Power supply too powerful???

[Quagmire]

Hey gents,
yes...another PSU question here. I recently upgraded my video card (old one died). I knew I needed a bigger/better PSU. I ordered an Ultra LSP650W unit and installed it. It would not work (fans came on but the PC would not boot). OK, (I thought...bad PSU) and returned it in place for the exact model. That one also did not work. Just for kicks, I re-installed my Bestec-300 (HP#5188-0129) into the PC and it works (although underpowered so I haven't tried any gaming until I resolve this problem).

I called Ultra and their rep said he did not have any answers for me. So, I emailed HP about my HP Pavilion a1150y CTO. They said that my PC (with Asus P5LP-LE MOBO (Limestone-GL8E) would only support up to (max) of a 450Watt PSU. I re-contacted Ultra and they said they never heard of a PC limiting a PSU setup.

Information:
I run a Pentium 4 (3.2Ghz) processor(Prescott)Socket 775
(nothing is OC'd)
Nvidia GeForce 9800GT video card
3GB DDR2 of RAM
1-250GB SATA Hard Drive (7200rpm)
1-IDE Optical drive (DVD reader/writer)
Sound Blaster Audigy sound card
1-Floppy Drive
7in1 card reader
OS=Windows XP sp3 professional (OEM)

I'm just not sure why the 650W PSU will not work but the smaller 300W will. I don't know where the problem lies. I have done days and days of research, but I can't find anything on it.

The 300w power distribution is as follows: +5v=30A, +3.3v=28A, +12v=19A, --12v=0.8A, +5vsb=2A.
The Ultra 650W listed: +5v=32A, +3.3v=24A, +12v=38A, -12v=0.6A, +5vsb=2.5A
Does the problem lies with the +3.3A line? Am I not getting enough power with the 4amp deficit on the +3.3v (Sata connector)? Or is it in the -12v line? Or am I completely off base...could the Ultra unit be too powerful? Does HP really have a restriction on PSU wattage?

Sorry it is so long...I have been racking my brains and spending money on return shipping more than I like.

[370forlife]

Maybe the 450W "limit" hp was talking about was the highest watt psu they shipped with that motherboard in any computer that uses it. But otherwise there is no real way for a motherboard to sense what watt the psu is.

As for the 3.3v line, no it wouldn't do much having it only 4 amps lower, as most modern day computers don't use it nearly as much except for sata, which dosen't actually need 3.3v in the first place. Did you make sure you were connecting everything that needed to be connected, everything seated all the way in?

Sorry it is so long...I have been racking my brains and spending money on return shipping more than I like.

Lots of information is good. :)

[Smirnoff]

They said that my PC (with Asus P5LP-LE MOBO (Limestone-GL8E) would only support up to (max) of a 450Watt PSU. I re-contacted Ultra and they said they never heard of a PC limiting a PSU setup.

Heh... HP support is obviously speaking out of their backsides. Ultra support is correct. There should be enough power on all rails for your system.

(Oh, and I like your nick ;D )

[Quagmire]

I didn't know if HP was being truthful or not, since my PC is older, I figured they just wanted me to go away. I double and triple checked the connections I had to make on my MOBO and peripheries. I just had 1-FDD conn, 1-ATX12(4pin) conn, 1-24pin MOBO conn, 1-Molex conn (to optical drive) and 1-SATA conn to Hard Drive. (I even pulled my RAM out to ensure that the 24 pin was seated completely)[no PCI-e 6-pin connector for the video card...video card does not have one].

It was weird. I made the same connections when I put the old 300W unit back in and it works fine. But I can't figure why the 650W unit won't work.

It is strange that the case fan, CPU fan and video card fan would turn on, I had a video image of the energy star rating on my monitor but would not boot up and no power to any USB ports. (it was like the HDD was not getting power).

Thanks guys for the prompt responses.......Giggity

[370forlife]

Do you have a friend or another computer you can borrow a different higher watt psu from? Maybe the motherboard and that power supply just don't agree with each other.

[Quagmire]

I will go down to my local PC shop and see if they can help me out. He said that he has a 430W unit that I could try. After alot of reading, I am liking the Corsair VX450W (80%) unit they have in stores.

I found one site [atxpowersupplies] that has a cross-reference chart for my PC. They "Say" that the WPS630 will work with my machine although the PSU looks exactly like the stock "Bestec"-300W I have now. But that doesn't look like a quality unit and very little technical information on it so I am wary.

