Computer Hope
Hardware => Hardware => Topic started by: rm31859 on August 23, 2011, 12:11:35 AM
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Hi,I hope this doesn't sound really stupid,But I have an older AOpen SPI-235HP power supply that I pulled from one of my old parts computers to use for a home brew project that I am working on and when I checked the voltage on the +12 VDC lead I had only 10.44
VDC.Is this normal? I've built several desktops for myself and my friends and I've never needed to check the output on a power supply until now.I really need the full 12 volts.I appreciate any help.
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From what I've read on power supplies, the should be no more than a ±5% tolerance, so you're looking at something like 11.4v-12.6v as acceptable. Anything outside of that range will either over or under power whatever you're connected to leading to undesired results.
If your power supply is only putting out 10.44v, there's likely something wrong with it (old?) and anything relying on 12v may not work properly. How are the other voltages? They should be 5 and 3.3, with the same general ±5%.
Power supplies are not user serviceable. If it's not working properly, you're best off replacing it.
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No-load voltage could be normally low. Plug a case fan in and test again.