63

UPGRADING A POWER SUPPLY

CONTENTS AT A GLANCE Recognizing Potential Power Problems Dealing with Power Problems
Checking the AC Suspect the supply

Upgrading the Power Supply

Choosing a supply Test the upgrade carefully

Further Study

Power is the lifeblood of every PC. Each element of a PCfrom hard drives and memory, to video boards, motherboards, and modemsdemands energy from the power supply (Fig. 63-1). Many of todays IBM-compatible clones cut costs by using power supplies that provide enough power to run the basic system, but not much else. When you upgrade or refit such a PC, you can often run into system problems, such as random lockups, error messages, and a variety of other strange behaviors. This chapter shows you how to recognize potential power problems and upgrade the supply, if needed. Use extreme caution whenever working with power systems. Ac at the wall outlet (and inside the power supply itself) can be very dangerous in the hands of untrained personnel. If you are uncomfortable dealing with the hazards of ac, refer the actual testing and upgrade procedures shown here to more experienced individuals.

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FIGURE 63-1

A TurboCool 300AT power supply. PC Power

and Cooling

Recognizing Potential Power Problems

As with most PC problems, the key to recognizing power problems is proper diagnosis. Diagnosing a failed power supply is a relatively simple process. First, a supply malfunction will typically prevent a PC from bootinga fairly obvious symptom. A low-voltage or absent power output registered on a multimeter or POST board offers a direct indication of the problem. After you identify a failed supply, it becomes a matter of troubleshooting the supply or replacing it outright. Unfortunately, a great many power problems are intermittent. The power supply has not necessarily failed, but it is not able to supply enough power to keep the system running properly. The following chronic problems can often help you navigate this gray area:
s The computer freezes intermittently Just because your system locks up does not neces-

sarily mean that you should call the power company. Most computers are prone to freeze because of software application and configuration errors (which are never caused by power problems)especially after you install a new application. The time you should be suspicious of power problems is when your system (that has been working fine for some time) suddenly starts freezing for no reason at all (and regardless of the operating system or applications being used). Not just once, but several times a day, and maybe even several times an hour. If the system freezes when it is moved to a new location, power problems might also be to blame. s Random memory errors occur As with system lockups, an occasional memory error message does not necessarily indicate a power problemespecially if you have just added a new application or device driver. If you suddenly see a rash of memory errors (or have just finished upgrading the system), its time to check your power. If memory errors occur after moving the PC to another location, power problems are likely at fault. s Data is lost or corrupted on the hard drive Hard-drive problems can be the result of several factorseverything from a loose data cable to operator error. Check the drive carefully to be sure that it is connected securely. If the drive seems to be having difficulty reading or writing the disk, check power first before attempting to backup the disk or run any disk-based diagnostics. If you attempt to defragment or test the disk with

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power problems present, subsequent problems can do even more damage. This symptom also suggests that the supply might be overloaded. This might be the case if problems developed after you installed another drive or a power-hungry expansion board into your system. If power checks correctly, you can proceed with disk diagnostics. s Trouble occurs when communicating with modems or peripherals You might see a rash of communication errors when trying to use a modem or mouse (you might see other communication driver error messages). Be sure that the peripherals connected to your system are installed and configured properly. Established systems that suddenly have trouble staying on-line or interacting with the printer might be suffering from a power problem. In some cases, the loss of -5 V from the power supply can disable the modem (and cause odd connection sounds) without causing any other system problems. s The system suffers from chronic hardware failures Such a problem is characterized by a fault that seems to reoccur after a few days or a week. For example, you see a memory error, replace the memory, and the fault went away, but the same fault returns a few days later. This type of problem suggests that power spikes (brief, high-voltage surges of electricity) are entering the system from the ac line. Many economy power supplies omit even the most rudimentary spike- and surge-suppression circuitry, so power anomalies often pass through the supply to the motherboard and drives with little (if any) protection at all. In most cases, a power anomaly will crash the system, but it does not result in any real damage. In extreme cases, a strong power anomaly can actually damage one or more ICs on the motherboard, expansion board(s), or drive(s).

