Silent Powersupply

[apunkrockmonk]

The quietest power supply I know of is the Silenx ones.... which are extreamly expensive... 450w for $140... ouch. But only 14dba at 1m can't beat that. Is there some sort of comprimise I could find between quiet and lower price. (I'd like to keep the limit at a $100 limit if at all possible whille keeping the wattage near 500 if possible.) Any ideas?

Edit: My current power supply is a thermaltake purepower 420watt.

[Virtualbody1234]

This is silent: --> http://filesharingtalk.com/index.php?showtopic=119985

[clocker]

I believe that Zalman makes a fanless, heatsink only PSU.
Zero Db.
Can't beat that.

[Darth Sushi]

Originally posted by clocker@6 August 2004 - 05:57
I believe that Zalman makes a fanless, heatsink only PSU.
Zero Db.
Can't beat that.
http://www.quietpcusa.com/images/tnnlarge.jpg Yup, but the Zalman TNN-500A will put a dent in your wallet! ($1,199.95) :eek:

[clocker]

Actually, I was wrong.

I was thinking of this Thermaltake. (http://www.thermaltake.com/purepower/w0050fanlesspfc/w0050fanlesspfc.htm)
Turns out that Silverstone (http://htpcnews.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=5175) makes one also.

Darth,
Ya know, after a year I STLL haven't seen an independent review of the Zalman case.
I wonder if it ever actually was released or it was just a "dream case" they were thinking about producing.

[Darth Sushi]

Originally posted by clocker@6 August 2004 - 12:13
Darth,
Ya know, after a year I STLL haven't seen an independent review of the Zalman case.
I wonder if it ever actually was released or it was just a "dream case" they were thinking about producing.
Here's a mini review: Click Here (http://www.tomshardware.com/howto/20040115/index.html)

You can buy it here: Click Here (http://www.quietpcusa.com/acb/showdetl.cfm?&DID=8&Product_ID=121&CATID=9)

[clocker]

Yup.
But no details really.
What were the temps?
Kinda weird that they didn't even document them, don't you think?
You'd think they would have been very critical of a case that costs that much, but the review mostly skated right over the important stuff, IMO.

[Virtualbody1234]

I have looked at that Zalman fanless case quite a few times now. There is one thing that jumps out at me every time I look at it. How do they expect the northbridge to stay cool? Remember this is a closed box with no airflow.

http://www.quietpcusa.com/images/tnncpu.jpg

http://www.quietpcusa.com/images/tnn500a.jpg

[lynx]

Is I see it, the problem with the Silverstone PSU is that despite all its fancy finned aluminium case, it will be put inside a standard steel case which immediately traps all the heat which was going to be radiated.

The same is true to some extent with the Thermaltake offering, but at least that has a large external fin to get rid some of the heat. Unfortunately it also has one inside the case, which will have the effect of heating it up. Of course you could get a fan to get rid of the heat build up in the case, but that kind of defeats the object.

Edit: forgot to mention the ripple on the power lines on that Thermaltake unit looks dreadful, and the load regulation isn't too good either.

How to cut down on heat from a PSU? Get one which has a more efficient conversion factor. Example, 80% converstion on 300W = 20% waste = 60W heat generated. 85% conversion = 45W generated so you can use a slower fan.