PSU installation -- easy as pie or the beginner's nightmare?

[Hans L]

I'm building my first computer. I'm fragile, sensitive, and ignorant :-) In spite of these handicaps, I have managed to buy all but the PSU (well, I don't 'ave the DVD burner yet, but I know what I want).

My case is Lian-Li PC-A10. Good case. But I am a little confused, to say the least, about how to install the PSU and how the two different types of PSU are installed.

The first type of PSU, you can see on this page for my case:

http://www.lian-li.com/Product/Chass...C_S_PC-A10.htm

Look at picture 4. First, it shows the first type of PSU, namely the one with the fan on the large side wall of the PSU. It faces the side panel of the case, with no more than 1/2 inch to spare. Can I assume that it is an "sucking" fan -- sucking air into the PSU, pushing the air out through the grid in the back? (This is my first and main question.)

The second type of PSU is the one that is shown on this page:

http://www.hexus.net/content/item.php?item=6507&page=8

I assume this type of power supply is mounted the same way the other one is: heightwise. (This is my second, and equally main, question.)

Grateful for your response to these two questions.

[Clunk]

I'm building my first computer. I'm fragile, sensitive, and ignorant :-) In spite of these handicaps, I have managed to buy all but the PSU (well, I don't 'ave the DVD burner yet, but I know what I want).

My case is Lian-Li PC-A10. Good case. But I am a little confused, to say the least, about how to install the PSU and how the two different types of PSU are installed.

The first type of PSU, you can see on this page for my case:

http://www.lian-li.com/Product/Chass...C_S_PC-A10.htm

Look at picture 4. First, it shows the first type of PSU, namely the one with the fan on the large side wall of the PSU. It faces the side panel of the case, with no more than 1/2 inch to spare. Can I assume that it is an "sucking" fan -- sucking air into the PSU, pushing the air out through the grid in the back? (This is my first and main question.)

The second type of PSU is the one that is shown on this page:

http://www.hexus.net/content/item.php?item=6507&page=8

I assume this type of power supply is mounted the same way the other one is: heightwise. (This is my second, and equally main, question.)

Grateful for your response to these two questions.

I had a tagan like the one shown and its not an ideal design. there are no molex connectors on it, just a load of sata connectors and cheapo plastic adapters that short circuit easily. the fans are also loud when they are at full blast and they have a habit of sticking on full.

I would imagine that youll find fitting the psu easy enough. its just a case of feeding the loom into the case and then slotting the psu into the case. Looking at the pics of your case, it looks like a removable psu tray that you screw the psu into and then slide in and out, so that should be pretty straightforward. Every lian li that i have worked on has been really easy to figure out.

[Agent]

just a load of sata connectors and cheapo plastic adapters that short circuit easily

Which / where ?
The modular connections to the PSU itself ?

[Hans L]

But am I right about the first fan sucking and the second fan pushing?

[Clunk]

Which / where ?
The modular connections to the PSU itself ?

Its not modular that one mate, the one i had only had 3 molex in total on one wire and all the rest were sata with the adapters that i mentioned.

and yes you are right hans L about one fan pulling and one pushing.

[Hans L]

... and yes you are right hans L about one fan pulling and one pushing.

Okay, one PSU mystery (to me, that is) solved. Now, onto selecting a silent PSU.

[scrandman]

The PSU with the large 120mm fan is acutally blowing air onto the heatsinks & other gubbins inside the PSU and it will naturally convect out the back of the PSU. The one with the smaller 80mm fan on the back uses this to suck hot air out of the PSU. Normally there are vents on the front of the PSU which allow for cooler air to convect inside.

Rule of thumb - PSUs with 120mm fans tend to be quieter. Seasonic are about the quietest on the market.

[Hans L]

Okay, scrandman, great info. Thanks too all of you. I will now look at Seasonic (and other brands) with new eyes. I though I could not use the 120 mm fan version in my case -- wow, there is a lot to learn when you are not only doing this for the first time, but also technically challenged :-)

[dave87]

Its not that bad really, if you want quality & silence Seasonic should be top of your shopping list. Something like the S12-500 or -600w should be fine, otherwise if you want a modular PSU the M12 is probably your best bet.

Dave

[Elessar_VPR]

Apparently the PSU space in the A10 (looks very nice case!) is big enough for even the largest PSU's on the market at the moment (such as the PC P&C 1kW), so I imagine you should be fine with whatever one you get. Personally I would consider the Seasonic M12 series.

[Hans L]

I feel a stirring of excitement -- I may be close to selecting my PSU. I never thought, when I started this adventure, that the PSU would be the most problematic choice. Well, the lousy, to say the least, documentation at component manufacturers' websites about power consumption and needs created that problem. You have to find reviews of each component you might consider, where the reviewer have had the opportunity to look at labels or have gotten "inside" information on power consumption/needs in order to learn yourself about it.

I will look first at the Seasonic S-12 and M-12 models, both reviews and on the manufacturer's site.

[scrandman]

If quiet is important to you, good information can be found at:

http://www.silentpcreview.com/

and

http://www.silentpcreview.com/forums/

[Hans L]

If quiet is important to you, good information can be found at:

http://www.silentpcreview.com/

and

http://www.silentpcreview.com/forums/

Great tip. I've joined the forum, and will look through the site.

[Hans L]

I just bought a Seasonic S-12 500 W at Cesell.com (via Silentpcreview). It took a long time to learn all I needed to learn before making an educated decision. Your comments and recommendations on Hexus Forum (various threads) were invaluable. http://forums.hexus.net/images/smilies/thumbsup.gif

[Blitzen]

I just bought a Seasonic S-12 500 W at Cesell.com (via Silentpcreview). It took a long time to learn all I needed to learn before making an educated decision. Your comments and recommendations on Hexus Forum (various threads) were invaluable. http://forums.hexus.net/images/smilies/thumbsup.gif

Good choice.
You will be more than happy with that!

[dave87]

Yup, you will certainly be happy with that - I've got one in my rig at home and it has been faultless

Dave