PSU testing

[BigRon]

Have a prob with a 9800pro radeon and i need to rule out the PSU I have a Fluke Multimeter but the only thing I've ever used it for is continuity testing 2m cable

Is there safe way of testing the voltage output with this?

ty

 

[wwparrish]

Sure, its just the thing !!!! set it do read DC Volts.

let me go find a pinout of the connector on the motherboard. If possible one of the best ways to check power supply voltages is to back probe, stick the probe in behind/alongside the wires to the connector that connects your power supply to the motherboard or even into the back of a molex 4 pin connector on your hard drive (can only look at the +5 and +12 there).

back in a min.

 

[wwparrish]

Here - these guys did a better job than I could explaining, and with just a little care and paying attention to what you are doing its not dangerious to you at all, and very very little to no risk to the hardware. Just be like a doctor doing surgery, its really not hard. just dont let the probes touch one another while shoved in the back of the connector, i.e. pick a ground wire on the connector as far away from the active voltages as possible. hmmm you could shove the group probe from the meter into the back of one of the drive molex black wires for a ground and then it would be out of the way when probing the mainboard big power connector.

BTW within 10% of rated voltage is OK so if you read 3.21 volts on the 3.3 lead you are good to go. well withing 10%. really good supplies are within 5%

http://techrepublic.com.com/5100-6255_11-1041735-2.html

any questions after that, do a google on "axt connector backprobe" a whole bunch of how to's came up.

 

[Ice Czar]

Id use the 5% figures not those 10%
http://www.hardwaresecrets.com/faqpowersupply.html

Basic 5% range is
+12V....11.4V to 12.6V
+5V......4.75V to 5.25V
+3.3V...3.135V to 3.465V

 

[wwparrish]

yep yep I stand corrected, have to agree with that

 

[BigRon]

sweet guys thx