My story of XClio Goodpower problems

[Unabomber]

A while ago, I was experiencing video freezing problems with my system. Basically, whenever using any fairly intensive Direct 3D or OpenGL application, the system would occasionally hang, resulting in the screen freezing, and the same sound playing over and over, for about 15 seconds.

Imagine the frustration that came about, when playing in Team Fortress matches...

Anyways, it seems that the power supply has proven to be the culprit.

My stats:

Asus A8R32 motherboard
Opteron 146 CPU (running at 2.5 GHz)
2 GB Crucial PC3200 memory (2x1GB)
BFG GeForce 7900GS PCI-e video card (256 MB)
XClio Goodpower 500 watt power supply

and a few other peripherals.

Now, according to XClio's stats, the dual 12 volt rails on this unit are supposed to supply 16.0 amps on the 1st 12 volt rail, and another 17.0 amps on the 2nd 12 volt rail. Thus, with this much power available, I would have thought that I shouldn't have any problems with my BFG GeForce 7900 GS video card, which BFG recommends a minimum of 22.0 amps on the 12 volt rail.

Unfortunately, it seems that either there's a lot of efficiency lost when both rails are combined, if my understanding is correct.

The only way I could cut down on the number of system hangups (to a very low number), was to reduce my CPU's HT speed to 800 MHz, and to run my CPU back at stock speeds. Normally, the 2.0 GHz is plenty fast enough for my purposes, so that wasn't too bad of a hassle, but I just hate keeping my stuff crippled...

Anyways, I've just ripped out the old Antec Truepower 480 watt (single rail) unit from an older computer (supposed to be able to give 28 amps on the single 12 volt rail), and now find that the hangups are gone. I've just ran one of NVIDIA's demos for a good while, played NWN2 at the highest settings possible, HL2 at aggressive settings, and BF2, and not a single hangup.

Then to be daring, I've put my CPU's HT speed back to 1.0 GHz, and restored the overclock to 2.5 GHz, and still haven't had any crashes or hangups with this old power supply.

My question to all of you who own the XClio Goodpower unit is this: Do any of you have this power supply stably running something similar, or even more powerfuly? If so, what are your specifications?

If it's not possible to stably run this system with this unit, then I'll be ordering a Seasonic later on, but for now, at least I know that my old Antec can still get some good use.

 

[bigjon32]

I've been having a similar problem with my XClio 450BL, which is also a dual 12v unit. Running stock I run fine, but when i OC at all now I get random hanging (repeats audio for a bit) and then a restart whenever I played any game (CS:S, WoW, Oblivion) for more than a very short amount of time. When I'm able to pick up a new video card and mobo I'll be moving on to something a bit more reputable. To be fair, I've been using this ps in my rig for two years and this is the first time its given me any problems, and seeing as it runs everything stock stable as a rock, i can't really complain too much.

 

[markt435]

mine works fine and i have plenty of shit overclocked plus powering a bunch of fans inside the comp. specs in sig

 

[Adidas4275]

i just put one in my finance's brother's rig and it works fine with his 6600gt X2 [email protected] w/ 3 HDDs

but i will let you know in a couple of weeks how it is doing...

 

[Unabomber]

i just put one in my finance's brother's rig and it works fine with his 6600gt X2 [email protected] w/ 3 HDDs

Should be fine for that video card. At one time, just to satisfy my curiousity, I had replaced my GeForce 7900GS with a GeForce 6600GT, restored the overclock, and the HT speed, and had no problems with the XClio unit.

In other news, I've been playing around with a few other older power supplies in my pile o' parts, and came up with these findings:

1) My old Antec 430 watt "Truepower" unit, with its 20 pin ATX connector, single rail 12 volt (rated for 26 amps) also did fine with this system.

2) I also dug up another, older, Antec 480 watt "Truepower" unit, that was listed as having only 22 amps on the 12 volt rail, and it too, does just fine with this system, even when overclocked.

I haven't tried any of the multi-rail Antecs, though.

 

[RogueTrip]

Hmmmm, interesting, i've owned my xclio for a couple of weeks now, but don't use it for my videocards, maybe i should try it and see what happens?! I've been using Thermaltakes 250w purepower for my 7800GT's in SLI with the Xclio and everything has been good for me.

I used to run the same system with a single 7800GT and a PowMax 480w with single rail 12v that had 18amp max just fine with no hiccups. I only got the Xclio cause i was tired of hearing about my PowMax which still works fine. I guess that what you get when you listen to everyone else

 

[kush]

A leopard can change it's spots, but a Powmax will always be a steaming pile of horse shit. XClio, like any other (large) maker [err rebrander, Channel Well does most (all?) of their units] will have it's problems, but no matter how you cut it their PSUs use FAR better components than companies like PowCraps.

Oh, and my 480BL has run an o/cd 7900gt, o/c Opteron, water setup (D5 pump)/total of 7 fans [6 120s], optical, 3xHDs currently, etc for ~16 months 24/7 and is still rock solid. I've had no issue with their famously crappy caps (yet) - from what I understand it's not the caps themselves but the fact that Xclio/older Antec (read CWT again btw) used cheaper Fuhjiyyu (sp?) caps rated @ 85c, whereas say Seasonic/Corsair uses higher quality caps which happen to be rated higher (105c?).

I've been very happy with my ~$65 purchase, but fully intend to not cheap out next time. Something along the lines of a Corsair/Seasonic or Silverstone, Etasis whatever...I don't care as long as it's built like a tank, REASONABLY priced (circumstances!), and has a good warranty behind it - big points for Corsair and their 5 year coverage; my XClio has maybe 2 year at best, as a matter of fact I don't think they ever mention the length in my 480BL "manual" - just a few word blurb on warranty. Had I not of been on a severely restricted budget trying to fit a G70 (7800 originally later stepup), watercooling kit and dual core into a slightly over $1000 system budget, I would have gone better..

With ALL that said, I recall seeing a review of an XClio 500w a long time ago, back when their units were still branded Meridian I think...I can't recall if it was the Good Power or Great Power line, but the internals looked, well sparse in comparison to what the insides of my "BL" unit are..Both CWT made, but confidence in the OEM was lessened somewhat by a Deer/Powmax-esque usage of internal space (ie: NOT; normal size case, LOTS of space unused, chinzy ass 'sinks. 135mm fan or not they shouldn't have cheaped out on the heatsinks ).