Unsafe PSUs

[willawake]

Re: Unsafe PSUs

yeh they appear really thorough. i guess what happens then is "Finland edition $300"

i heard today 4 sony digicams were not approved by chinese standards association. wtf they have standards there?

[Newbie2]

Re: Unsafe PSUs

Sorry to say this Chris1992, but I heard Tagan uses Fuhjyyu caps. I heard that from Wikipedia when I searched Capacitor plague.

About the standards thing, one item is okay to use in one country, but it isn't in an other country just because of their standards.

[Chris1992]

Re: Unsafe PSUs

With a PSU design that good, I don't mind recapping.

[Topcat]

Re: Unsafe PSUs

My favorite shoddy PSU is Powmax as well. I've had many of themselves incinerate themselves in the PC and fill the room with smoke.....

The best experiment we did with a PSU was jumping some bailing wire across the fuse, plugging in a long extension, plugging it in with it powered up, and dropping it into a 5gal pail of water. That makes for an interesting finish. It went nuts for about 45 seconds until it tripped the breaker in the panel. Smoke and fire on water is awesome!

Of course, I don't recommend trying this at home............

[Newbie2]

Re: Unsafe PSUs

With a PSU design that good, I don't mind recapping.

Since you're in the U.S.A. Chris1992, Newegg sells Tagan power supplies in their E-POWER/TAGAN section.

This one looks nice: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16817101516

My favorite shoddy PSU is Powmax as well. I've had many of themselves incinerate themselves in the PC and fill the room with smoke.....

The best experiment we did with a PSU was jumping some bailing wire across the fuse, plugging in a long extension, plugging it in with it powered up, and dropping it into a 5gal pail of water. That makes for an interesting finish. It went nuts for about 45 seconds until it tripped the breaker in the panel. Smoke and fire on water is awesome!

Of course, I don't recommend trying this at home............

Powmax is also my favorite brand of shoddy power supplies. I never bought a Powmax power supply simply because of the many bad experiences people had with them.

Does Powmax make power supplies that are even not as good as the usual L&C lightweights seen here?

[Oklahoma Wolf]

Re: Unsafe PSUs

Leadman is the company responsible for most of the really awful Powmax/Raidmax/Robanton units out there: www.leadman.com.tw

Not sure if I'd call them worse than Deer/L&C, but it's hard to say for sure. They're probably about equally craptastic. Doesn't help any when Powmax takes a 250W design and throws in an LED fan and slaps a 500-600W sticker on the side.

[Newbie2]

Re: Unsafe PSUs

Leadman is the company responsible for most of the really awful Powmax/Raidmax/Robanton units out there: www.leadman.com.tw

Not sure if I'd call them worse than Deer/L&C, but it's hard to say for sure. They're probably about equally craptastic. Doesn't help any when Powmax takes a 250W design and throws in an LED fan and slaps a 500-600W sticker on the side.

Yeah, that's what I think Powmax does with their "gamer" power supplies.

[linuxguru]

Re: Unsafe PSUs

Digit-life magazine tests a Thermaltake PSU rated at 400W, and finds that it maxes out
at 277W:

http://www.digit-life.com/articles2/power/tt_xp480.html

Not too surprisingly, the innards look like a typical 200-250W PSU.

[Newbie2]

Re: Unsafe PSUs

Digit-life magazine tests a Thermaltake PSU rated at 400W, and finds that it maxes out
at 277W:

http://www.digit-life.com/articles2/power/tt_xp480.html

Not too surprisingly, the innards look like a typical 200-250W PSU.

Shame on Thermaltake for using 250W insides and slapping on a 400W sticker on the side. Stay clear of these power supplies!

[dood]

Re: Unsafe PSUs

Ouch! I thought Thermaltake had a good product line in their PSUS! Overrating doesn't do you any good...

[Newbie2]

Re: Unsafe PSUs

Thermaltake power supplies may look nice, but they may be overrated.

[PeteS in CA]

Re: Unsafe PSUs

That report on the Tagan refers to the internal (i.e. not externally visible) construction of either the main O/P transformer or the Aux. transformer. The primary-secondary isolation could break down. That particular reg is probably the same for all of Europe, the US, and Canada. My guess is that Fimko did a spot-check on a P/S off the production line or at the importer and found a little surprise .

[japlytic]

Re: Unsafe PSUs

Found this about a Gembird unit: http://ec.europa.eu/consumers/dyna/r...x.cfm?rx_id=96

[PeteS in CA]

Re: Unsafe PSUs

That's exactly the find of transformer construction problem I had in mind in my previous post. IIRC, there are supposed to be three layers of some kind of insulating material between primary and secondary conductors or 8mm of physical spacing. If one layer is pierced somehow there still won't be a hazard to the user.

[japlytic]

Re: Unsafe PSUs

Found another Deer/L&C model branded "Prescott" which has been recalled http://ec.europa.eu/consumers/dyna/r....cfm?rx_id=123

[tazwegion]

Re: Unsafe PSUs

Sorry to say this Chris1992, but I heard Tagan uses Fuhjyyu caps. I heard that from Wikipedia when I searched Capacitor plague.

About the standards thing, one item is okay to use in one country, but it isn't in an other country just because of their standards.

You don't even need to look that far, IIRC our very own Fizzycapola lifted the lid on his Tagan (and shared pic's) in this thread HERE

Still, I don't mind having to replace the capacitors in Antecs or Tagans as long as the layout/design & performance is inherently good

[PeteS in CA]

Re: Unsafe PSUs

The listed product is about 3/4 of the way down the page. The reason:

- clearances/creepage distances in transformer T2 between the primary and the secondary windings are less than 4 mm/5 mm; a minimum of 0.2 mm between the primary winding and the output wires of the secondary winding and 0.5mm between the secondary winding and the output wires of the primary winding are measured; on the output wires there are not insulation tubes;
- clearances/creepage distances in transformer T3 between the primary and the secondary windings are less than 4 mm/5 mm; a minimum of 0.3 mm between the primary winding and the output wires of the secondary winding and 0.3 mm between the secondary winding and the output wires of the primary winding are measured; on the output wires there are not insulation tubes.

A poorly designed and built transformer in a poorly designed and built P/S ... what a (yawn) shock (yawn).

[grss1982]

Re: Unsafe PSUs

Good to know that Enermax is'nt listed as a crap PSU by both the Finns and [H].

My Enermax PSUs:
Enermax EG465P-VE 431w
http://www.devhardware.com/c/a/Power...VE-431w-PSU/1/

Enermax EG365P-FMA
http://www.thinktechie.com/reviews.php?id=37

Though bought USED, I got them for roughly $10 a pop.

[pentium]

Re: Unsafe PSUs

I remember this one PSU.....my god.....It was built with a live case!

How are Radimax PSU's doing?

[kc8adu]

Re: Unsafe PSUs

I remember this one PSU.....my god.....It was built with a live case!

How are Radimax PSU's doing?

maybe you mean raidmax?
if so pure crap.