SPCR

I bought my Phantom 500 in Hong Kong in March 2006.

Been running like a beauty 24/24h non-stop for 15 months now.

And mind you, I'm in Singapore, thus the average temperature is 30 degrees all year round. Of course, I have my 12cm Antec Tricool fan blowing at it at 1200 rpm inside my Antec P180 case.

Serial number: D06020190210

I bought my Phantom 500 from a portuguese online store, poweron.pt.
SN: D06050054802

The first day everything seemed ok, I was running the PSU fan in the 3rd setting, outside the case (unventilated). It's a relatively weak machine running 24/7 with AMD64 3200+, 2x WD 500gb, 2x ethernet and cheap cdrom.

The next day I started hearing an annoying buzz which was always "rattling", it wouldn't settle on a constant tone. For me that would be reason enough to take it back but since it was friday I decided to let it run for the weekend.

Today (saturday) I woke up and found the noise was really getting on my nerves, so I set the PSU switch to position 1 and immediatly the fan started blowing, and I waited to see if it made any difference. I waited for a couple of minutes to see if the buzz quiets down, and it did, for a few seconds -- but suddently a REALLY loud buzz appears, almost sounded like an alarm clock. The machine was still being powered and worked, but the noise was unbearable and I turned it off some minutes later, after reverting the switch in the hope it would make a difference. Further attempts to power on still showed the PSU buzzes alot, although not as much as that one time, but higher than before.

After reading about all the problems this PSU has, I wonder if I should replace it with the same model or dump it altogether... For the record, this machine ran on a Yesico 350W (fanless) for about 2 years until that PSU died. Right now I'm using a no-name 350W PSU, fan noisy as hell, but at least it works!

My phantom 500PEC died yesterday. Tested on few pc's. Some try to boot (cpu cooler starts spining, but no sign of video), others remain silent.

Purchased 2007.02
EU version with ROHS

SN: D06110054028

PS
6 out of 8, true power v1 and v2 psu's died recently too (~1-2 y old)
All protected by quality UPS

Sorry to hear that rmask. I also bought a Phantom 500 in February this year (serial D0609003****).

I've experienced no problems with mine, although on rare occasions my computer will power up when I switch the desk lamp on. (They are plugged into the same powerboard with the monitor cable immediately between them; the monitor does not display the same behaviour.) I'm pretty sure the Phantom's fan has never started although I expect that to change during the summer.

Providing it gives a few years of service, I think the Phantom 500 is a fine PSU, but my next power supply will be an active 120mm fan one like the Corsair HX or Seasonic Energy Plus.

We had a particularly nasty power bump a while ago, which neither my surge protector nor my UPS cleaned up enough to prevent damage. My TV card blew up, and one of the Phantom 500 12V circuits also died. Sigh.

BTW, the symptoms were weird: the system would try to boot; the fans would spin up, as would all the disk drives (HDD, DVD, floppy), but there was no video, and none of the LEDs on the keyboard lit. At first I thought it was the motherboard, but it turned out to be the power supply.

Sorry to hear that. Lucky though that nothing else went with the PSU, I guess.

My Phantom 500 has been in use for 10 months and developed a loud buzz a while ago. It is a very high-pitch ringing or chirping sound, audible even from a couple of meters away in the place I now live in. A few months back it only buzzed with a specific kind of load. Synthetic loads or folding for many weeks on both cores of the E6600 was silent, as was loading the 7600 GS with ATI tool, but running a game made the Phantom buzz! It was the only noisy part in the system - and still would be if it weren't for the buzzing backlight regulator of my current main monitor, a 24" wide LCD. No buzzing if I turn the backlight to max, and the other one (20") is silent...

The buzz does not seem to change at all with CPU or GPU load anymore. I'm now debating what to do. I could still return it under warranty and hope the people inspecting it aren't deaf, but should I trust a replacement Phantom or consider an alternative? I would like a modular PSU, but Corsairs seem to buzz and so seem everything else I come up with. Also, I guess I would need extension cables for the AUX12V since the Phantom seems to be the only PSU I've seen with such a long AUX cable that is just enough to route under the motherboard in a P180.

Purchased in Europe, 2006-11
230V, no UPS, SN: D06050055639
Used for 10 months in a P180, with a Nexus @ 600rpm

Well, I returned it. The replacement has been in use for four (4) weeks now. It behaves the same as the original, buzzing under graphics card load but not CPU load, and this one also buzzes if I scroll a web page (keyboard or scroll wheel only, not with auto scroll). I don't recall noticing that with the original, but I lived in a slightly higher ambient noise environment then. The PSU is 140 cm from my ears on the floor by my side.

