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How to judge the performance of a computer power supply?

Article Source：Kinri Energy | Author：Kinri Energy | Issuing Time：2024.04.09
Imagine how much impact your heart would have on the body if the blood pressure provided by your heart to other organs fluctuated between high and low, sometimes and sometimes? That's right, the same goes for the impact of power supply on computers. So the quality of the power supply is related to the lifespan of computer hardware and the stability of the entire machine.



Therefore, choosing a power supply with better performance is crucial. So how to judge the performance of the power supply? Next, this article will introduce it one by one. But before that, we must first understand the most important parts of the power supply.

Capacitor

Capacitors, as essential components in power supplies, have the characteristic of isolating direct current and conducting alternating current. Due to the numerous classifications, here are a few that have the greatest impact on the power supply.

1. Main capacitor

Firstly, the main capacitor, as the largest capacitor in the power supply, plays a role in energy storage and filtering. There are also three important parameters, which are voltage resistance, temperature resistance, and capacity.

The withstand voltage value refers to the upper limit of the voltage that a capacitor can withstand. Currently, most mainstream PC power supplies have already used active PFC circuits (i.e. boost rectifier circuits). Taking the voltage of 220V in China as an example, the upper limit of the highest voltage often exceeds 300V or even reaches the level of 380V, so the main capacitor must have a higher withstand voltage value.

Generally speaking, the withstand voltage value of a regular power supply is around 400V, while the withstand voltage value of some high-end power supplies can be 420V or even 450V or above.
And temperature resistance is relatively easy to understand, generally referring to the upper limit of temperature that a capacitor can withstand. The higher the temperature resistance, the longer the lifespan of the capacitor. At present, there are two common temperature resistance values: 85 ℃ and 105 ℃, and the higher the temperature, the better. But under normal use, the temperature of the power supply will not exceed 50 ℃, so the difference in temperature resistance between 85 ℃ and 105 ℃ is not significant.

As for capacitor capacity, it is the most critical factor affecting power supply performance. The size of its capacity is currently determined based on factors such as the topology, rated power, and market positioning of the power supply.

In general, the relationship between the capacity of the main capacitor and the rated power is "not less than 0.5 per watt" μ F. That is to say, a power supply with a rated power of 1000W should have a main capacitor capacity of no less than 500 μ F. This is to ensure that the power supply can function properly.

2. Output filtering capacitor

After discussing the main capacitor, let's talk about the output filtering capacitor. From the name, it can be seen that the output filtering capacitor is a capacitor placed at the output end, mainly used for filtering purposes. Compared to the main capacitor, the voltage it bears is often much lower, usually outputting voltages such as+12V,+5V, and+3.3V.

3. Safety capacitor

As the name suggests, safety capacitors are actually configured to meet the safety requirements of the power supply, usually located at the input end of the power supply, and have little impact on the performance of the power supply. The biggest difference between it and other capacitors is that it can discharge quickly after power failure, and even if touched by hand, there will be no electric shock, making it very safe. So safety capacitors are the most unique presence in power supplies.

Transformer

The transformer of the power supply is a soft magnetic electromagnetic component, whose functions include power transmission, voltage conversion, and insulation isolation. For example, adjusting the input DC voltage to a high-frequency pulse voltage before outputting, and so on. But ultimately, transformers are actually the transfer and conversion of energy.

At present, there are over 20 types of sub types, and in PC power supplies, the main types are ring transformers and electronic transformers. And all we need to know is that a transformer converts the connected 220V voltage into a 12V, 5V, or 3V voltage output, and then supplies it to other hardware of the computer for use. You don't need to know too much about others.

Heat dissipation

The heat dissipation of the power supply should be the most easily overlooked point, as it, like the heat dissipation of the chassis, has a crucial impact on the performance of the power supply.
If a power supply lacks heat dissipation or has poor heat dissipation performance, after a period of use, the internal components of the power supply will be affected by high temperatures. Specifically manifested in capacitor leakage, transformer coil softening, etc., the worst case scenario is to damage the entire host.

How to distinguish between good and bad power supplies?

1. Look at the nameplate

Generally, the nameplate will indicate the applicable voltage, various safety certifications, and current and power information of the power supply. We can preliminarily judge the quality of the power supply based on the nameplate information.

For example, China's 3C certification allows power supplies to be sold to consumers, or directly involves personal safety CB certification licenses. In short, a complete nameplate information does not necessarily mean a good power supply, but a vague nameplate does not necessarily mean a good power supply.

In addition, the various currents and powers on the nameplate should also be carefully checked to see if they are as expected.

2. Weight measurement

Generally speaking, the higher the rated power of a power supply, the stronger its performance will be, and there will be more internal components. So there will be a significant increase in production costs, after all, you get what you pay for.

Normally, if the power of the power supply is higher, it means that the volume of the PFC inductor coil and capacitor will also increase, naturally increasing the overall weight of the power supply. But for most buddies, it is impossible to dismantle the newly purchased power supply just to see the workmanship and materials used. So weighing the weight of the power supply is nothing more than a different way.

But there are also unscrupulous manufacturers who use methods such as "cement PFC", "silicon steel sheet PFC", and "iron ingot counterweight" to increase the weight of their own products, creating the illusion of "solid products" for users and deceiving them.

Moreover, with the continuous development of technology, most power supplies currently use active PFC, which will be lighter in weight than before. Therefore, in terms of weight, the materials used still depend on the situation.

3. Check the power conversion rate

Power conversion rate refers to the ratio of output power to input power of a power source, in simple terms, the efficiency of the power source in utilizing electrical energy.

Generally speaking, any PC power supply must pass the certification of power conversion rate before leaving the factory, and there are currently five types of certifications, in order of conversion efficiency from low to high: white medal, bronze medal, silver medal, gold medal, white gold medal, and titanium gold medal. The power supplies certified by these 5 standards are actually usable, with the only difference being their conversion efficiency. The higher the conversion rate, the more energy-efficient this power supply is, and of course, the higher the price.

Overall, as an indispensable part of a computer host, the power supply has a crucial impact on the host. Regardless of your considerations, please make sure to take it seriously when choosing it! Otherwise, the end result would be: "Unsafe power supply, tears streaming down the host.".
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