PC power supply requirements are some of the most essential aspects of personal computer performance. The power supply is included among likely failure-prone components on the computer system because many builders will skimp in this area. A power supply that fails can be very costly in terms of the damage it can cause as a result of inappropriate or unpredictable voltage being transmitted to the components of the computer. Many of us have had the unpleasant experience of smelling the burning of a motherboard or some other costly component.
Function
When you plug your computer into a conventional wall outlet, the computer's power supply takes over and transduces the power at the socket or alternating current (AC) power, from 120 volts or 240 volts, down to one of three direct current (DC) power levels currently being used by personal computers: +3.3V, +5v and +12v. All personal computers have connectors that are installed on the motherboard. These connections are what provide power to the motherboard, CPU, RAM, USB and other essential components. If these connectors are bad, they can lead to damage to one or more of the many parts that are powered by them.
Good_Power
To ensure that the computer system does not attempt to operate without meeting adequate power supply requirements, there are mechanisms within the power supply that conduct a series of internal diagnostic tests prior to the system booting up. This means that the voltage requirements of the power supply must meet the specifications as established within a predetermine power range.
The tests must be passed before the system will start. If everything is operating properly, a signal called Good_Power is relayed to the motherboard. The transmission of this signal must be uninterrupted in order for the computer to continue to operate. If the signal is broken, and the power supply is no longer continuous, the Good_Power signal stops. It must be reset, and a proper signal emitted, for the computer to start again.
Specifications
You can determine whether the PC power supply requirements are being met in products by specifications that usually identify the input and output capabilities, as well as their properties. The power supply for personal computers is based on what is known as a switching model. This is a high-speed oscillating circuit that is designed to reduce the high voltage of 120 volts and 240 volts AC power down to the lower DC voltage requirements of PCs.
To protect your computer parts, you must have a high-quality power supply. Most top-of-the-line equipment would guarantee that your system will not become damaged from incidents such as brownouts, power outage of any length and voltage spikes up to 2,500 volts at the wall outlet.
Wattage
There is not much difference between a 250-watt or 400-watt switching power supply in terms of the actually power that is consumed. The power supply wattage that is necessary to run your computer is contingent on the number of devices you have connected to your system. If you utilize every available slot on your motherboard to run your hardware, and the system's total wattage capacity is 250-watts, you are bordering on overloading your system.
You can calculate the wattage required by your PC by adding the wattage required for each piece of hardware connected to your system, which may include the following: graphics card, RAM, PCI, DVD-Rom, hard drive, motherboard and microprocessor.
Management
Most personal computers now have features that at one time were considered options. As a result, PC power supply requirements have increased over the years. Larger monitors, DVD-RAM drives, high-powered graphics cards and NICs require more power to operate. This has driven up the expense associated with running a PC. Getting into the habit of turning off certain devices when they are not being used may decrease power consumption and lower your electric costs. There are also applications on the market that will assist you in the efficient management of your power supply.
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