Fortran FSP530 - Some questions [update]

shikhan · Post by **shikhan** » Mon Feb 09, 2004 11:28 am

I just got a FSP530 from newegg today. I'm plnanning on putting this into my system a bit later in the evening today, so i decided to just run it outsed my case to see how loud it was. I then went to test my rails. This is where i was kinda surprised.

It seems that the only way I can get my 12v rail to actually put out 12v is if i let my 5v go up around 5.8 - 5.9 V. And even then, I only hit around 11.5 - 11.7 v on the 12v rail. Now, i'm figureing this out using the 5 pots inside the ps. Only two of them seem to affect voltages, can't figure out what the other three do.

For those who have this (or similar model), do you know what the other three pots do? The two pots that change my voltages are the 1'st and 3rd counting from the left->right, if you look at it from above with the pots farthest away from you.

For the rest of you, is it okay to have my 5v rail this high? Or keep my 12v rail low?

My system is as follows:
1 IBM 60GB HD
1 Maxtor 120GB HD
1 WD 30GB HD

1 CD-RW
1 DVD
GeForceFX 5900 (the reason i got the new ps, my old fsp300 couldn't handle the card, so i'm currently using a geforce3)

Abit NF7-S
Barton 2500 (oc'ed to 3200 speeds)
Maxtor pci IDE Controller
Turtle Beach Santa Cruz

[update]
Okay, so i put it in and after a bit more fiddling around, I got my full system to boot and everything seems good. MBM Reports my rails as :

3.3: 2.67
5: 4.97
12: 11.86

I know i can go into the pots and up them a bit, but should I bother or will this be okay? Note that I still am running off my geForce3 and will try putting my geForceFX 5900 tomorrow. Will that cause any problems?

dukla2000 · Post by **dukla2000** » Mon Feb 09, 2004 12:17 pm

Dont play with the rails when there is zero load on the psu. The psu will have a minimum load required for each rail and unless you meet that minimum requirement you are in pot luck territory (including in the old days allegedly some psus would fail if you started them with no load!)

Thereafter it becomes a question as to how you measure the voltages - anything other than a multimeter on a spare molex isn't sufficiently accurate to warrant playing with pots (IMHO). And certainly I dont put that much faith in the accuracy of MBM etc readouts: they are OK to see if things are fluctuating but can be wrong for absolute values!

shikhan · Post by **shikhan** » Mon Feb 09, 2004 12:27 pm

I'm using a multimeter to mesure it. I was more nevous playing around with the pots with a load than without a load. I didn't know that would change it that significantly.

So, i should hook my my entire system and then check the voltages and play with the pots when? when the system is live or turn off and try again?

Uwackme · Post by **Uwackme** » Mon Feb 09, 2004 1:20 pm

You will see the 5V back to normal once you have a load on it. You need to have it connected to a system to accurately set the voltages. Once installed I had tweaked my rails by un-securing the supply, and moving it up on top of the case....all plugged in... and popped the cover. Then re-powered it, and adjusted the voltages on the windows desktop using MBM and using a Fluke 4 1/2 digit multimeter. Im at 3.5V on 3.3 rail, 5.15V on 5V rail, and 12.2V on 12V rail running 250Mhz x9 with 1Gig HyperX3500 at 3.3V VDimm and VCore of 1.825V... powering 2 80/8 Maxtors in SATA Raid0. The Fortron530W is a nice power supply... all that load and rails are rock solid.

Im going to test out the Superflower 550W... for both 120mm fan and for a bit more 12V amps in anticipation of switching to water cooling (gotta run 12V pump) to get to 10x250Mhz.

tay · Post by **tay** » Mon Feb 09, 2004 1:24 pm

Return the PSU and get another one. There are plenty of "queit" PSU's around. Fuck the pots. I wouldnt muck with them with my system plugged in unless : a) you can control those pots from outside the PSU (dont want u getting electrocuted) and b) you know the ranges that the movement gives you so that you are sure its not supersensitive and gives you 13v on the 12v rail even if you adjust it slightly.

I'd just return it. I've modded 3 psu's replacing fans/etc, but I wouldnt put my fingers anywhere inside a running one without much trepidation.

shikhan · Post by **shikhan** » Mon Feb 09, 2004 1:49 pm

The fortran has over voltage, over currant and short current protections. The voltage protection kicks in at 4.6v for 3.3, 6.5v for 5, 15.5v for 12.

Anyone know if too much voltage on a rail can damage something? (i'm not an EE/ECE, i hate this sort of thing :/)

tay · Post by **tay** » Thu Feb 12, 2004 4:37 pm

Those voltages are way too high. 4.6 on 3.3v is not much protecton at all. I would return it for another unit which has the adjustments on the dot. Also double check with a multimeter if you or one of your friends has one. Theyre 20 bucks and ez to use.

shikhan · Post by **shikhan** » Thu Feb 12, 2004 4:39 pm

Well, i've put it in and i'm currently sitting at these voltages (reported by mbm, havne't measured with my multimeter yet... I will when i get my vid card back next week)

3.3: 2.67v
5: 4.97-5v
12: 11.86v

tay · Post by **tay** » Thu Feb 12, 2004 8:33 pm

cool you can remove the psu from the system and adjust voltages. Short out two pins on the ATX connector so its in the on position (google it or ask someone here i cant remember the pins) and then you can adjust the pots "safely". That 2.67v is nuts.

shikhan · Post by **shikhan** » Thu Feb 12, 2004 9:00 pm

I've done that but dukla2000 has said that messing with the ps with zero load is bad. As for which pins to short to start the ps, its the (normally) green colored wire with any black (ground) wire.

I think i'll mess around with it later this weekend after i've finsihed a coding project due on sunday... It'd be bad if i messed up before

HammerSandwich · Post by **HammerSandwich** » Thu Feb 12, 2004 9:34 pm

shikhan wrote:3.3: 2.67v

I suspect you got your sensors crossed and that's actually RAM voltage.

shikhan · Post by **shikhan** » Mon Feb 16, 2004 11:22 am

HammerSandwich wrote:
shikhan wrote:3.3: 2.67v
I suspect you got your sensors crossed and that's actually RAM voltage.

No, that was actually my 3.3

I just checked with a voltmeter. I tweeked it so that my rails are now:

+5: 5.05 V
+12: 11.98V
+3.3: 3.23V

Fortran FSP530 - Some questions [update]

Fortran FSP530 - Some questions [update]

hmm