virtual rails and overloading

[fugue]

Hi,

Sorry for yet another newbie question... this forum seems to be collectively very knowledgeable! So I'll once again show I'm not.;)

In the GameXStream 700w... I understand that it has 4 "virtual rails"? Right now I'm only using 2, one for peripherals and one for the CPU. So if it's virtual and two of the rails aren't in use does it have a potential for grabbing extra amps passed its max? Can it go past the 18a draw?

I read that jonny made a comment in a thread about this psu:

Haha.. Good point. So yes, the 12V rails can only do 600W. The 680W figure takes into account a load on the 3.3V and 5V rails as well.

So 18*3 = 54. Even if you don't use one of the +12V rail, you're still capable of overloading the combined 12V rails by 4A!

Now of course this way out of context... is that what he meant? The thread can be found here: http://www.jonnyguru.com/forums/showthread.php?t=758&highlight=gamexstream+700

Thanks again!

[jonnyGURU]

Umm... No.

If a rail has over current protection, an "OCP" (aka: the 18A limit,) then you're not going to be able to draw more than 18A from it even if you're not using another one of the rails at all.

All I was saying was that the only way you wouldn't be able to use the maximum combined output of the entire +12V rail is if the sum of all of the rails, minus the ones you weren't using, did not equal the total combined wattage rating of the PSU.

[fugue]

argh... that was a dumb question. Sorry 'bout that. That makes sense. It was late; I don't know what I was thinking. Thanks for answering!