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More important: watts or amps?

U

uss enterprise

Limp Gawd
Joined
Feb 5, 2009
Messages
298
Hey all, quick question.

What's more important for a supply, watts, or amps?

I've got a could supplies i've pulled from some older, but decent, machines i'm no longer using. Has all connectors for current setups, such as EPS 12v plug.
They do a large amount of amps, but only 450 watt supplies.

Are they worth using?
 
First, more importantly is a quality manufacturer using quality components. Then amps, lastly watts.

No I would not use salvaged psu parts, you are asking to fry all the other parts you connect to it.
 
They're Antec and Ablecom supplies, taken from some 2U Dual Xeon/SuperMicro servers I had run for a while. No longer needed, just trying to make use of some spare parts from them.

A buddy just popped his supply, and was going to toss him one so he doesn't have to spend any cash.
 
Antec is good, just make sure it meets the power requirements of your friends system. But if it is too many years old and full of dust you might not want to risk it.
 
I hear that, they definitely are older. These servers were run for 3 or 4 years. Probably a bad idea.

Thanks for the input!
 
Check the RU number on the psu's and see who made them. You might have yourself some really good ones, or some really bad ones.
 
uss enterprise said:
Hey all, quick question.

What's more important for a supply, watts, or amps?

I've got a could supplies i've pulled from some older, but decent, machines i'm no longer using. Has all connectors for current setups, such as EPS 12v plug.
They do a large amount of amps, but only 450 watt supplies.

Are they worth using?
Click to expand...
Watts and amps are two sides of the same coin, since power (watts) is the product of voltage and current (amps). The 450W number you're referring to is the total maximum output of all the combined rails of the PSU, which means that when you take each of the rails (the main ones are the +3.3V, +5V, and especially +12V rails) and multiply their voltage ratings by their maximum current ratings, that's the number you get.

The amperage ratings listed on the PSU should be broken down based on their rail distribution. So the PSU label should list each available rail, and how much current the PSU can supply to each. Oftentimes the sum of the individual ratings will end up exceeding the unit's maximum power rating, because the PSU is capable of outputting more on some rails if others are used less (in other words, if you use less on the +5V rail you can use more on the +12V rail or vice versa, as long as the total output of the PSU is less than or equal to the maximum power rating).

When looking at a PSU to determine whether or not it is capable enough for the system you plan on using it with, you actually have to consider both the wattage and the amperage. The amperage is important because you have to make sure that the rails you need to power the system each have enough current allocated to them, so you don't end up with a PSU that has an underused rail with a certain voltage but other rails that aren't powerful enough to handle what you need them to. Basically, the rails have to be balanced in a way that suits the system's needs well.

The wattage needs to be considered because the PSU needs to be able to power all of your system components, so their total draw must be within the PSU's output rating. It is also important because PSUs tend to be more efficient, run cooler, last longer, and output cleaner voltages within an approximate range of 40% to 60% of its rated maximum output. This range is often referred to as the peak efficiency range. It is always best to choose a PSU for a certain system such that the system's power draw lies within the peak efficiency range. For quality PSUs, it is fine to go a bit above or below that range, although it is still better to stay within it.

So to apply this to the PSUs you're talking about, we need more information. First off, the specific model numbers and lines would be helpful, since the quality of a PSU depends greatly on the manufacturer and the platform it is manufactured on, as well as the components used. We also need the specific rail breakdowns, because from that we can assess the factors I listed above and figure out what kind of systems they are suitable for powering.
 
Zero82z said:
Watts and amps are two sides of the same coin, since power (watts) is the product of voltage and current (amps). The 450W number you're referring to is the total maximum output of all the combined rails of the PSU, which means that when you take each of the rails (the main ones are the +3.3V, +5V, and especially +12V rails) and multiply their voltage ratings by their maximum current ratings, that's the number you get.

The amperage ratings listed on the PSU should be broken down based on their rail distribution. So the PSU label should list each available rail, and how much current the PSU can supply to each. Oftentimes the sum of the individual ratings will end up exceeding the unit's maximum power rating, because the PSU is capable of outputting more on some rails if others are used less (in other words, if you use less on the +5V rail you can use more on the +12V rail or vice versa, as long as the total output of the PSU is less than or equal to the maximum power rating).

When looking at a PSU to determine whether or not it is capable enough for the system you plan on using it with, you actually have to consider both the wattage and the amperage. The amperage is important because you have to make sure that the rails you need to power the system each have enough current allocated to them, so you don't end up with a PSU that has an underused rail with a certain voltage but other rails that aren't powerful enough to handle what you need them to. Basically, the rails have to be balanced in a way that suits the system's needs well.

The wattage needs to be considered because the PSU needs to be able to power all of your system components, so their total draw must be within the PSU's output rating. It is also important because PSUs tend to be more efficient, run cooler, last longer, and output cleaner voltages within an approximate range of 40% to 60% of its rated maximum output. This range is often referred to as the peak efficiency range. It is always best to choose a PSU for a certain system such that the system's power draw lies within the peak efficiency range. For quality PSUs, it is fine to go a bit above or below that range, although it is still better to stay within it.

So to apply this to the PSUs you're talking about, we need more information. First off, the specific model numbers and lines would be helpful, since the quality of a PSU depends greatly on the manufacturer and the platform it is manufactured on, as well as the components used. We also need the specific rail breakdowns, because from that we can assess the factors I listed above and figure out what kind of systems they are suitable for powering.
Click to expand...
There is no way I could have said it better. Excellent writeup man!

So OP, please provide the info requested in the above post so that we can help you better.
 
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