Dealing with Power Problems

Now that you have an idea how power problems tend to manifest themselves in the PC, you can take some decisive steps to isolate and rectify the problem. Regardless of what symptoms your particular system might be exhibiting, you should not automatically assume that your system (or power supply) is at fault. Before you even think about opening the PC, you should check the ac line voltage.

CHECKING THE AC
Even the most forgiving power supply needs a stable source of ac in order to function correctly. Industrial devices such as motors and heaters can draw so much power that insufficient ac voltage is remaining to power the computer. Commercial and domestic appliances, such as air conditioners, stoves, coffee makers, and refrigerators can also result in low or unsteady ac levels. Appliances are also notorious for their introduction of voltage spikes which can easily result in circuit damage. For the most part, it is rather pointless to look for power problems with ordinary test instruments. Multimeters are good for testing overall ac levels, but they are usually too slow to catch rapidly changing power levels such as spikes. Even most surges will go undetected. Oscilloscopes are too expensive for casual 50/60-Hz measurements and they rarely save any anomalies that are detectedonce the problem is displayed, it is gone. As a result, you are forced to sit and watch the oscilloscope until a problem occurs. Serious power observations require a dedicated power test instrument with data-logging or long-term

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chart-recording capabilities. Such equipment is available, but is far too expensive for ordinary users (although technicians might consider the PC Power Check board from Data Depot). Fortunately, some trial-and-error steps can be taken to test the problem. First, you need to make sure that your ac outlet is providing the right amount of voltage. Use a multimeter and measure the output at your wall outlet. Domestic U.S. voltage levels should be between 110 and 130 Vac. If voltage is too low (or too high), the objective is to find out if anything is on the line to cause the voltage problem. Check to see if any high-energy devices are on the same circuit (such as coffee makers or air conditioners). If so, try turning those devices off. If the ac at your computers outlet returns to a normal value, try your system nowthat might have been the problem. Eventually, you will need to turn your air conditioner or coffee maker back on, so be sure to shut down your system until you can have a new line installed or find another line for the computer. If no other devices are on the line (or the line voltage fails to return to a normal level), your next step should immediately be to find an outlet with the proper voltage level. If an outlet with a proper voltage cannot be found, an electrician should be consulted to install a proper ac line. An electrician should also be able to ensure that the ac line is properly grounded. If the ac line voltage seems correct, suspect the computer supply itself.

SUSPECT THE SUPPLY

If the ac input seems correct, you should suspect the computer supply. If the system is suffering from chronic hardware problems, try putting a good-quality surge protector between the ac wall outlet and computer ac cord. It also would be acceptable to try the system on another ac line that might be free of surges or spikes. Open the computer and use a multimeter to check the voltage level at each supply output against the pinout shown in Table 63-1. The +12-Vdc and +5-Vdc levels should be correct. The power LEDs on a PC power check (or suitably equipped POST board) will also give you an approximation of supply output levels. If any supply output level is low, the supply might be overloaded by too many devices in the system. If you have just upgraded the system with a new drive or expansion board, try
TABLE 63-1 POWER-SUPPLY OUTPUTS WIRE COLOR Black Blue Brown Gray Green Orange Orange Purple Red White Yellow VOLTAGE OR DESIGNATION Ground 12 Vdc +3.3V Sense (ATX and NLX supplies) Power OK (~ +5 Vdc in ATX and NLX supplies) Power supply on (soft-control signal for ATX and NLX supplies) +3.3 Vdc (ATX and NLX supplies) Power good (~ +5 Vdc in AT-style supplies) +5-Vdc standby (ATX and NLX supplies) +5 Vdc 5 Vdc +12 Vdc

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TABLE 63-2 TYPICAL PC POWER-SUPPLY CAPACITIES Basic PC terminals Slimline PCs General desktop PCs Mini-tower PCs Full-tower PCs Server or RAID PC 50 W to 100 W 100 W to 150 W 150 W to 250 W 200 W to 250 W 250 W to 400 W 300 W to 600 W

removing or disabling the upgrade and see if dc voltages climb to their normal levels. If they do, the supply is overloaded and should be upgraded. If levels do not return to normal (or either or both of the voltages are high), the supply might be defective. If you determine the supply to be defective, you can troubleshoot or replace the supply at your discretion.