When my NSK3480 arrives, I'll be switching to its PSU after I swap the fan. The Phantom 500 was an interesting experiment, but it didn't work out for me. Here's hoping the EarthWatts 380 (if that's what I get!) doesn't buzz and is as inaudible as to the fan noise as a Phantom in a P180 when it doesn't buzz.

Commissioned 2007-10-30
230V, no UPS, SN: D07040019317

Locklear wrote:

Locklear wrote:S/N: DO508043xxxx (this series has 2xPCIE + 4xSATA connectors)
21.10.2005 from Santech Microgroup in Norway.

and then it was dead.

Died silently while I was sleeping. The motherboard power indicator still lights up, but it doesn't respond to the power on button.

And then the replacement died as well.
S/N: DO605005xxxx gotten as a replacement in late May 2006 from Santech Microgroup in Norway.

Been running a lowpower Sempron fileserver with 2 disks 24/7. PSU was never even slightly warm to the touch.

Died when I turned off the computer to add a new harddisk. I had standby power when i plugged the power cord back in like last time, but when I hit the power switch it just gave a short indication of life by turning on the blue light on the back of the PSU and starting to spin up the fans. Then it promptly shut down with electrical "crackling" easily audible from 3" away. Subsequent attempts to power on just gave a very low electrical "crackling" I had to put my ear right next to the PSU to hear.

Needless to say i bought a Corsair HX520W this time around

Two more 350 phantoms died for me, all'n'all I've had six 350's and one 500 die on me..... I only have ONE single Phantom still working, all others have died. I'm not returning the two last ones for replacing again.... They went into the bin

Phantom 500W
S/N D07070001xxx
Bought Dec 07 from ebuyer (UK)

miragedarksun wrote:...suddenly a REALLY loud buzz appears, almost sounded like an alarm clock. The machine was still being powered and worked, but the noise was unbearable...

Exactly the same here. I have only just installed my Phantom 500W since buying it in early December. I bought mine with the intention of using in a new silent project, but for pre-build testing I have it powering a relatively weak old Athlon system in a big Antec SOHO server tower with both sides off. The same system barely taxed a Seasonic S12-380W, even when gaming.

Since installing the Phantom, this system has been powered up three times. The first for about 2hrs, the second and third for about 4hrs each. All three times the system was either completely idle or surfing. The first time there was no buzzing but both the other times, after about 3hrs, what appears to be an alarm buzzer sounds. It doesn't seem to be component noise/microphony as it appears so suddenly and seems deliberately very loud -- I can hear it clearly from the other end of my house and it is almost unbearable after a while up close.

When this "alarm" sounds, the outer casing of the Phantom is only slightly warm to the touch and power continues to be supplied, but if I switch the fan to position 1 I get the same problem as miragedarksun whereby the fan starts up immediately and stays on.

I think this is a different issue to the problems encountered with the D04x 350W models.

I contacted Antec CS and got the "go back to your supplier" response.

I'm annoyed mainly because the seed of doubt has now been sown about the reliability of these supplies. I wouldn't mind so much, but for my project I want to do quite a few cable mods - something I'll not be able to do if I can't have a relatively good guarantee of reliability as I won't be able to RMA once I've chopped half the wires!!

I've been reading spcr and lurking on the forums for a few years now, but if memory serves me correctly I think this is my first post. Pity it had to be about this!

To MikeC and all the guys - thanks! Imho some of the best, most thorough PC advice and reviews on the net are right here - keep up the good work!

Bruce L[/quote]

I'm annoyed mainly because the seed of doubt has now been sown about the reliability of these supplies

you mean the 33% failure rate hadn't already sown that seed?

jaganath wrote:you mean the 33% failure rate hadn't already sown that seed?

Very droll.

I chose to buy a Phantom on the strength of the review here at SPCR, personal recommendation, numerous high ratings from buyers on retail websites and previous good experience with Antec products. I wouldn't now have this wonderful ever-so-useful knowledge of the big pile of broken Phantoms if mine hadn't been a lemon too

Longbow wrote:my 0411 has been running for about a month and half. so far it's been great.

i have one nexus blowing out, and one nexus on the cpu cooler. the cpu cooler might be the main force driving air out through the bottom fins on the psu. when both fans set on 6V, the psu body inside the case touch slightly warm, on 10V it's very cool. the back plate is always cool.

woo it's almost 3 years now. my phantom 500 is still alive n kickn. the fan never start up even on low setting i've been wondering if it gave up. but i have good case airflow so i'm not really worried.

the psu can get quite warm but never failed to power up, or random restart. can't complain when it's completely silent.

but consider that my phantom 350 died pretty quick, and nowadays quite afew 120mm bottom intake psu are reasonably quiet, my next purchase would very likely to be one of those.

Just completed the RMA process with Antec over my Phantom.

Although I have to say their European RMA response times in this instance were not good (I had to send four emails to get a response) I did get a lot of help from a guy called Don who I'm guessing is based in the US.