I have been fighting with my PC since 1/24/10. First, it locked up while playing BF2. I took it apart, cleaned all the dust out of it (as I have done dozens of times), then the video image was flickering. Re-checked all connections and tried again. Then it wouldn't even boot up (fans just ran at high). I brought it to a PC shop and they found a bent pin under the processor (must have fudged the chip when I put new thermal grease on it an re-inserted it). They did a diagnostic on it and said the PCI-e port was fine. Bought new vid card and PSU. Wouldn't work.

So, I put the old PSU back in and it would work...but couldn't connect to internet (HTTP error 12007) & said a network chord was unplugged...it wasn't. Brought it back to PC shop and the On-board NIC was dead. So, they installed a PCI network card and can get on the net now.

Another 650W power supply was tried...and, well you know the story.

[370forlife]

atxpowersupplies.com sells a lot of crap for extremely high prices.

The bestec 300W is actually a pretty good power supply, granted it is being stressed a bit with your setup running a 9800gt and a 3.2ghz Prescott, it is miles ahead of any off brand psu.

[Quagmire]

Thanks 370forlife,
The atx site looked pretty cheap.

This is the correspondence I received from HP:
Hello Eric,
Thank you for contacting HP Total Care.
After going through your email, I understand that you are facing boot issue after upgrading the Power supply.
Eric, your e-mail is important to us and helping you resolve the issue is our utmost priority. We will try our best and utilize all our resources to ensure that the issue is completely resolved.

We truly appreciate the trust that you have displayed in our services and us, and assure you that we will certainly try to live up to your expectations.

At the outset, I apologize for the inconvenience that this issue may have caused you.

I believe that the power supply unit you are trying to install is not compatible with your system.

I have checked the specification of your computer and found that this computer was shipped with 300watt of power supply. You can upgrade its power supply up to 450 watt. The 650-watt power supply will not work in your computer.

Please go through the web link below to upgrade the power supply for your computer:

http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/document?docname=bph06788&cc=us&lc=en&dlc=en&product=1130802#N1290

NOTE: Clicking the link may give an error indicating it is invalid. If this occurs, copy the portion of the address on the remaining line(s) and paste it at the end of the address showing in your browser until the complete address is displayed in the Address box.

Eric, there is no any settings to be changed to use the new power supply. Please make sure that the new power supply is not more than 450 watt. If it is more than 450 watt then it will not work.

I believe that the lines and the web link above will help you to resolve your issue. If the issue still persists, please get back to us with your observation and we will be happy to assist you further.

Thanking you and assuring you of our best services at all times. :crazy:

[denns25]

Quagmire, why don't you call 800.458.1606 and have the person on the line send you out that 630WPS power supply for free. ;)

[370forlife]

That number goes back to atxpowersupplies's website. Hmm, don't know if I would want anything from their site, maybe one of the FSP or antec units, or the OEM delta supplies but thats about it. Besides, their 630W psu is a linkworld. Terrible psu.

[Phaedrus2129]

HP always pulls this crap. Their tech support people are not true technicians, they're generally just given a list of fixes to various problems. They're hired based on how long they can delay the customer going berserk, not on their technical knowledge.


450W is probably the largest power supply HP will provide for that motherboard. Either their techs are too incompetent to know this, or they're deliberately told to misinform the customer. Or both. You could hook that system to a 2000W power supply, about the only problem you'd see is extremely poor efficiency.

[p4l1ndr0m3]

I've heard of PSUs not starting computers. Had to do with one of the rails not ramping up as fast as the motherboard wants it to. I saw where a guy rigged a switch to jumpstart his PSU to make the computer start by soldering a wire to the green lead and the ground on the 20/24 pin connector. Search google for "How to jumpstart a power supply" and you will see more information about this. I would definitely try another known working PSU over 450watts other than the stock one first before soldering and rigging stuff.

[Proximon]

That's much closer to the truth. HP is full of crap this time.

Likely, your board is a bit finicky about the power on test. Trying to draw power from the PSU before it is properly warmed up and delivering stable voltages, or simply never receiving the power ready signal because of some error.

Of course, I wouldn't trust any Ultra product anymore.

[Quagmire]

Thanks to all for the information. Right now I have the stock 300W PSU in and the PC starts and runs fine although I am not doing anything that would require alot of power. I am looking around trying to find out which new PSU I want to spend my money on. Definately going to go with a 80+ unit and I am leaning towards the Corsair unless I find out if I could get a unit that is above a 450W to work with my mobo.