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Thread ID: 88714 2008-04-06 21:55:00 PSU sanity check required annie (6010) Press F1
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656454 2008-04-06 21:55:00 The PSU on my Dell Dimension 4600 P4 needs replacing, and after a day trying to sort out one with suitable specs, I've got as far as this:

PSU needs to have:
- 20 or 20+4 main connector (no room for a unified linear 24-pin connector) + an auxiliary square 4-pin connector
- 2 IDE hard drive connectors (with 1-2 SATA connectors spare for later)
- floppy connector
- optical drive connector
- and a few of the little linear 4-pin connectors (currently use only 1).
(- No graphics card currently installed)

I sort of randomly settled on a Silverstone Element ST50EF 500W ATX PSU, which has goodish reviews, plenty of wattage (original PSU had 350W or so) and:

1 x 24/20-pin motherboard connector (550mm)
1 x 8-pin ATX12V connector (550mm)
1 x 4-pin ATX12V connector (550mm)
2 x 6-pin PCI-E (550mm)
2 x dual SATA power connectors (500mm + 250mm)
6 x 4-pin IDE power connector (500mm + 250mm + 150mm)
2 x 4-pin floppy power connector
(500mm + 250mm + 150mm +150mm)

I'm pretty sure this will meet my requirements just fine, but would appreciate a sanity check from someone who knows more than I do. Will this have the right connectors? And should I be looking at another brand/model in terms of price/quality?
annie (6010)
656455 2008-04-06 22:04:00 Should be fine as long as the Dell takes a standard ATX PSU. That PSU will also give you a bit of headroom for upgrading.


- and a few of the little linear 4-pin connectors Not 100% sure what connectors you mean here.
stormdragon (6013)
656456 2008-04-06 22:25:00 Thanks for that, appreciate it. I think the 4-pin connectors are called molex or mobex or something :)

Ta!
annie (6010)
656457 2008-04-06 22:56:00 Yeah molex is the right name if your referring to one of these (images.google.co.nz).

Its the same connection for an IDE type HDD.
stormdragon (6013)
656458 2008-04-06 23:58:00 You may want to a bit of research at Dell first. Some Dell computers used a non standard power supply even though the plugs are the same.

Apparently on those models it would fry the Motherboard if you plugged a standard ATX power supply into them.
McRuff (12291)
656459 2008-04-07 00:04:00 Stormdragon - thanks for that, yes that's the one! And good to confirm that that's what the IDE drives use. I had assumed that but didn't know it for sure.

McRuff - I did check on the Dell forums, and apparently the Dimension P4s use a standard ATX PSU ok. Thanks though, it would have destroyed my family credibility (and budget) to have cooked the motherboard through sheer ignorance.
annie (6010)
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