Power Supply Information

  

Computer Power Supply Information
By Beth Bartlett, eHow Contributor
Computer Power Supply Information thumbnail
Computer Power Supply Information

The power supply is responsible for supplying current to the motherboard, hard drives, cooling fans, any lights in the case and all other peripherals attached to the case. Each power supply is rated at a certain wattage level. This rating should be higher than the total demand from all the devices in the case, in the rare event that everything is running at once.
Other People Are Reading

    How to Find Out How Many Watts a Power Supply Is on an HP Computer
    How Big Should My Computer Power Supply Be?

    Print this article

    Adding Components

        If you are choosing a power supply for use in a new computer, review your proposed computer design carefully. Make a list of the wattage requirements of all the hard drives, floppy drives and optical drives in your system. Add them all up: The total will be the minimum wattage your power supply should support. There are also helpful websites, such as eXtreme Power Supply Calculator, that make the process of finding your necessary wattage easy.
    Types of Connectors

        For many years, the standard for fans and hard drives has been the Molex connector. This is a flat white plug with four wires and connectors. It provides +12 volt with the red and +5 volt with the yellow. The two black wires are ground wires. Most recently manufactured power supplies include a Serial ATA (SATA) power plug for newer hard drives. This is a flat plug fed by a narrow ribbon, with an L-shaped connection.

        Sponsored Links
            Ic693pwr321

            Buy securely on-line, ship today Great prices; see actual inventory
           
    Other Connections

        The modern power supply is called a switching power supply, because it uses switching technology to convert the alternating current (AC) from a power outlet into direct current (DC) inside the computer. It must detect a load to stay in operation, a built-in safety function that will turn off if the hardware fails. A small orange or gray wire usually has to be grounded through the computer's motherboard to keep the power supply on.
    Colors and Voltages

        The power supply provides several voltages to the computer based on the color of the wire attached. You will see several different colors in the large connector that attaches to the motherboard. They are the following voltages: red = +5v, blue = -12v, yellow = +12v, black = ground.
    Safety Precautions

        Any time you are working inside the computer, you should unplug it from the wall to prevent the chance of electrocution. Never open the power supply, even when the computer is unplugged, because it contains capacitors that can hold a charge for up to a week after you have unplugged the unit; this charge is large enough to cause serious injury or fatality.

Sponsored Links

   

    Buy securely on-line, ship today Great prices; see actual inventory
    AC Adaptor / Power supply

    A variety of products with low cost Quick response and support
    Yamaichi Connectorswww.skylaruk.com

    Best price & delivery on full range of quality connector products
    Kepco Power Supplieswww.kepcopower.com

    Low Cost, UL 508 Listed DIN-Rail Power Supplies, Series KDN, Buy Now

Related Searches:

    UPS Power Supply
    Power Supply
    Backup Power Supply
    Dual Output DC Power Supply
    12V DC Power Supply

References

    Computer Hope: Power Supplies
    ePanorama: Computer Power Supplies
    A Guide to Computer Power Supplies

Resources

    eXtreme Power Supply Calculator Lite

    Photo Credit Creative Commons: /nedko/127570348/

Take a Course

    Gmail for Power Users
    InDesign CS2 Power Shortcuts
    Outlook 2007 Power Shortcuts


Read more: Computer Power Supply Information | computer-power-supply-information.html#ixzz1xH0j2ZX5