Optimizing Computer Cooling: Is Using Multiple Power Supplies a Good Idea?

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the idea of using multiple power supplies for a computer, specifically separating the power supply for fans from the main power supply for the computer components. Participants explore the implications of this setup, including potential benefits and drawbacks, as well as practical considerations for implementation.

Discussion Character

  • Debate/contested
  • Technical explanation
  • Exploratory

Main Points Raised

  • Some participants question the necessity and practicality of using a separate power supply for fans, asking how to synchronize the startup of both supplies.
  • Others suggest that using a dedicated power supply for fans could prevent overloading the main power supply.
  • Concerns are raised about losing temperature-speed control for fans if they are connected directly to a separate power supply.
  • Participants discuss the wattage requirements of fans, noting that they typically consume very little power compared to other components.
  • Some argue that multiple power supplies have been used in home computers for years, and there are even specialized power supplies designed for this purpose.
  • There is skepticism about the reliability and actual output of various power supplies, with some participants expressing concerns about the quality and regulation of power supply units in the market.
  • One participant mentions that using a low-cost power supply for fans could be a cost-effective solution to ensure stability when adding high-demand components like graphics cards.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express differing views on the necessity and effectiveness of using multiple power supplies. While some see potential benefits, others question the practicality and need for such a setup. The discussion remains unresolved regarding the best approach to managing power supplies in this context.

Contextual Notes

Participants mention various assumptions about power supply outputs and the actual power consumption of components, but these assumptions are not universally agreed upon. There is also a lack of consensus on the specific requirements and configurations that would be optimal for the proposed setup.

slee95
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I decided to use 1 power supply to run my computer and one to run my fans is the a bad idea?
2 fans in the front 2 fans in the back and 1 fan on the side and 1 fan under my graphics card.
 
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Why would you want to do that? How do you propose to start up the fans at the same time as the computer? You'd need to manually start the power supply dedicated to the fans first every time you started the computer.
 
well the power supply is not from a computer but has the same voltage and i know to start the fans first it seems to work.
 
But why would you want to do that?
 
i didn't want to over tax my powers supply
 
By connecting the the fans straight to the psu you will lose the temperature-speed control provided by the motherboard?

Whats the pc spec and the psu wattage?
 
whats psu wattage?
 
here the computer that i have but i did pout it in a different case http://www.geeks.com/details.asp?inv...&CJPID=4176654
 
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People have been building home computers with more than one power supply for years so I don't see what the problem is. You can even buy power supplies that are designed just to supplement existing ones. Here is an article on the subject that might give you some clues as to the pros and cons and what to avoid:

http://www.hardocp.com/article/2011/08/24/black_art_dual_psus_in_your_enthusiast_pc/
 
  • #10
http://extreme.outervision.com/psucalculatorlite.jsp

Check this site for a calculator to find out if you would be overloading your PSU or not. personally i have an Apower 1000w PSU running two gtx275's in SLI with 4 am3 cpu coolers on them, an amd phenom II x6 @4.0ghz, asus xonar dx sound car(using 3.5" cable), 4gb ddr3 1333(generic), OCZ agility 3 60gb sata 3, 2x 1tb WD1TB green 7200rpm sata 3, samsung bluray drive sata 3, and 8x 120mm fans and a 200mm fan. (antec 1200 case)

All of my power cables are in use apart from one Sata Power, my pc runs perfectly. according to that site i only use 722w

It feels like i use a lot more, but fans don't use much power compared to hard drives and graphics cards and so on.
 
  • #11
slee95 said:
i didn't want to over tax my powers supply

How many fans do you have? Computer fans won't take up more than a few watts each.

wuliheron said:
People have been building home computers with more than one power supply for years so I don't see what the problem is. You can even buy power supplies that are designed just to supplement existing ones. Here is an article on the subject that might give you some clues as to the pros and cons and what to avoid:

http://www.hardocp.com/article/2011/08/24/black_art_dual_psus_in_your_enthusiast_pc/

Sure, there is nothing wrong with multiple power supplies, but there isn't really a use based on the OPs needs.
 
  • #12
2 fans in the front 2 fans in the back and 1 fan on the side and 1 fan under my graphics card.
 
  • #13
Pengwuino said:
How many fans do you have? Computer fans won't take up more than a few watts each.

Sure, there is nothing wrong with multiple power supplies, but there isn't really a use based on the OPs needs.

That's difficult to say from the description. Power supplies are one of the biggest con jobs left in the PC industry. It's a stupid 12v power supply, but the industry is so under regulated only a few companies have become reputable for producing quality products and people are willing to grossly over pay just to insure their power supply doesn't fry their computer. You can buy a power supply with the same rated output for anywhere from 18 bucks to 150 and the older they get more risky the crappy ones become. Often they don't even put the amount of power they are advertised for when brand new.
 
  • #14
your totally right, majority of the time they just put a "estimated maximum output" for example you may buy a 1000w psu and its maximum output is only 720 or 480w in some cases, better the brand the closer the esitmation. for a pc running only 6 fans you could get away with a normal non branded 18 buck powersupply.
 
  • #15
Power supplies that come with brand name computers have gotten a little better in recent years, but they still tend to have marginal output and I can't blame people for being cautious. I never thought of it before, but adding an 18 dollar power supply like that is one way you could cheaply ensure you could add something like a modern graphics card for gaming or whatever. Plug the fans and anything else you can into the external power supply and it could make the difference between the computer frying or crashing all the time when you try to play games or whatever.
 
  • #16
Ok thank you guys :)
 

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