LF: PICO PSU 80 or 100W

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bonestonne
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LF: PICO PSU 80 or 100W

Post by bonestonne » Fri Oct 16, 2009 2:02 pm

I'm in a bit of a mood to mod the hell out of this computer I've got lying around. I'm looking for an 80 or 100W (maybe even less) PICO power supply.

The computer itself is using a 350W power supply, but the draw of that computer is next to nothing (~50W with all 4 drives reading or writing).

The main power connector is a 24pin, but the comp shipped with a 20, so any PICO should work.

I really don't have much of a budget though, so it depends. I would need a power brick with the PSU, but if they aren't modded to work together, that's fine, I can do that work easily (as I want it to look flush anyway with the case).

If you have one you aren't using, it would be perfect, but I really need something PICO sized because of the location of the ATX power connector on the board.

Thanks,
bonestonne

reddyuday
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Post by reddyuday » Mon Oct 19, 2009 9:00 am

jack34 wrote:Nice post
Gosh! It is!

In another thread, we were talking about how nothing much is happening on the Silent PC front, with no new exciting products, and how things are pretty much coasting. But the PicoPSU is an exception to this general scene. It is exciting, which partly explains why such possibly naive expectations are being aired in the forums.

I went back and looked at the SPCR article to see how all this excitement got generated, and found this paragraph in the conclusion:
It's hard not to be delighted with the picoPSU. It's quiet (fanless, in fact), efficient, small, cool... the list goes on. Although it is targeted at systems using VIA's embedded EPIA technology, it can easily be used in a desktop system with a low-powered Athlon 64, to say nothing of a laptop processor such as a Core Duo or a Turion 64.
Ok, so, we are stretching the technology. Maybe some of it will work and some won't. We learn from it and move ahead. Seems quite ok to me!

Uday

bonestonne
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Post by bonestonne » Mon Oct 19, 2009 12:45 pm

Well, I want something more efficient than an Antec Smartpower 350W PSU for a 30W system.

anyway...I don't exactly have a boatload of money, but i'd be able to go up to around $35 shipped for an 80W PicoPSU and power brick....

I can't find anything affordable elsewhere, so i'm hoping someone here could help me out.

I have the VIA C7-D 1.5ghz, with the 400mhz FSB, paired with 2gb DDR2-667. I've got 4 PATA hard drives in the system, but depending on how the PICO's leads are split up, I will have to accomodate that. The lowest power PICO i can find mention of is 80, but the 90 seems to be sold more. Both of which however are so high above what i need, it's just, that's what i'm able to get i guess. technically however, depending on the brick i use with it, i could get lower wattage, just by limiting the brick (i think).

Either way, I'm looking for a PICO because it's the only thing that'll fit in this case, so if someone has one to spare, i have $35 set aside for it.

nightmorph
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Post by nightmorph » Mon Oct 19, 2009 1:00 pm

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Last edited by nightmorph on Fri Apr 21, 2023 11:08 pm, edited 1 time in total.

bonestonne
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Post by bonestonne » Mon Oct 19, 2009 1:27 pm

sure, i'd definitely be interested in it, PM me with any details you require (i'll PM you my address, let me know any shipping charges, i can easily cover those, paypal is easiest for me).

My only question, you mentioned you got a fanless brick, this one is fanless? it's not actually a bother if it does have a fan, i was just curious if you meant a fanless higher wattage, or a fanless brick in general.

every little bit counts, so if that's a 102W brick, maybe i'll be able to find a good PICO new within my budget (or closer to it than i originally thought)

nightmorph
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Post by nightmorph » Mon Oct 19, 2009 1:46 pm

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Last edited by nightmorph on Fri Apr 21, 2023 11:08 pm, edited 1 time in total.

electrodacus
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Post by electrodacus » Mon Oct 19, 2009 9:56 pm

bonestonne wrote: The lowest power PICO i can find mention of is 80, but the 90 seems to be sold more. Both of which however are so high above what i need, it's just, that's what i'm able to get i guess. technically however, depending on the brick i use with it, i could get lower wattage, just by limiting the brick (i think).
It will make no difference if you use a 90W, 120 or 150W picoPSU you will get the same wattage since all have the same spec for 5V and 3.3V and they only bypass the 12V. The brick efficiency will probably be important in reducing the AC power.

bonestonne
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Post by bonestonne » Tue Oct 20, 2009 12:37 pm

Well, i just ordered a 90W (because it was the cheapest option).

should arrive by friday i hope, and I can embark on my quest to make a box that uses even less power than many low power systems we see here.

The company website (Everex) seems to have gone under in these rough times, so I can't link to the statement that their setup uses a mere 20W at full load, but surely VIA has something available.

http://www.via.com.tw/en/initiatives/em ... /index.jsp

I have the PC3500 platform with the 1.5ghz VIA C7-D...annoying i'm pretty sure there's a newer version with a built in TV Tuner (not a joke, i just can't find the board anywhere, and i know it was done).

wont be a bad everyday usage rig, i'll get the custom case so i can still fit low profile cards, and i can drop in some mad graphics (no need though).

I'll get a killawatt in the later months, and then we'll see how good it really is.

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