Power Supplies

Chapter 8

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Overview
In this chapter, you will learn to
Explain the basics of electricity
Describe the details about powering the PC
Install, maintain, and troubleshoot power supplies

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Understanding Electricity

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Measuring Electricity
Voltagepressure of electrons in a wire

Unit of measurement: Volts (V)

Current flow (or amount) of electrons in a wire

Unit of measurement: Ampere (A)

When voltage is applied to a wire, electrons flow,
producing current
Wattagemeasure of power consumed or needed

Unit of measurement: Watt (W) W = V * A

Resistanceimpedance or opposition to the flow

Unit of measurement: Ohm ()

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Measuring Electricity
Wire has amperage rating
Defines how much amperage it can handle
i.e., 20 amp, 30 amp

If you exceed amperage

Wires heat upmay break

Circuit breakers are heat sensitive

Sense when amperage exceeds threshold
Breaks the circuit to stop the flow of
electricity
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Two Types of Current

Alternating Current (AC)
electrical current flows in both
directions
Electricity provided at wall socket
Frequency of alternations measured in
cycles per second, or hertz (Hz)

Direct Current (DC)electrical

current flows in one direction
Electricity provided by batteries

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Essentials
CompTIA A+
Essentials

Powering the PC

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Types of Power
PCs use DC voltage
Power companies supply AC voltage
The power supply in a computer converts
high-voltage AC to low-voltage DC

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Supplying AC
In the U.S., 115 VAC is standard
Other countries use 230 VAC
Many PCs may have a small switch on the back to
choose 115 or 230 V (used in other countries)
Pay attention to this switch, especially when
traveling overseas

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Outlet Voltages
Hot and neutral
provide path for AC
Hot has 115 V
Neutral carries no
voltage

Ground used for

safety
Returns excess
electricity to ground

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Wall outlet

Multimeter Basics
A multimeter (or
Volt-Ohm meter:
VOM) measures:
Voltage
Resistance
Continuity

Warning
Set it properly before
measuring
If not, damage can
occur

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Testing AC Voltage
Verifies wiring of outlet
Hot should be 115 VAC
Neutral completes the circuit
Ground should go to ground

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Surge Suppressors
Surge suppressors provide protection against
power surges
Insert between the power supply and the outlet
Joule is a unit of electrical energy
Surge suppressor rated by joules
Higher joules = better protection

Some protect more than AC surges

Phone lines for traditional modems
Cable connections for cable modems

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Uninterruptible Power Supply

An uninterruptible power supply (UPS) provides
protection against a power dip or power outage
Contains a battery that provides continuous AC power
Provides surge protection and power conditioning
Constantly charges battery

All UPSs measured in watts and volts-amps

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Supplying DC
The power supply acts as a step-down
transformer
Converting AC into 5, 12, and 3.3 V DC
PCs use a 12 V current to power motors on devices
such as hard drives and CD-ROM drives
PCs use a 5-volt/3.3-volt current to support
onboard electronics

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Power Connectors
Motherboard
20- or 24-pin P1
4-, 6-, 8-pin

Peripherals
Molex
Mini
SATA

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Power Connectors
Connectors are keyed
Can plug in only one way

Splitters and adapters

Can create two power
connectors from one
Can convert
Molex to SATA

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Soft Power
ATX power supplies first to use
P1 power connector

Always on when plugged in

5 V supplied to motherboard when plugged in

Configured in
CMOS

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Power Supply Versions

ATX 12 V 1.3
First widespread update to ATX PS

EPS 12 V
Introduced for server motherboards

ATX 12 V 2.0
Overcame problem overloading 12 V rail
Provides multiple 12 V rails

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P4 Connector
Many motherboards require a
second, four-wire connector
Provides more 12 V power
Can be Molex
Can be PCI-E

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IT Technician

CompTIA A+
Technician

Niche Market
Power Supply Form Factors

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Form Factors
Niche market power supply form factors
TFX12V, SFX12V, CFX12V, LFX12V

Active PFC
Power Factor Correction
Common in quality power supplies
Eliminates harmonics

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Wattage Requirements
Every device requires some wattage
Often starting requirements are higher than
running requirements

Power supplies dont run at 100%

efficiency
ATX 12 V requires power supplies to be at least
70% efficient

General recommendation
Use at least a 400 W power supply
Enough extra for starting and future growth
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Installing, Maintaining, and

Troubleshooting Power Supplies

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Installing
Removing
Disconnect wires
Remove 4 standard screws
Remove PS

To install
Place PS in case
Replace screws
Connect wires

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ATX Soft Power and CMOS

An ATX power supply
never turns off
Continues to supply 5V to the
motherboard as long as it is
connected to the power outlet

Always unplug an ATX

power supply before
working on it
Can use a screwdriver or car keys
to short the two power jumpers to
turn the system on or off in
special circumstances

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Some ATX power supplies provide a

real on/off switch on the back

Cooling
The power supply fan provides basic
cooling for the PC
Fan keeps the voltage regulators cool and provides
a constant flow of cool air through the computer
If power supply fan stops, replace power supply
Many fans have sensors to
detect when they should
run quicker

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Cooling
Case fan provides extra cooling for PC
Most modern computers have case fans
Often plug into Molex connector
Connector adapters can be used

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Maintaining Airflow
Keep case closed
Keep covers on case
If an expansion card is removed from the PC, be
sure to cover the hole with a slot cover
Without proper airflow, the
CPU can overheat and
destroy itself

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Reducing Fan Noise

Some fans can be adjusted
Manually adjustable with knob
Software adjustable by sensing heat

Larger fans that spin slower are quieter

Higher-end fans are quieter
Use better bearings

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CMOS Fan Options

Can monitor PCs health by showing
temperatures
Doesnt control fans
Can set fan thresholds for alarms

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Freeware Tool
Speedfan
Allows monitoring of fan speeds
Can set fan speeds
Hundreds of chipsets
supported

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When Power Supplies Die

Power supplies fail in two ways:
Sudden death
When the fan doesnt turn and no voltage is present
Computer simply stops working

Slowly over time

Intermittent errors
Output voltages may exceed specs ( 10%)

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Power Supply Test

Put the black lead onto
any black wire
connection
Put the red lead onto
colored wire

12 V 10%
10.8 to 13.2 V
If readings are outside
tolerance and symptoms
exist, replace power
supply
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5V 10%
4.5 to 5.5 V

3.3 V 10%
2.97 to 3.63 V

Power Supply Test

Power supplies need a load
Plug into motherboard
Plug into tester

Check power switches

If faulty, can turn on
with motherboard jumper

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When Power Supplies Die Slowly

Intermittent problems
Sometimes occur, sometimes dont
You could measure voltage now and its good;
10 minutes later, system crashes

A dying power supply can cause

Random lockups and reboots
Sporadic boot-up difficulties

When you encounter intermittent

symptoms, consider replacing the
power supply
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Fuses and Fire

Circuit breakers are heat-sensitive
Sense when amperage exceeds threshold
Breaks the circuit to stop flow of electricity
Fuses blow for a reason
Power supply is malfunctioning
As a designed safety precaution, fuses blow
(break) to stop circuit

Alternative is a possible fire

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Fire Extinguishers
Class A
Ordinary combustibles such as paper and wood

Class B
Flammable liquids such as gasoline

Class C
Live electrical equipment

Use only Class C extinguishers on

electrical fires
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Beyond A+
It glows
Fancy colors, light up, and
have extra fans

Module power supplies

Reduced cables

Rail power
Look for power supplies that
offer 16 to 18 A per 12 V rail

2007 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved

 2007 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved