PS case orientation?

[lamarth]

A quick and hopefully easy question....

I recently got a Nspire 550W PS for a full tower case (ATX). When I did a test fit to the case though I noticed that while the back of the PS was correctly oriented to the opening in the back of the tower, the wiring was coming out the side of the PS case furthest from where the mobo is mounted in the tower case.

Someone correct me, but isn't the wiring ALWAYS supposed to come out of the side of the PS case closest to where the mobo is? Is it possible that the PS was not correctly assembled, or the PS opening in the tower case not correctly oriented?

Thanks!

Edit - the PS is mounted horizonally in the tower case, btw.

 

[Ice Czar]

Ive a few supplies with multiple ports (3) for the harness outlet
(old redundants)
the "standard" is simply out of the back of the supply in the ATX-P\S2 PSU formfactor
the specification doesnt specifically say, besides its just a guideline

 

[lamarth]

Ive a few supplies with multiple ports (3) for the harness outlet
(old redundants)
the "standard" is simply out of the back of the supply in the ATX-P\S2 PSU formfactor
the specification doesnt specifically say, besides its just a guideline

Ah, ok- so there's no spec stating which side the harness emerges- it's just whatever's convenient for the manufacturer.

I also skimmed thru the PSUs over at Newegg and noticed that at least among the hi-wattage units there's some who have the harness going out one side of the case, and others going out the other side.

So in that case there's nothing 'wrong' with either my tower case or the PSU's case, and the solution would be to either mod the tower or the PSU's case, or simply buy another PSU that's got the harness coming out where I need it to be....

One other thing, though- some of these hi-wattage PSUs have a cooling fan mounted on the top (or bottom, depending on your orientation) of the PSU case. Is there a prefered way this fan should be facing? (i.e. up or down)

Thanks!

 

[Ice Czar]

that was derived from an AMD builders spec to assist in the removal of the CPU's heatsink exhaust, which it would typically be directly above (making that the bottom of the PSU)
and dates back to the Athlons around 1.2GHz or so.

the PSU has always typically exhausted the case however increasing the temperature in the PSU enclosure decreases its capacity, we dont actual;ly get to see the derating curves for a given supply however, they arent typically published to the end consumer
unless otherwise stated by the manufacturer the supply was likely rated at its Intel certification temperature of 22C

a "typical" derating curve is often boiled down to a simple statement (which again we dont get to see) of rated at full load between 0 to 25C decrasing to zero at 70C

as a rule of thumb deduct 33% of the rated amps and overall capacity for a supply at a "normal" operating temperature, which if your exhausting the CPU heatsink can be 35 to 50C
(depending on the room ambient temperature)

 

[lamarth]

I never would've suspected that the fan was for the CPU. However, since I'm planning on watercooling the CPU then the fan orientation for me becomes a moot point. So normally the PSU would be mounted with the fan facing downwards.....

Knowing all of this, my solution (other than replacing the PSU) would be to mod the PSU case so the wires come out on the mobo side. The only downside I see to that is that -and this makes the assumption that the harness solder points on the PSU circuit board are close to where the harness currently emerges from the case - I may have a problem with blocking airflow thru the PSU if I run the wires across the circuit board to emerge from a new hole in the other side of the case.....