Most silent 500W psu with fan for P180?

PSUs: The source of DC power for all components in the PC & often a big noise source.

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where?wolf
Posts: 198
Joined: Mon Jul 31, 2006 5:10 am
Location: Southern Sweden

Most silent 500W psu with fan for P180?

Post by where?wolf » Fri Feb 16, 2007 1:11 pm

What is the most silent psu in that category?

Also I begin to think that my psu is slightly noisy, It's an Antec True Blue 480W. Maybe as a result that I seemed to have kild most other noise sources?

It have 2 X 80mm fans, thermally controlled. According to the fan monitor, the psu fans are spinning 1064 rpm. But I hear a low frequent humming. Is this the s.c coils maybe?

I have stopped the only case / cpu fan. A Noctua at 840rpm.
And the Zalman VF 900 CU at low. But it is'nt those who are the source to this.

So my main suspect is the psu.

So I'm beginnig to think of trying to find some psu in the 500W class with good Amperage, that fits my P180 case. And that is very silent.

Any suggestions?

I have been looking at Be Quiet! Black Power Pro.

Are those good ps?



Edit:

LOL! I found out, that it whas the psu....and the opening below the "psu shelf" in the P180. That amplified this psu noise. I filled that space with foam.( I have the psu flipped upside down, with so that the psu top fan is pointing upwards).

And I also put some Blue Tack like stuff, between the psu and the case, before tightning the screws.
Now I have to really listen very carefully to hear it at all!

I live in the country side, so in the evenings it's a very quiet enviroment.
And I have good hearing lol.

But I'm still looking for a new ps.

The True Blue is quite old by now. And a psu that utilizes a more modern technique and have a 120mm fan, I think would be better.

I've heard, that such a ps like the True blue, does'nt take full advantage of the +12V rail, but uses the 5V rail more instead.

kater
Posts: 891
Joined: Thu Sep 07, 2006 11:20 pm
Location: Poland

Post by kater » Mon Feb 19, 2007 5:44 am

What system do you use? Without knowing that you can't say which rail you need more - but I'd still say it's 12V. Also, are you sure you really need 500W?

Well, the quietest 500+ are S12 550 Energy+ and Corsair HX 520 - any of them will be significantly quieter than you TrueBlue.

BQ Dark Power is fine, but Straight Power will be even quieter. It's a pity it hasn't been reviewed here, but from what I've heard from my geek silence mates, it's quieter than BQ DP and v close to S12 - especially under load.

where?wolf
Posts: 198
Joined: Mon Jul 31, 2006 5:10 am
Location: Southern Sweden

Post by where?wolf » Mon Feb 19, 2007 6:08 am

Hi1

And thanks for the ansver.

I have Epox 8NPA + SLI mobo, an AMD64 3000+ Clawhammer s. 754.
2 gig of Corair XMS.
X18000GTO
1 Noctua 120mm fan in my P180 B case
4 hdd's. 2 internal and 2 external usb drives.
1 DVD combo.

That Straight Power psu, sounds interesting.

kater
Posts: 891
Joined: Thu Sep 07, 2006 11:20 pm
Location: Poland

Post by kater » Mon Feb 19, 2007 6:23 am

First of all, allow me to post one of my favorite comedy dialogues. It's from Mel Brooks' 'Young Frankenstein'.

Inga: Werewolf.
Frederick: Werewolf?
Igor: There.
Frederick: What?
Igor: There wolf. There castle.

:D

Ok, business now.
You current setup will draw no more than 230-240 under full load (given all your HDD's will be working hard at the same time) and you'll of course use the 12V rail primarily.
Well, I'd say anything more that 400W will be overkill, unless you're planning some serious upgrades in near future.

Yeah, BQ SP is one nice PSU, it's made by Fortron - and that's good, and should be slightly cheaper than Seasonic. My local friends really insist it's v quiet, but until I hear it personally, I'll take it with a grain of salt. But, they're also silence freaks (moderate types) so they might be right.

where?wolf
Posts: 198
Joined: Mon Jul 31, 2006 5:10 am
Location: Southern Sweden

Post by where?wolf » Mon Feb 19, 2007 6:33 am

Lol!

well, the onlly upgrade I will do in the near future is a DX10 videocard.
I'm just waiting to see what the upcoming midrange Geforce 8600 cards is like.

And maybe later on, a new mobo and cpu + RAM.
But it wont be until the next autumn or winter.
So maybe a 500W will be a good choise anyway.

I read a couple of reviews on the Straightpower line of psu's. It actually seems like the fan on the psu, have a faint humming to it. But of coarce it could be bad luck, that the reviewers got a bad sample. This whas meansioned in just one review.

But the Straight Power psus got very good marks for quality and stability.

The Blackpower Pro, does'nt seem to have this problem.

I live in the country side, so it's a quiet enviroment. And I have good hearing.
Last edited by where?wolf on Mon Feb 19, 2007 6:40 am, edited 1 time in total.

kater
Posts: 891
Joined: Thu Sep 07, 2006 11:20 pm
Location: Poland

Post by kater » Mon Feb 19, 2007 6:40 am

A 500W PSU will give you monumental headroom - I doubt 8600 cards will use more than 100W (mine needs 85W), and also remember newer CPU's will need much less power than 100W, but if it makes you feel safer than get a 500-watter. And if BQ SP sounds too unsecure, then get the S12 - always a good choice. Or the Corsair. It's up to you now :D

where?wolf
Posts: 198
Joined: Mon Jul 31, 2006 5:10 am
Location: Southern Sweden

Post by where?wolf » Mon Feb 19, 2007 6:42 am

Yeah, I will have to think about this before deciding.

But thanks for the help!
Much appriciated.

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