Lights Drawing Too Much Juice?

[Matches]

First things first: Spec's

Antec 550 watt ps
MSI KT8 Mast 2 mobo
AMD 64 FX 51
eVGA 6800 Ultra (factory clocks)
2- 74 Gig WD Raptors @ 10K RPM in RAID-0
1 Maxtor 80 Gig for data storage
2 Gig's PC 3200 ram (4x512)
CD ROM Liteon 52x
CD RW Liteon 52x
Audigy 2-ZS Gamer

Ok, now the prob...evrything was cool until I installed 2 blue cold cathode tubes w/ rocker switch @ 620 volts. When I turn on the lights, I get a high pitched constant tone through the speakers and everything locks up tighter than a drum, can't do anything except soft re-boot. A techy I know says that the lights push it over the edge and without a bigger PS I won't be able to run lights. Any other opinions?

 

[STRESSTEST]

Put the ccfl kit on it's own power lead. DO NOT ever put them on a power lead that has hard drives/CD-ROMs on it. My guess is that you did exactly that.

 

[jpmkm]

There is no fucking way that a couple of cold cathode fluorescent lights would be enough to push a power supply over the top. If you were that close then your system would show all kinds of instability even without the lights. I'm willing to bet that it is simply a wiring mistake.

rocker switch @ 620 volts

So are you saying you are switching the high side of the inverter instead of the dc input? That's a pretty nonstandard way of doing things.

 

[FLECOM]

sounds more like a defective inverter...

there is no way all that can be maxing out a 550 watt psu...

i have a 550 watt psu running 2x amd mp's 3x 15k scsi drives 2x 7200rpm ide drives, and loads of other fun stuff off of it w/o a problem... that is a good psu, your problem is elsewhere

 

[STRESSTEST]

His problem is that he's got it on the same line as the HD and/or the CD-rom/s. I can't even count how many times this has happend to customers. And it's always fixed by removing the kit from that power line and placing it on it's own from the PSU.

 

[Qtip42]

My cathodes are hooked up with the hdd and cdrom.........no problem here.

 

[STRESSTEST]

My cathodes are hooked up with the hdd and cdrom.........no problem here.

And flipping them on and off, using the rocker switch that came with the kit, doesn't cause any problems with your system? Go you!

 

[clone#13]

hehe just my 2 cents worth, all this kick ass system and no DVD burner??? hummm I feel bad installing my dvd burner with my crap AMD athlon 1.2

 

[MD_Willington]

First things first: Spec's

Antec 550 watt ps
MSI KT8 Mast 2 mobo
AMD 64 FX 51
eVGA 6800 Ultra (factory clocks)
2- 74 Gig WD Raptors @ 10K RPM in RAID-0
1 Maxtor 80 Gig for data storage
2 Gig's PC 3200 ram (4x512)
CD ROM Liteon 52x
CD RW Liteon 52x
Audigy 2-ZS Gamer

Ok, now the prob...evrything was cool until I installed 2 blue cold cathode tubes w/ rocker switch @ 620 volts. When I turn on the lights, I get a high pitched constant tone through the speakers and everything locks up tighter than a drum, can't do anything except soft re-boot. A techy I know says that the lights push it over the edge and without a bigger PS I won't be able to run lights. Any other opinions?

May be 600+ volts, but the current is way low on ccf's..something under 50mA for the bigg ones...

Inverter...double check it, and the line back to the PSU could be experiencing some feedback if the inverter is crap.

MD

 

[mosin]

May be 600+ volts, but the current is way low on ccf's..something under 50mA for the bigg ones...

Inverter...double check it, and the line back to the PSU could be experiencing some feedback if the inverter is crap.

MD

Agreed. No way it's the psu. First, move the light to another plug, and switch the inverter for a different one.

The techie you talked to must be the type guy who replaces the engine in his car when he needs spark plugs.


Edit: Would the soundcard happen to be in the very bottom slot with the light, or inverter, in extremely close proximity to it? ...just thinking aloud.

 

[Matches]

Ok...first thanks for all the replies. I haven't had a chance yet to re-wire the cathodes but I will tonight first thing. I doubt it's the inverter, the thing is brand new, could be but chances are it's not. I'm gonna attach it to a lead right off of the PS, per STRESSTEST's advice.

Question: I'm sure you guys are all familiar with these things, this particular one is a dual cathode setup. Cathodes each have lines to the inverter (little black box?) - then there are lines from the inverter to a connector (either a male or female, can't remember) and the switch. Then there are lines from the first connector to a second connector (to attach something else?). I'm assuming that I want to use the connector that will attach directly to the PS (first one) and do nothing with the second connector right?

The inverter is actually nowhere close to the sound card, although after I move it around through this re-wiring process it may be. Is it a good idea to keep them a certain distance apart?

Another Question: a guy at a local PC shop told me that the inverter could be setting up an EMF because it's not shielded. I have the inverter attached to the rack that's holding my two Raptors, could this be the problem?

 

[MD_Willington]

The inverter is in a plastic box right...yeah it creates EMF...Any chance you could slip a small metal box over the plastic shell, just keep the metal clear of the connector ends...dont want any shorts ... Connect the new box to the chassis...

"Question: I'm sure you guys are all familiar with these things"

Familiar with similar technology...AC/DC motor drives, inverters etc...Big stuff..

MD

"No I can't fix your VCR, Yes I can build you a VSD for a 10,00HP synchronous motor, then hook it into a SCADA system"...but thats a whole other subject LOL.