PSU with 2x PCIe

[Lee`]

I bought a new graphics card (GTX470) recently, and having installed it, I've found that when I open up games the whole system shuts down. I've put this down to the PSU not being able to handle the load of the new PSU.

The current PSU only has a single PCIe cable, and I used a molex to PCIe for the second PCIe connection on the graphics card. Is that bad practice, and should I exclusively look for a PSU with 2 x PCIe cables?

[UseItNow]

Would really help if you listed your system (or is it the one in the sig?).

[jim]

Even if it is (the one in your profile), you haven't put the model of your PSU which is fairly crucial.

[Lee`]

Bought the system second hand, and I think the PSU is this;

http://www.scan.co.uk/products/700w-...2v-atx-v22-psu

rest of the system (minus GPU) is in the sig. And I've been looking at replacing it with this;

http://www.scan.co.uk/products/550w-...an-atx-v22-psu

(Not that I like the green, but trying to spend as little as possible)

Also, I bought a cheap molex to PCIe, I assumed it wouldn't have much of an impact, if that cables dodgy, could that be causing the issue?

http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

[Pob255]

Bad bad bad psu, no way is that a 700w psu, simple clues are the price, and the lack of cables.
You're lucky it's just shutting down and not killing stuff or catching fire.

And don't get that powercool ether, it's slightly more honest but not by much.
Mainly because it has to be able to supply rated power to pass 80+ cert, but only 27a on the 12v is a little low for a 400w psu let alone a 550w, which shows it's an old design inside

Get this one http://www.scan.co.uk/products/550w-...-quiet-fan-atx made by seasonic, it's basically an S12II Bronze in a custom case with a slightly tweaked PWM power regulator to give a slight boost to the 12v at the expense of a bit of 5v and 3.3v

EDIT: not in stock, try contacting scan to find out when they expect more in, if they can still get them.
alternatives
http://www.scan.co.uk/products/530w-...an-atx-v23-psu
http://www.scan.co.uk/products/520w-...an-atx-v23-psu (this is the one the xfx 550w is based off)

Rough rule of thumb for psu's is expect to pay around £10 per 100w

[Macadee]

Don't replace tat with more tat, spend a little more and get a decent branded unit such as this Seasonic made Antec http://www.scan.co.uk/products/520w-...-fan-atx-v23-p currently on Today Only for £44.70

[Pob255]

Don't replace tat with more tat, spend a little more and get a decent branded unit such as this Seasonic made Antec http://www.scan.co.uk/products/520w-...-fan-atx-v23-p currently on Today Only for £44.70

That's a good one, only down side with it is you don't get a set of modular cables. note the scan one does not come with any modular cables
This was one of antec's semi-modular psu's, it should have for following non-modular cables, 20+4pin, 4+4pin, pci-e 6pin, pci-e 6+2pin, one molex chain 3xMolex 1xFloppy, one sata chain 3xSata
that's a lot more than most normal modular (the rise of fully modular means what used to be called modular ie just the 20+4pin and 4+4pin hard wired are now often called semi-modular)
So you should still have enough cables to run a system and if you can find or make up modular cables for this you can use more.

[Lee`]

Very glad I asked here first! Cheers for the advice, my other option is a second hand OCZ gamextream 850watt, for £50. This would give me more power than needed if I decided to upgrade later, but I have been warned of degrading performance with time with PSUs.

[Pob255]

If that's the one I think it is then they where not that great to begin with, it's an old fsp epsilon unit that OCZ overrated, they originally came out back in 2006
ripple goes out of atx spec as you push them and efficiency plummets, basically you had to treat them as a 700w unit when they where new.
With the age it'll probably be ok, but a gtx470 might well be too much for it and I'd not want to overclock on it.

You'd be better off with a new 500-550w unit

PSU's are more about quality than big wattage numbers

[technodean]

Agreed with above, Get a newer model, That second hand unit could be between 5 - 7 years old and on its last legs. You can run an overclocked 3770k and a 7970 on a Quality 550w PSU. The guru only pulled 419w @ full load with a similar set-up to yours. http://www.guru3d.com/articles_pages...review,13.html

[Macadee]

That's a good one, only down side with it is you don't get a set of modular cables. note the scan one does not come with any modular cables
This was one of antec's semi-modular psu's, it should have for following non-modular cables, 20+4pin, 4+4pin, pci-e 6pin, pci-e 6+2pin, one molex chain 3xMolex 1xFloppy, one sata chain 3xSata
that's a lot more than most normal modular (the rise of fully modular means what used to be called modular ie just the 20+4pin and 4+4pin hard wired are now often called semi-modular)
So you should still have enough cables to run a system and if you can find or make up modular cables for this you can use more.

I had the similar Truepower-New 650 on a similar system and never used any of the additional modular cables, hence recommending it.

I'd agree with the XFX 550 unit you recommend though its been out of stock for some time, the alternatives are good - I have the seasonic 520 s12ii in my HTPC downstairs.

[D1DM]

I'd recommend the OCZ ZS Series 550W unit as it is independently regulated, uses all Japanese caps, performance is good, build quality is good, fairly slow spinning fan, especially on load and in comparison to other units in the price bracket. Decent price.

£50 @ Amazon & Dabs / £52 @ Ebuyer / £53 @ CCL Online
http://skinflint.co.uk/ocz-zs-series...w-a631078.html

Reviews:
http://www.xbitlabs.com/articles/cas..._11.html#sect0
http://www.jonnyguru.com/modules.php...Story&reid=248
http://www.kitguru.net/components/po...supply-review/

And don't get that powercool ether, it's slightly more honest but not by much.
Mainly because it has to be able to supply rated power to pass 80+ cert, but only 27a on the 12v is a little low for a 400w psu let alone a 550w, which shows it's an old design inside

What makes you think it is 80 Plus certified?
http://www.plugloadsolutions.com/80P...id=1296&type=2

[jim]

What makes you think it is 80 Plus certified?
http://www.plugloadsolutions.com/80P...id=1296&type=2

I think he was going on the basis that Scan say it is :/

[D1DM]

Scan say that it is because Powercool claim that it is, but the only source that matters when it comes to whether a unit is certified or not is Ecova (and maybe reputable manufacturers).

[jim]

Scan say that it is because Powercool claim that it is, but the only source that matters when it comes to whether a unit is certified or not is Ecova (and maybe reputable manufacturers).

Of course, but you asked why he thought it did

[Pob255]

Yep snooty has it correct, that and quite a few companies work via the loop hole that the psu is made by someone else they are just slapping their own sticker on it and putting it in their own box, so it could well be 80+ certified just under a different name.

Strictly speaking they shouldn't do that, even if it's under a different name it should be put forward for testing again, I think Ecova have been trying to clamp down on this, which is probably the only reason powercolor is now appearing on the Ecova lists.
So it could well be on the Ecova list under the original manufactures name. (some major brand names have done this)
Companies get away with it because they claim they are not changing it in any physical way and Ecova don't want them too because they want to be a trusted brand and more importantly they charge for 80+ testing so they'd make a lot more money if the exact same product has to be entered multiple times under the different names.

However I do have my suspicions that that 80+ is a total lie, or a carefully worded "truth" ie a statement that is true but designed to play on general misconceptions so people think it means something else.

That's why I'd say don't buy it and have been offering known good suggestions, and yes I'd happly add the ocz ZS to that list, great units for the money