Since we've effectively determined that all of these +12V leads terminate to essentially the same place, the next thing to do is to hit a single connector with a load greater than what it is rated for as per the label. To do this, I simply put a 50A load on the 8-pin EPS12V connector. If this connector were on a single +12V rail capable, via OCP limiter, of only 19A or even split up between two 19A rails, then the power supply should shut off. I did this and the PSU did not shut off. So the conclusion is that the Trio 650W does not have a 19A per rail limit, nor does it have three separate rails.

     So now I get to load test the power supply. To load test power supplies, I am in the posession of a load tester made specifically for testing ATX12V power supplies. It can load up to 10 rails simultaneously. The load tester can put virtually any combination of loads on a power supply, but I've pre-programmed six different loads for the Trio 650W.

     I split the +12V rail load up into two virtual "rails." The +12V2 load is the load I put on the 8-pin EPS12V connector. The 12V1 load is the load put on all of the other connectors. This is why the load on +12V1 is greater than +12V2's.

     I actually had to run through this test twice. The first time, I used my TES 1320 Type-K thermometer and things were working fine until test three. The probe inside of the case would give me false readings. When I backed down to test two, everything returned to normal. Like clockwork I could make the thermometer go haywire, like it did during the Silverstone ST85ZF test, by simply changing the load. Apparently, this PSU gives off some sort of RF interference at higher loads. I went back and performed all of the tests a second time with a pair of Compu-Nurse thermometers.

     As for noise, I couldn't even hear the fan until test 4. That's good, because that's a load of over 500W for over half an hour. By test 5 it was at full RPM, which would be annoying, but considering it's a 647.5W load, I'll let it slide.

     So now let's do some "hot load tests." For this, I have a duct hooked up to the case's side panel. Hot air from the load tester is pumped back into the case and all of the loads are done a second time.

     This time around, the PSU failed test 6 after having only run for 5 minutes. And the PSU didn't just shut down like the Thermaltake 750W did. There was a pop and a flash and the PSU was dead. I opened up the unit, probed around and found that the fuse had blown. Normally, I would have just replaced the fuse, but Antec had soldered the fuse to the fuse holder. I could have desoldered everything, but I decided that I'd give an RMA a try.

     After I received the replacement PSU, I went through all of the testing for a second time. Once again, only 5 minutes into test 6, there was a loud pop, a flash of white light and the second PSU was dead.

     Now in all fairness, the Antec Trio did maintain 647.5W during test 5. Test 6 is only 7.5W more output power, but the load is shifted from the 3.3V and 5V to the 12V. Perhaps the 12V rails on this thing are over rated?

     Fortunately, I do my ripple tests during the cold box testing and was able to capture some screens from USB Instruments' EasyScope II.

True Power Trio 650W	+3.3V	+5V	+12V
Test 1
Test 2
Test 3
Test 4
Test 5
Test 6

     The PSU was well within spec on the 3.3V and 5V rails, and even stayed under 100mV during test 5 and test 6.