU is identical to the SP500 in the original post, it has a serial number of D06080140698 , and after reading about these things having failing caps I cracked it open and it DOES have some purple Fuhjyyu caps in it (a 3300uf, among others) but as far as I can tell they aren't leaking or bulging and I never had any problems with it.

Did Antec ever solve the problems with these? Is it possible that later Fuhjyyu caps weren't as bad? I'm just wondering if I should keep this and use it or if its basically a bad motherboard waiting to happen. Its in pristine condition since it was only ever installed into a PC once, and I have all of the modular cables.

I hate to throw things away, but my last attempt to replace caps in a PSU didn't go very well. Just last week I tried to recap my old OCZ (its an FSP design) and I must have botched something because it wouldn't power on afterward. Likely a stray piece of solder got stuck somewhere I couldn't get to... the board has slots in it from one side to the other, and the top of the PCB is so jam packed with wires and components that I'd never be able to check it thoroughly. Thankfully, I redeemed myself by replacing a broken inductor on a SATA hard drive a few days ago.

Any input on this? At this point, I'd probably sell it if someone wants it and has more experience recapping PSUs. I just hate to see a decent unit go to waste. For that matter, I still have the OCZ unit around too, waiting for an E-waste recycling day.

[Behemot]

Re: Retro comparison: Antec SP-500 and SP-400

What rectifying diode it uses? Possibly replacing it with ordinary TO-220 rectifier with both diodes in parallel will lower the losses enabling full 2A output. Expecially if there is just superfast instead of at least single shottky diode.

[LDSisHere]

Re: Retro comparison: Antec SP-500 and SP-400

The SP-500 performed very much like the SP-400, but it does look like the ripple is better on the 500. I think I used different 5vsb capacitors on these supplies, I will have to check them too be sure.

The setup is the same as for the SP-400 above to make comparisons easier, this time I just checked the two highest loads and I did not run any lengthy tests.

Image 1 is with four load resistors, the meters read 1.890A and 4.69V

Image 2 is with five load resistors, the meters read 2.323A and 4.61V

Image 3 is the probe tip from the scope lead I had connected to the output diode when I was testing the SP-400. I did not consider how hot that diode would get during testing.

[LDSisHere]

Re: Retro comparison: Antec SP-500 and SP-400

This is already out of ATX spec…

Apparently the 2A 5vsb rating on the sticker was a bit optimistic. I think modded with something like a NCP1200 it would easily do its' rating, which is what I hope to see. I also think it will be interesting to see what the NCP 1200 does to the reverse voltage on the diode (ringing) and ripple.

[Behemot]

Re: Retro comparison: Antec SP-500 and SP-400

Image 6 is with four load resistors, the meters read 1.900A and 4.71V

This is already out of ATX spec…

[LDSisHere]

Re: Retro comparison: Antec SP-500 and SP-400

I finally got some time to do a little testing of the 5vsb on the SP-400. I measured the 5vsb current with my Fluke 175, the 5vsb voltage with my Fluke 21, the reverse voltage of the 5vsb diode with channel 1 of my scope and the 5vsb ripple with channel 2 of my scope.

I am going to reference the pictures by the order in which they are attached in order to avoid using inline images.

Image 1 is the base line of my scope, it is connected to the supply but it is not powered. Channel 1 is 10V a division at full bandwidth (100 Mhz), channel 2 is 20mV a division 20Mhz limited. I used this setting for all images to make comparisons easier.

Image 2 is with no external load on the supply other than a resistor and LED on my load tester. The meters read 0.008A and 5.02V

Image 3 is with one load resistor (10 ohms per resistor), the meters read 0.504A and 4.94V

Image 4 is with two load resistors, the meters read 0.984A and 4.86V

Image 5 is with three load resistors, the meters read 1.448A and 4.78V

Image 6 is with four load resistors, the meters read 1.900A and 4.71V

Image 7 is with four load resistors after 3.5 hours of running, the meters read 1.894A and 4.70V.

Image 8 is with five load load resistors, the meters read 2.330A and 4.62V

Image 9 is with five load resistors after 1 hour of running, the meters read 2.328A and 4.62V.

The ripple really seems to jump as the load increases and the output voltage had a pretty good drop at the same time, this did not surprise me. What did surprise me was how little ringing there was on the 5vsb output diode. I also thought it was interesting how the frequency dropped from ~80Khz to ~41Khz.

I plan on doing this same testing with the SP-500, however unless it is significantly different I am not going to bother posting those results. I plan to use these results as a baseline for future 5vsb modding to see what changes occur.

[Pentium4]

Re: Retro comparison: Antec SP-500 and SP-400

Thanks for going to the trouble of sharing your SP-500. If you want to share your testing in this thread, you are more than welcome to do so as far as I am concerned. The more information the better. I have not had a chance to do any additional experiments myself.

Good to know, thanks

[LDSisHere]

Re: Retro comparison: Antec SP-500 and SP-400

Edit: I wonder how many volts of ripple is coming out of the 5VSB! But, I do not want to hijack LDS's thread, just wanted to share!

Thanks for going to the trouble of sharing your SP-500. If you want to share your testing in this thread, you are more than welcome to do so as far as I am concerned. The more information the better. I have not had a chance to do any additional experiments myself.

