Page 1 of 1

Fortron-Source Power Blue Storm AX500-A PSU

Posted: Thu Jan 13, 2005 8:55 pm
by MikeC

Posted: Thu Jan 13, 2005 9:58 pm
by SometimesWarrior
It looks like a contender for a fan swap... don't you think blue and orange would be a good color combination? ;) :D

Question for Devon or Mike: you say in the review that you accidentally went over the PSU's rated maximum for 3.3V and 5V for a while. How much low-voltage power were you drawing at the time? I have a system that runs very close to the 5V maximum, so it would be comforting to know if the PSU doesn't instantly explode if it goes over 28A.

Also, will you guys continue to do voltage-sag tests like you mentioned in one of the Seasonic reviews? I have a 300W Seasonic that keeps the computer running when the lights go dim, but a 300W Fortron that crashes the computer if an electric heater clicks on.

Posted: Thu Jan 13, 2005 10:14 pm
by MikeC
SometimesWarrior wrote:It looks like a contender for a fan swap... don't you think blue and orange would be a good color combination? ;) :D

Question for Devon or Mike: you say in the review that you accidentally went over the PSU's rated maximum for 3.3V and 5V for a while. How much low-voltage power were you drawing at the time? I have a system that runs very close to the 5V maximum, so it would be comforting to know if the PSU doesn't instantly explode if it goes over 28A.

Also, will you guys continue to do voltage-sag tests like you mentioned in one of the Seasonic reviews? I have a 300W Seasonic that keeps the computer running when the lights go dim, but a 300W Fortron that crashes the computer if an electric heater clicks on.
blue and orange :!: :mrgreen:

current overload -- Almost double.

I doubt very much that it's an issue unless all your voltage lines are close to the limit already. If the 12V line max current is at say 20A, but you are drawing only 8 (let's say) and the you exceed the combined 5 + 3.3V lines, what's likely is that the PSU can handle it fine for at least a while because the unused capacity from the 12V line allows much higher overload headroom on the other lines. Unless specific components (like caps) used in the 5 & 3.3V line circuits are being overloaded...

Voltage sag tests -- I'm still doing research & learning about what's the most important stuff to measure. Also, one of the issues I have is that the Power Angel or similar Kill-a-Watt does not work very reliably when the AC voltage drops below ~95V. Its own display starts flickering, and some of the readings are dubious. I need to build a more accurate AC meter before these tests can be conducted accurately. There is a helpful EE member who's helping w/ research & such.

When we're ready, we'll conduct some tests on whatever samples are in the lab in a special roundup for low voltage testing, then integrate this test into future PSU reviews. It does mean even more work for each review, which is why I have not been that eager to chase it. :lol:

Posted: Thu Jan 13, 2005 11:23 pm
by SometimesWarrior
MikeC wrote:When we're ready, we'll conduct some tests on whatever samples are in the lab in a special roundup for low voltage testing, then integrate this test into future PSU reviews. It does mean even more work for each review, which is why I have not been that eager to chase it. :lol:
The number of reviews being done here, and the amount of content in each write-up, is pretty amazing compared to how it was two years ago. You guys deserve credit for making each review more thorough than the last, instead of glossing over details. With that said, I'll still be looking for low voltage tests in the future. :)

Posted: Fri Jan 14, 2005 9:38 am
by Tamas
I would like to buy a Noiseblocker modded Fortron Bluestorm.
Anybody have information/review or tried this power supply.

The original FSP power supply itself is a very good product, only the fan not the best choice.
But the NB-modded FSP Bluestorm uses a NoiseBlocker SX1 fan with vibration dampener and maybe more quiet.

Posted: Fri Jan 14, 2005 12:59 pm
by matt_garman
From the article:
There are two concerns that we had with the fan controller on the Blue Storm:
* One is the start voltage....
* The other concern is that it increases in voltage too soon. The fan voltage begins to increase at about 150W output...
This was consistent with the two FSP-350PN units I have. My feeling is that Fortron must err on the side of safety in designing their fan controllers. I had one in a relatively modest machine: XP 2500, Zalman 7000, gf4 ti4200, amb3700. I was pretty disappointed with the FSP-350PN, as it always seemed to ramp the fan up. I replaced it with a Seasonic Super Tornado 300, making the PSU one of the quietest (noise producing) components in my system.

I still have yet to try putting a quieter fan in my Fortron (I bought four of those orange Yate Loon Nexus look-a-likes). I also have an FSP-300PN that I've never used (perhaps it's quieter by default).

<shrug>

Matt

Posted: Fri Jan 14, 2005 11:54 pm
by burcakb
Tamas, NB fans aren't particularly quiet. They're relatively quiet to comparable fans at full 12V but start displaying horrible motor whine when undervolted. A 120mm fan at 12V is noisy by default and it doesn't get any better as you go down. It's not just vibration noise (and NBs do vibrate a lot) or air noise, it's the motor.

I'm guessing you're from Germany or EU, I think the modded PSUs in blacknoise.de are overpriced for what they are.

Posted: Sat Jan 15, 2005 4:30 am
by Tamas
burcakb wrote:Tamas, NB fans aren't particularly quiet. They're relatively quiet to comparable fans at full 12V but start displaying horrible motor whine when undervolted. A 120mm fan at 12V is noisy by default and it doesn't get any better as you go down. It's not just vibration noise (and NBs do vibrate a lot) or air noise, it's the motor.

I'm guessing you're from Germany or EU, I think the modded PSUs in blacknoise.de are overpriced for what they are.
Thanks for your help.
Do you think a Nexus NX-4090 would be a better choice with Yate Loon fan?

Posted: Sat Jan 15, 2005 5:40 am
by Tibors
Just look at the reviews. Not only is the Yate Loon fan in the Nexus NX-4090 a better fan than both the original fan in the FSP Blue Storm and the Noiseblocker SX1. The fan controller in the Nexus NX-4090 is better too. It ramps the fan speed at higher temps. The only area where the FSP Blue Storm beats the Nexus NX-4090 is efficiency. It is 2% higher in the power range that matters.

Posted: Sat Aug 11, 2007 3:30 pm
by mihce
Is it posible to change fan in the blue storm 2 with nexus super silent(or you recomend some oder silent fan)? And how to do that?

by