Don told me there are no Phantoms available for replacement (from which I assume they're being discontinued - can anyone confirm?) but after a bit of negotiation I was offered a NeoPower 650 Blue. It has too much power for my needs, but it's the best match out of the rest of Antec's range, plus it's modular and is reportedly an excellent quiet PSU made by Seasonic.

I was asked to return my dead Phantom to the Netherlands, which would have cost me GBP20. I wasn't very happy about paying over a quarter of the retail price just to swap a PSU which had never worked, and I made this clear to Antec. Despite initially insisting on the return, they eventually capitulated and sent out the NeoPower straight away while they tried to arrange a UK return address for the Phantom. A few days later I was told just to cut off its cable loom and send them a photograph showing both the serial number and the cut cables, which I'm very happy to do.

All in all, good service from Antec (after a few days waiting) - thanks to Don and Michelle for sorting it all out

I've completed a RMA with my phantom 500 too.

I had to sent the broken phantom to Holland as they requested (a whooping 25€). They sent me a neopower 650, without previoes notification about the change, I was expecting another phatom 500

I don't have many references about this PSU... but even if it was better I'm not happy with the swap.

Is the neopower 650 at least as silent as seasonic or corsair PSUs? It comes with a 80mm fan, so I have my doubts... I can't find information about noise in these new PSUs from antec.

The high-pitched buzz/whine from my 14-month-old Phantom 500 has grown more noticeable, especially in the first few minutes after powering on. No issues other than that, however, and I think the fan has still never started yet.

My Phantom 350 recently died after about 2 yrs of use. The case is fairly well ventilated and even has a hole above the PSU to ventilate the top fins.

As far as load, total system draw is 100W idle and 230W.

The RMAd unit is working fine for now.

My Phantom 500W seems to be on the way to a certain death.. I really can't turn my computer off; it takes to much time to boot it after it's been off.

Like others in this thread has posted, a hissing sound - a kind of sparkling, and blinking LEDs on my dvd are noticed when trying to power on. After like 5-10 on and offs eventually it boots correctly and then works perfect until power-off.

I thing I have like 2 months uptime on my Vista due to this error. However, reboot sems to work without problems.

I really would RMA it for a new one, but can't be without my computer that long..

=/

How long have you had your Phantom, Elohim?

HueyCobra wrote:How long have you had your Phantom, Elohim?

About two years now.

My Phantom died this year as well; they swapped me a 650w Neopower for it. Oh, and depressingly enough, in the correspondance, they referred to mym PSU as a 500w Phantom.

It was the completely fanless 350w I guess some of their employees are completely familiar with Antec's products...

My Phantom 500 works fine so far (nearly 8 months, typically on 10+ hours a day). I only noticed that the fan spins sometimes while connecting something to the back USB port, because I felt air coming out of the back of the PSU. Normally, my hard disk is louder (and it's a T166). No stability problems, either. Not that I expected any with a ~150W system.

Edit: My Phantom 500 is still working without any problems, 3 years after purchase. I should note that it sits in an Antec NSK 2480 case, so it's separated from system heat.

HueyCobra wrote:Providing it gives a few years of service ...

She's dead, Jim. A mere 18 months.

Any way to change my vote, MikeC?

I have 3 Phantom in my home.
One bought in 2005, one bought in 2006, one bought in 2007 (second hand).
All still working great!

At one point I thought one had failed, as the PC illustrated all the symptoms one would associate with a failed power supply... but it turned out to be a failed PCI slot!

Just found out about this forum and this thread.

My Phantom 500 died abruptly 11 months after I purchased it. I RMA'ed it back to Antec. I didn't hear from Antec for weeks. When I followed up I was told they didn't have any Phantom 500's in stock. So I waited. Monthly later I followed up again Antec told me they no longer made the Phantom 500.

Purchase date: January, 2007
Source: buy.com
Systems: variuous. Asus(amd 939); Gigabyte (am2)
Power consumptions: < 120W (939), < 90W (am2)

Phantom 500 worked for 3.5 years- it died recently. The blue light (back where the power button) is on for a second, then it fades out- mobo won't power up. That means I got spent about $50 per year on a power supply that eventually failed.

The PSU powered a dual opteron setup with many HDs, but was never on 24x7-- mostly it is on when I get home and used roughly 2-6 hours per day.

Was hoping the unit would last longer. Antec (predictably) refused to help.

Of course, if anybody seen this and have an easy fix, please email me.. I'm not good with electronics, but if I get know what to fix, I can whip out the solders and do some DIY repair.

The phantom 350 (bought about the same time) is struggling as well- it randomly powers down the PC (about 4-5 hours of use). I had to remove the video card (to make it consume less power) from the Athlon system (which had integrated graphics) to stabilize the system.

