Types of power supplies
The Power Supply unit (PSU), the nerve of the computer is the active component responsible for supplying and feeding all components of the computer with electrical energy, and its work is not limited to providing the computer with energy only, but also performs a regulatory process for the device, computer components operate with direct current DC . Also, the different parts of the computer work in different and various voltage ways, and the current in the electricity source is alternating current, AC, so in order for the computer to work, it does not only need conversion from alternating current to direct current, but also needs different voltage methods, and to do that, the computer uses the power supply unit (PSU) It can supply the computer with different types of direct current, namely: +12V -12V ; +5V ; +3.
The power supply unit is the most overlooked component when buying a new computer. Often attention is given to the processor, hard drive, and graphics card… although the power supply unit is also very important inside the computer.
A new, powerful and appropriate power supply unit extends the life of your computer and saves energy consumption.
As for the colors of the power supply wires, they are almost identical in all types of power supply, and they are not random, but rather express various electrical concepts, for example the yellow color expresses 12 volts, the red color expresses 5 volts, and the orange color expresses 3.3 volts. And so on… And all these colors that are found in the different power supplies have the same meaning and the same value.
Computer power supply functions:
The power supply unit performs four basic functions:
Convert AC from 230 volts to 12 volts
Convert alternating current to direct current
Sending current to the voltage regulator
5V voltage regulation
Types of power supply connectors:
The power supply unit (PSU) consists of several connectors
1. ATX20 motherboard connector: It is 24 wires, also called 20Z4, for the last four wires, you can remove and use only 20 wires.
2. ATX 12V connector: It is four wires used to supply power to the processor.
3. EPS 12V connector: It is a connector consisting of 8 wires and is used to supply power to the processor, but it provides the processor with more energy than the ATX12V connector, which is often found in high-end devices, due to the processor’s need for more power.
4. SATA Connector: The SATA connector consists of 15 pins and is used for power supply, hard disk drives and CD/DVD readers.
5. MOLEX connectors: These are four wires used to supply power to hard drives and fans.
6. PCI-E connectors: This connector consists of 6 wires and is used to supply power to graphics cards.
7. Berg connector: It is a small connector used to supply power to a floppy disk drive. It also contains four wires.
Types of computer power supplies
The power supply units available in the market are characterized by the type of conductive wires mentioned above, there are 3 types:
1. Non Modular:
All wires are connected to the power supply unit directly and cannot be removed and put back again, as they are fixed and cannot be changed or separated from the computer power supply.
2. Semi Modular:
All power distribution unit connections and wires of this type can be stripped and removed without the motherboard connection and the processor connection.
3. Full Modular:
All connections and wires of this type of power supply unit can be disconnected, stripped, removed or replaced.
Computer Power Supply sizes
There are two sizes of power supply units: ATX and SFX. For ATX, it is the full size, and for SFX, it is the small size, also called micro atx.
Most computer cases accept ATX power supply units, as for micro atx it is used in small cases.
Types of energy in power supply
There are two types of power available in computer power supplies: maximum power and continuous power. For the maximum power is the power that the computer’s power supply can reach but it is not stable and it is temporary. As for the continuous power, it is the constant power that can be used at all times, and it is the actual power of the power supply.
How to choose the right power supply for the computer
To be from a well-known manufacturer
External voltage stability.
External voltage vibration: voltage ripple is the vibration of the DC current coming out of the power supply when converting from alternating current. These vibrations are small and are interspersed with some large vibrations and are called noise. This noise should not exceed 150mV on the 12V outlet. Also, it should not exceed 50mV on the 5V and 3.3V output.
It provides a protection system in the power supply unit of the computer, and it works to stop the powerplay in the event of an error, short circuit, high external voltage, high external current, when there is an overload, and when the temperature rises.
How much energy do we need for computer components: We need to calculate the amount of energy consumption of the device and add 20 percent to it, which is a special value for the work of the energy storage unit. It becomes 80 percent used by the device and 20 percent used by the power distribution unit.
These were the most important types of computer power supplies, along with the method of choosing the appropriate type of power supply for your computer. Finally, if you need to buy a new computer power supply and deliver it to your doorstep, you can visit the Modern Desert store and you will find all kinds of power supplies that you need with very high quality with all the features.