Upgrading the Power Supply

It is not uncommon for power supplies to become overloaded by upgrades and peripherals, or to fail after prolonged use or repeated voltage spikes. When most consumers go out to buy a PC, the power-supply capacity is often the last specification on their minds. The more exciting specifications, such as CPU speed and hard-drive capacity, get all of the attentionfew people worry about upgrading a brand new system. As a technical professional, the best advise you can give consumers is very simple: Dont skimp on power. If you buy a new system, get one with a supply capacity that will be big enough to support a few typical upgrades, such as a video-capture board, an additional hard drive, a CD-ROM, an internal modem, and at least double the amount of memory currently fitted into the system. You need not invest in the biggest and best supply (unless youre building a network server or if you have a lot of expansion devices from a previous system), but dont trap yourself by getting the smallest (cheapest) one, either.

CHOOSING A SUPPLY
When you determine that your supply has failed (or needs to be upgraded), you must consider two important factors: the power capacity of the new supply and its physical dimensions. The capacity of a power supply is measured in watts (W). This is the maximum amount of power that can be supplied to a load (the computer) safely. Table 63-2 illustrates a comparison of power-supply ratings for various PCs. Todays PC power supplies range from about 50 to 300 W. Choosing the proper power rating for an upgraded supply is often a matter of approximationyou can usually calculate a safe upgrade by adding 50 W to the original supply rating. For example, a fair upgrade for an IBM AT supply (usually 192 W) would be the next closest rating to (192 + 50) = 242 W. The actual supply might be 230 W, 260 W, or something in that range, but at least youre in an acceptable range of ratings. Before you finally choose a replacement supply, you will need to consider its physical dimensions. The new supply must be able to fit within the space allotted inside the PC.

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The new supply must be bolted into place so that its mounting holes align properly with the holes in the original supply. This problem is largely taken care of with the new generation of ATX and NLX form-factor power supplies, which are specifically designed to be readily interchangeable with ATX/NLX cases and motherboards. A new supply must also have connector scheme that is compatible with the motherboard. The 4-pin mate-n-lock connectors are standard for powering the drives in a PC (i.e., hard drives and CD-ROM drives), but motherboard power connectors can vary a bit from model to model. Figure 63-2 illustrates a typical AT-style motherboard power connector set and Fig. 63-3 shows

6 1

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.

Orange Red Yellow Blue Black Black Black Black White Red Red Red

PwrGood 5 12 12 Gnd Gnd Gnd Gnd 5 5 5 5

FIGURE 63-2

AT-style motherboard power connectors.

3.3 Vdc 12 Vdc Gnd PS on Gnd Gnd Gnd 5 Vdc 5 Vdc 5 Vdc

11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

3.3 Vdc 3.3 Vdc Gnd 5 Vdc Gnd 5 Vdc Gnd Power OK 5VSB 12 Vdc

FIGURE 63-3

ATX/NLX motherboard power connector.

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an ATX/NLX motherboard power connector. Be sure to get a supply with the correct connector configuration for your motherboard. If you cannot find a compatible third-party supply, contact the PCs manufacturer. Some computer enthusiasts might be tempted to splice a power supply into the old motherboard connector. This should be avoided at all costsa new power supply is typically warranted for 90 days to 1 year. Splicing its wiring immediately voids any warranty.

TEST THE UPGRADE CAREFULLY

When installing a new supply, be sure that it is unplugged and turned off. Locate the linevoltage selector switch (110/220) and verify that it is set appropriately for your region of the world). Before firing up the supply for the first time, remove any optional or non-crucial expansion boards until you can verify that the PC is working correctly. You can then power-down the PC again and re-install any additional boards or peripherals, then burn-in the system for at least 48 hours before returning it to service.

Further Study
That concludes Chapter 63. Be sure to review the glossary and chapter questions on the accompanying CD. If you have access to the Internet, take some time to review these power-upgrade resources: Amtrade: http://www.amtrade.com ATX: http://www.teleport.com/~atx/ Data Depot: http://www.datadepo.com NLX: http://www.teleport.com/~nlx/ PC Power and Cooling: http://www.pcpowercooling.com

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