Well... to the date - 2nd of March 2009 it has crapped out on me.

Exactly 4 years.

wooglin wrote:Purchased 2/22/05 from NCIX.COM
Received & Installed on 3/2/05
Serial: D05015525199

Basis System:
Asus P4R800-V Deluxe mobo, P4 3.06GHz Northwood, Zalman CNPS7000-A-AlCu
2x512MB Kingston HyperX
ATI 9800 Pro, w/Zalman fanless Heatpipe Cooler
2x200GB Seagate Barracuda (Raid1) & 1x120GB WD Caviar & 1x80GB WD Caviar
DVD+RW, Hauppauge TV Tuner Card
2x120mm Nexus Fans (Exhaust & HD Cooling)
Antec Sonata case, only mod is the removal of the rear grill.

Updates to follow....
... And an hour later... Houston, we have liftoff. The only problem I had with installation was that I almost tried to plug the PCI-E plug into the P4 connector... never saw one of those before, had me confused. Seems to be running as it should so far.

If I don't report back, assume all is well.

Edit: Quick temperature checks (CPU at 100% running 2 instances of FAH, as well as PVR recording)
With old Enermax Noisetaker 365W
CPU - 51C
System - 31C

With new Antec Phantom 350W
CPU - 45C to 47C
System - 33C
Phantom feels barely warm to the touch. I believe the drop in CPU temp (if not marginal due to reinstallation of CPU HS & AS5) is that the exhaust fan is no longer fighting with the PSU to exhaust the hot air, although the increase in system temp speaks to the slightly lower overall airflow due to the removal of the PSU fan (and airflow is now coming in through the phantom). No real change in HD temps taken through dTemp... Raid is at 36C, storage drive at 31C.

Edit: and after a week all is still very well. Phantom running cool, though I did find out that if I remove the side panel of the sonata (and airflow though the Phantom is lost) that beautiful block of black aluminum heats up pretty quick.

Heed the warnings about having proper airflow in through your case. There's no way I'd run a fanless case with a Phantom unless it was remarkably underpowered/undervolted/declocked/what-have-you.

UPDATE: I seem to have made it past the magical 3-week point and STILL RUNNING WELL Except for 3 or 4 (user requested) reboots, system has been running (and folding) 24x7

May 18th and still going strong. Now considering putting a higher-flow 120mm exhaust fan in place of the Nexus to deal with increased summer temps... I think I can stand a slight increase in noise.

Mid November and all still good... 8+ months

September 2006 and no issues (19+ months) . Running PVR 24/7 with same config as posted originally.

I bought a couple of Antec 500's back in Nov or Dec 2007 and haven't used them yet. I did some googling and found this thread.

What's the consensus on these power supplies? I will probably build them into a couple of systems this year. Will I be disappointed?

I'd certainly be prepared for disappointment, that way you'll not be, well, so disappointed if they do turn out to be lemons

Seems to be a mixed bag. At the very least Antec had problems with these PSUs, as evidenced by my disassembly of a supposedly "new" Phantom 500 when it started screeching like a car alarm not long after I started using it.

It is my opinion that Antec brought out their "Signature" range as an attempt to recoup some of the lost image caused by the PSU quality problems during this period - iirc Phantoms weren't the only ones affected.

Mine died yesterday. Bought: 14 August 2007, so still within the 3 year warranty!

It made a bang and died quickly, then released a smell.

I don't see the value to me of posting my serial number.

It lived in an Antec P182 case with an xternally-cooled CPU & Northbridge. The sources of heat were a fan-cooled Radeon 5850, & a standard hard drive in a GUP enclosure.

I always kept the PSU on the setting "only put the fan on if you absolutely have to."

Before I'd read all the posts in this thread, I arranged Antec's RMA procedure online, which is smooth and efficient enough (just waiting for the RMA no. now). Now I've found out it'll cost me at least £27 to post it back to their Netherlands address

So I decided to exercise my Consumer Rights and have requested the e-tailer accept it through their own RMA procedure, since my contract's with them - this way, it'll be cheaper to post back. I await their own reply.

But having now read this thread, I'm going to try and argue with Antec for me to just dispose of the unit, first cutting off the leads and e-mailing them some photos, like user blackworx managed to do.

Since they've discontinued this brand, I hope they'll replace it with one of their best models.

By the way, please don't welcome me. I've posted a couple times before, but the website won't send a password reminder to my e-mail address, saying it doesn't exist - but it won't let register with the same e-mail address, saying it's been used!

Edit: Antec have now issued me an RMA no. (haven't heard from the e-tailer yet). So I called to discuss my request to not have to physically send it. They gave me another phone number to the one in their RMA e-mail. I called it, and the woman said she'd have to speak to someone about this, and they only allow this in certain circumstances. She said they'll get back to me.