PC Power supplies

[Tony]

Gee, I need an answer here from someone who knows.

 

I have a standard ATX PC power supply 240v - approx 300watts. What I have done is made all the +5v +12v adapters that power the motherboard and drives etc into dual adapters so I have two of each.

 

Now what I am trying to do is hook up 2 pc's with one power supply.

 

What are the issues with doing this. Will it work or will it blow up or overload or not be able to fuel the load?

[Sayonara]

I really don't recommend doing that, especially not with a 300w supply.

 

I have a link somewhere for a great article on power supply stuff - I'll try and dig it out for you.

[fafalone]

I didn't even think they made a splitter for the motherboard hookup, but I agree with Sayonara, 300W is definately not enough.

[Sayonara]

"Putting all your eggs in one basket".

 

Hurrah, a seasonal and appropriate phrase!

[Tony]

So you say the capacity of the power supply would not be enough. The PC's would request too much power. So in order to this right. I would need about 350 watts per PC. Not to say that 2 PC's would request 350 watts all the time.

 

I read an article that tested power supplies, and it said most PC power supplies either stop working entirely or would get real hot and possibly start a fire at about 250 to 300 watts work done.

 

I think the capcity of the components in the power supply would need upgrading to sustain this need.

[fafalone]

A good, 400watt power supply will let you hook up one MB and 5-6 IDE devices via some Y-splitters.. I haven't had any problems doing that with mine.

[Dave]

Why would you want to run two PCs off of one psu anyway? It's quicker and cheaper just to go and buy another one for £40 down at the computer store.

[Tony]

Why would yo want to do that!

Assembly Language Step by Step

 

Anyway. I found this company on the Internet that makes 2000watt power supplies for PC's, after emailing them they say I could run up to 12 PC's per unit in a peer to peer arrangement.

 

That would save me installing alot of power points in my network.

It would also save overloading power outlets with other peripherals.

It also saves 11x$40 buying power supplies.

PC's are also alot quieter without fans fanning all the time.

 

 

http://www.globtek.com

[Dave]

That's a big PSU

 

Does make sense if you've got a lot of PCs and you don't want to install the power points, but I'd probably just put the power points in tbh. Wouldn't fancy rigging that thing up.

[Tony]

You Lose Dave!

[Sayonara]

This may be of some help...

 

http://www.extremeoverclocking.com/articles/guides/Power_Supply_Guide_1.html

 

Or possibly not. Who can tell?

[KHinfcube22]

What I would say to do, is not split a power hook up, seeing how that would cause many problems. I would either a)splice a power hookup from another source and use it as your power cable, b)don't even try hookin up two to one pcu's, orc) buy the kind with a plug in the back that give off the smae amount of volts it sucks in.

[Dave]

Originally posted by Tony

You Lose Dave!

 

not really; you were only talking about a couple of PCs in the original post. If you still only want to hook up two PCs to one PSU, it still doesn't make any sense.

[Tony]

Thanks Sayonara, I read the article.

 

So in order to supply about 2 PC's with one power supply I would need about a 700watt power supply. I first thought that their would be no issue with doing this. But now am convinced that the amount Watt's the power supply can deliver will play a role.

 

Theoretically I believe it is not out of the question or a bad idea to run muliple PC's with one external power supply.

 

I have a 4 node network here and wish to run them off one power supply in a peer to peer or diasy chain arrangement.

 

http://www.themodfathers.com/article.php?82.0

http://www.speedy3d.com/articles/case_mod_p3/index.shtml

[Sayonara]

It's certainly possible to do, I'm just not sure why you would want to.

 

If the PSU fails, both computers go. Why not just pay the extra £50/$85 for another PSU?

[Tony]

It's not about money, its about presentation.

 

I have a 4 node network here.

 

I use those adapters that turn a power outlet attached to the wall into a six socket outlet. With everything I have to plug in peripherals included it is FULL.

 

I will probably have to start attaching double adapters to it or buy one that has more capacity. I even have all the monitors attached to the pc power supply through the socket provided and it's still full.

 

It short PC's with peripheral require many power outlets and it becomes a cable mess, most would agree.

 

Having a system where eveything I want to plug in into power is available at my PC power supply like the monitor outlet on most power supplies means that eveything can run from there and only one plug is then needed to the power outlet. Cleaner.

 

Then if I had a power supply that fueled about 4 PC's in a peer to peer arrangement I would only need one power outlet per 4 PC's.

 

It is a much more organised arrangement for networks.

 

I won't need to install alot of power points in my network.

I won't be overloading power outlets.

It also saves many buying identical power supplies. The space that saves could be used for more slimline casing.

I could case the external power supply and make the environment quiter without PSU fans fanning all the time.

 

etc.

[Radical Edward]

Originally posted by KHinfcube22

buy the kind with a plug in the back that give off the smae amount of volts it sucks in.

 

voltage is measured across a device, and isn't the only thing to be considered when looking at the wattage:

 

P=IV=I²R

[Tony]

The potential is current multipled by e.m.f.

The potential is current squared muliplyed by the resistance.

 

Are you saying a dual power supply could be more efficient than a single PSU.

[Radical Edward]

P is power in watts.