Tagan PSU. Design Flaws

Okay, so after many rave reviews, I bought one of these, what everyone failed to mention was 2 huge design flaws.

The first is the motherboard power connector, it's not standard ATX, so comes with a hideous ATX adapter. This thing is the size of a small house, gets in the way, look like crap, probably prevents air flow around the CPU heatsink and is just plain stupid.

Secondly, the cables come out of the left side of the PSU. That's right, unlike most PSU's where they come out the right, on the Tagan they're on the left. This means that if you're like me, and tuck the spare wires, etc down the back of the motherboard tray, you can't! Secondly, if you have a window in the side of your case, you now get to look at all the lovely wires. In close up. Unless, like me you do a little bit of creative work and adjust the PSU and case to allow it to be fit the oposite way round


:mad:

Just a warning to those considering the Tagan.

hmm glad I went ThermalTake This time, sure sounds like two fundamental things that really should have been mentioned.

m@

I wouldnt call them huge design flaws. I was aware of the converter from reviews, but I cant say that what side the wires come out affects me all that much. Maybe it's because it's designed to be BTC compatible? Still, it does the business, which is all that concerns me.

Connector isnt that bad, the Aerocool PSU i have uses the connector and its easy to route out of the way in my system.

It's not easy, on say, an NF7. The connector is only a few inches long, the bloody huge adapter is in line with the CPU. As for the wires, well yes it's a pain, because on the right side it's easier to feed them down the back and out of the way, now you have to fiddle about.

With a bit of modding though couldn't you mount it upside down?
I was considering getting a tagan, i only just put a window in my case, and it already looks a mess with my Suntek.
What kinda noise does the Tagan actually make, is it really "ultra quiet"
Another thing they forget to mention in most reviews is whether the fan speeds up at diff. temps, cuz this would affect noise

Yes, I modded it so i'ts upside down. What happens now though is the PSU doesn't rest in it's little cradle in the Lian Li, instead it's screwed very tightly to the back of the case, near the top, kinda just hanging (I.e, the only thing holding it there are the screws in the back of the case).

Of course, there's still a crap load of wires now. I'll take pics when I get home.

Oh, and as far as I can tell, it's very silent.

I have one in my PC60 and have the cables on the right (as you look at the front of the case) and it fits perfectly into my cradle in the case.

Yes the connector is big but as someone pointed out it is BTX compatiable and a server PSU (24pin EATX connector).

Just have to plan where you are going to put the cables :) not a design flaw at all!

Its basically the same as a Power PC and Cooling PSU which cost $200 plus!

Don't know how yours went in with the cables on the right as it's designed the opposite way around

http://www.danmoz98.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/tagan.jpg

Who cares what it looks like as long as it performs...

See I run my cables through a custom hole cut by the PSU that leads to the back of mobo tray. All cables bar one (for fan bus) go through that! Better than my old Hiper which bent cables across to get it in

For those saying they're not huge design flaws, well they are, they're completely unnecessary and common sense could have prevented them, do you want stupid people designing your hardware.

The designers of the Tagan company are some of the best in the business!

IF they were design flaws why do they get rated so highly?
http://img.hexus.net/hexus_v2/images...ws/review9.gif

If the wires went across the fan and blocked the intake then yes it would be but it doesn't!

If you wouldn't buy the PSU because of this then I think its stupid! All the quality for peanuts and a PSU that is going to be future proof!

The adapter lets you run it on new boards.. BTX... :) Also WATX stuff.

Also - mount it the other way round

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Firelord-OCHW

The designers of the Tagan company are some of the best in the business!

IF they were design flaws why do they get rated so highly?
[img]snip[/img]

If the wires went across the fan and blocked the intake then yes it would be but it doesn't!

If you wouldn't buy the PSU because of this then I think its stupid! All the quality for peanuts and a PSU that is going to be future proof!

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But if I had put it in the normal way, then fed the cables to the other side of the case and down the back of the motherboard tray, the wires would have been cutting across the fan intake.

Secondly, I can't simply mount it upside down as the back of the Lian Li is cut to fit PSU's, ie, there's a large round bit where the fan fits and then a smaller rectangular bit where the power socket and on/off switch is, turning the PSU upside down won't work as the screw holes don't line up.