[Behemot]

Re: Retro comparison: Antec SP-500 and SP-400

Antec's current power supplies are made by SeaSonic (HCG < 700W, NEO ECO), Delta (HCG 700W +, HCP, EarthWatts), and FSP (Basiq BP/VP).

All of them are pretty good (The Basiq series is nothing spectacular, but they are budget units and are decent given their price point). The problematic Antecs were the much older ones made by CWT (especially the SP series) that were loaded with Fuhyyu capacitors. All of these are long discontinued and Antec hasn't used CWT as an OEM for many years.

You are not quite right. They have VPx00PC units on some markets, not really for a long time, which are again made by CWT. Even though their current PSUs are nothing comparable with the craps thay used to have, the cheap production is nothing spectacular either, full of crap capacitors like C(r)apXon, Teapo and so. The same situation with Corsair, Enermax and basically every single manufcturer: the cheap production sucks.

[c_hegge]

Re: Retro comparison: Antec SP-500 and SP-400

The worst heat discolouration I've seen on one of those is a bit around the optocoupler on the edge of the PCB next to the 5sb transformer (labelled IC1), and that was on the SP-500 which had destroyed both itself and the customer's HDD. Usually, they don't have any at all.

[Pentium4]

Re: Retro comparison: Antec SP-500 and SP-400

Wow! I've never seen that much PCB discolouration on an SP. On your unit, it looks as though the only caps that were bad were on the 5vsb. Did you test the fuhjyyus on the other outputs?

Really?! No I have not tested them yet but I will eventually

[c_hegge]

Re: Retro comparison: Antec SP-500 and SP-400

Wow! I've never seen that much PCB discolouration on an SP. On your unit, it looks as though the only caps that were bad were on the 5vsb. Did you test the fuhjyyus on the other outputs?

[Pentium4]

Re: Retro comparison: Antec SP-500 and SP-400

Come on, now. The mobo makes a fine dummy load! Hook one up and retest.

That was hooked up to an Intel mobo The thing kicked out quite a wail, and would not power up (gee I wonder why) but at least it has signs of life

Edit: I wonder how many volts of ripple is coming out of the 5VSB! But, I do not want to hijack LDS's thread, just wanted to share!

[kaboom]

Re: Retro comparison: Antec SP-500 and SP-400

Worth noting:
The spider web with a dead spider under the PCB!
That lead ring glued above one of the 12V rectifiers

A ferrite bead here, a ferrite bead there...

Edit: Forgot to mention, it spits out 8.3V on the 5VSB!

Come on, now. The mobo makes a fine dummy load! Hook one up and retest.

[Pentium4]

Re: Retro comparison: Antec SP-500 and SP-400

Thanks for sharing your test results. How hot was the 5VSB circuit getting? Looks like the voltage was starting to suffer @ 2.3A but then again that's not bad for something only rated for 2A!

I did get around to disassembling my SP-500 so I could share it with you. It looks almost exactly the same. The Panny caps weren't bulged as bad as I thought and they were both barely in spec! I will let the pictures do the talking I know there are a lot of them but I figured you would want to see lots of pics

Worth noting:
The spider web with a dead spider under the PCB!
That lead ring glued above one of the 12V rectifiers

Edit: Forgot to mention, it spits out 8.3V on the 5VSB!

[LDSisHere]

Re: Retro comparison: Antec SP-500 and SP-400

I was finally able to get both of these supplies completely recapped with the exception of the main HV caps. Normally I replace Fuhjyyu on sight, however the ones from the SP-400 tested good, I do not have anything on hand to replace them, and I do not know if this supply will ever be used for anything other than experiments so I am going to use them for now. The only difference between the two supplies capacitors other than the brand was on the 3.3V rail. The SP-500 had a 4700uF & 3300uF 6.3V capacitors where the SP-400 had two 3300uF 6.3V capacitors.

After the recap I checked all the output voltages and did some initial testing of the 5vsb output. I have attached the results as images. The only load on the supply for checking the rail voltages was my ATX tester. The 5vsb current is actual current measured by my Fluke 175. None of the results are very surprising. I did not push the 5vsb much past the rated 2A and for these readings I only had it on long enough to get these readings. I have not yet decided on how I am going to torture test the stock 5vsb circuitry before I modify it so for now I did not want to damage it.

[dmill89]

Re: Retro comparison: Antec SP-500 and SP-400

Antec had great power supplies back when Seasonic made them, and even now I'm using an Earthwatts 500 watt PSU in my main PC.

Antec's current power supplies are made by SeaSonic (HCG < 700W, NEO ECO), Delta (HCG 700W +, HCP, EarthWatts), and FSP (Basiq BP/VP).

All of them are pretty good (The Basiq series is nothing spectacular, but they are budget units and are decent given their price point). The problematic Antecs were the much older ones made by CWT (especially the SP series) that were loaded with Fuhyyu capacitors. All of these are long discontinued and Antec hasn't used CWT as an OEM for many years.

[Mrx3750]

Re: Retro comparison: Antec SP-500 and SP-400

Antec had great power supplies back when Seasonic made them, and even now I'm using an Earthwatts 500 watt PSU in my main PC.