PSU warranties...my experience

[mosin]

I have this older computer, very old by most of your standards. It uses a dual processor MSI server board, and works for what I do. It is still pretty decent for general things because I am not a gamer.

I built the computer back in 2002 with an Antec 500W (their best at the time)
This one arced at the motherboard header and caught the motherboard on fire. It was just over two years old when this happened. Luckily, I resoldered the board in a few places, so that lived. Antec shipped me a replacement psu, and it was an upgraded model.
While waiting for the Antec to return, I bought a Thermaltake supply. It went one year, and quit. There was no remaining warranty, so I tossed it. (I used the replacement Antec in another computer where it is now.)
Next, I bought a PC Power & Cooling supply which went three years before it developed intermittent problems. The people there were first-class, and an RMA was easy to obtain. This just happened, so I don't have the replacement, yet. I am using a 431W Enermax that was the cat's meow way back in 2001. It works, as does the Enermax I have in yet another computer that is even older. Both those sold for premium prices back in the day.


The moral to this story is that a power supply is only as good as its warranty, and that cheap units should probably be avoided. You really do get exactly what you pay for in power supplies, but for some reason unknown to me, a lot of guys cheap out on that aspect, even if their rigs cost a fortune to build. My advice is to spend the money for a good name at the start because it will pay off down the line.

 

[Deleted member 133315]

If you ask me, a PSU should be the best that one can afford, never skimp on a psu if you can help it as 9 times out of 10 if you skimp on one then you will likely regret it sooner rather than later.

 

[mosin]

If you ask me, a PSU should be the best that one can afford, never skimp on a psu if you can help it as 9 times out of 10 if you skimp on one then you will likely regret it sooner rather than later.

Yep, I agree. Even when you buy good ones, like I did, problems are prone to happen. It is the nature of them. How much memory and how many motherboards have been taken out by junk power supplies? I wouldn't even try to guess. Still, that is where people cut costs. Go figure.

 

[MrWizard6600]

If you ask me, a PSU should be the best that one can afford, never skimp on a psu if you can help it as 9 times out of 10 if you skimp on one then you will likely regret it sooner rather than later.

There's good and then there's excessive.

@OP, If i were you Id start looking for environmental effects. Bust out the multimeter.

 

[mosin]

There's good and then there's excessive.

@OP, If i were you Id start looking for environmental effects. Bust out the multimeter.

Well, it would seem that way, but....

My wife is related to an executive at the power company, so we have new lines and a dedicated transformer. As a result, the power into the house is as good as is available in this area. Also, I am a high-end audio manufacturer, so I expect mains power that is as free of ripple and noise as possible. Otherwise, I cannot test my product properly, so filtration is in place. And, I use a high quality UPS on my computer. The power supplies meet or exceed the requirements of the computer, too. Then, I keep everything spotless. I can't think of anything to make it better. Quite honestly, I'm not sure you can have overkill when it comes to power supply selection.

 

[tsuehpsyde]

This is pretty much what I tell everyone, though no one ever wants to hear it (at least 'gamers' that want to build a comp but never have before). It's hard to explain when it says 1.21 Gigawatts on the side, but it has like 5A on the 12V and a bajillion on the 5V or something similarly retarded.

I even go so far as to explain it like "It powers EVERYTHING you just bought and if it's cheap and shorts, everything DIES" or "Think of it like buying a Ferrari and running 87 on it". When both of those fails, I just tell them to enjoy their risk. Top of the line video cards + cheapo PSUs always make me laugh. I'd rather have a mid-range card and a top quality PSU myself. Probably the same reason all of my PCs are behind UPS units.

 

[davidhammock200]

Well, it would seem that way, but....

My wife is related to an executive at the power company, so we have new lines and a dedicated transformer. As a result, the power into the house is as good as is available in this area. Also, I am a high-end audio manufacturer, so I expect mains power that is as free of ripple and noise as possible. Otherwise, I cannot test my product properly, so filtration is in place. And, I use a high quality UPS on my computer. The power supplies meet or exceed the requirements of the computer, too. Then, I keep everything spotless. I can't think of anything to make it better. Quite honestly, I'm not sure you can have overkill when it comes to power supply selection.

Quote of the Century!