Thinking about this is hurting my head, I'm wondering if I could have fit (was 2 in the morning when I installed it) the Tagan the opposite way around and still had it in the cradle. I think I'm going to have a long hard look when I get home.

Although, even if I could, it might be better keeping it the way it is. Otherwise I'd have to feed the big horrible power cable and connector past the CPU.

I'd rather have the extended connector - because it would allow me to upgrade the motherboard without upgrading the psu - we're likely to see more of them as BTX comes in this year. The blame is more here on abit for putting the connector is such a stupid place (and lian li for putting in that rather silly PSU cage).

On the PC60 you /can/ install the PSU the other way up (you need to insert the psu from the top or thorugh the side - not the back if you do this) and like Firelord - I have cut a hole in the side of this area to pull the cables through. Unfortunately the PC70 design is different - often the case with full towers, they put the PSU in half way down ( I suppose for nasty PSUs with short leads ).

You could make yourself a new plate to fit on the back with the PSU at the bottom and the right way up, but personally I think it looks good where it is now - you just need a little more tubing for the leads.

Just had a thought actually - looking at the diagram from lian-li's site:

http://scasp.webnow.biz/upload/a0000...S/spec_374.jpg

Couldn't you just flip the back plate over?

Yeah, That's what I was thinking, but then I thought "NO, it couldn't be that simple, did I try that?"

As I said, it was 2am when I fitted it, whether I tried or not I can't remember. I might investigate when I get home but I think I'll leave it where it is as it creates more space around the socket, plus it's more convenient for the cables, I just need to get some wrap to hide the remaining unsightly mess.

As for the connector, well couldn't they have done it the other way around? ATX > BTX?

Unfortunately the new specs have more connectors for more current - you can go down to ATX, but not up.

I'd leave it where it is - much better position anyhow :) Seen a lot of cases with no further support of the PSU than the four screws, but than can be added if you need it with a minimum of modding. Should give you better airflow as well - though the I think two fans there are a bit overkill :)

The fans are on a fanbus anyway. I think I have some cable wrap left somewhere so I guess I'll be having some fun when I get home.

I just bought the Tagan 480 and didn't build my system yet, I'm still waiting for socket 939 / Athlon 64 3500+. I must say, the build quality on this thing is excellent, and as I don't use a windowed case (I use a black Wave Master), I am not too bothered by the wires or how it looks. As long as it performs as the reviews claim I'll be a very happy man. I still have every confidence in the Tagan. No one else, in reviews or otherwise has really complained about the things you mentioned.

Regards the psu adapter, the CWT's are the same m8. it for the amd 64bit support

The adapter is a piece of crap, they should have made the actual adapter cable a bit longer so it could be moved well out of the way of the socket area.

Seriously, maybe I should get a job in R&D?

On the subject of design flaws, Leadtek's 5900 Ultra has a huge one regarding that cassette tape like heatsink. When installing in an NF7, the heatsink totally blocks off IDE 2 (and at the time the card was released, the NF7 was probably the most popular nforce2 motherboard).

I had to dremel a part of the heatsink off so the IDE cable would plug into the motherboard. I did tell the guys at Leadtek although I don't know whether they did anything about it.

Why don't you then? jeez they spend thousands (prob hundred of thousands) developing these things and design em for the best possible out come....

You are one in hundreds of people that have a problem with it.... ever think its just you?? Design it better and show us then....

One in hundreds? Well that's not entirely true, anyone else who had an Abit NF7 and bought the Leadtek 5900U would also have the same problem.

Also, I'm not the only one to mention the adapter.

Also, I was looking on some other forums and my point about SATA connectors was also mentioned by a few other people.

It's not exactly difficult, you think about what people will and won't want. Eg, "Hmm, we have the cables coming out the left side, a lot of people most probably feed their excess cables down the back of the motherboard tray, maybe we should design the cables to come out the other side of the PSU?" or "maybe we should increase the length on this adapter cable as it hangs around quite close to the CPU / Heatsink?"

It's called Research and Development for a reason you know

The adapter is common place by the look of it for good quality PSU units such as the CWT 550ADP and the tagan. They do this so the PSU can be used by dual processor systems and I too agree this block does look ugly, but with a little coaxing it can be hidden ;)

Lee

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Oakey

Also, I was looking on some other forums and my point about SATA connectors was also mentioned by a few other people.

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The SATA connectors are already getting a redesign.