Power Supplies

Writen by Steve Valentino

All of the high-tech peripherals and latest editions of computer software products that you've installed are useless if your computer's power supply is not sufficiently providing electricity.

Before your computer can operate properly, it needs an adequate amount of electricity. Through the power supply system's switcher technology, power deliveries the electricity once the alternating current (AC) input from an electrical outlet is converted into direct current (DC) input for your computer. The power supply is typically known as the "switching power supply." This is a metal box found in a corner of the computer case. In most cases, power supplies are visible at the back of the computer that contains a power-cord receptacle, cooling fan and off/on switch.

As various components of the computer have different requirements, there are three voltages typically provided by a power supply: 3.3 volts, 5 volts, and 12 volts. The digital circuits of most computers use the first two voltage rails while the 12-volt rail is used in disk drives and fans. The main specification of power supplies is using wattage to rate the current they use up. In the early 90's, the typical power supply used around 150 watts. But as the advancement of computer technologies grew, the need for higher wattage arose. Thus, you are now able to purchase 450 watts or greater.

The emergence of higher-wattage power supplies led to many believing that these systems are better for their computers. Apparently, they misinterpreted that installing a large-containing-wattage power supply would safeguard their computers against under-powering the system, and at the same time, draw only the amount of current required. However, this notion is not advantageous at all, as large power supplies can produce more heat. As power supplies are rated through wattage, generating more heat would mean more wattage used. Thus, more wattage used would also mean higher cost for the power.

Power Supplies provides detailed information on Power Supplies, What Power Supply Do I Need?, Uninterruptible Power Supplies, DC Power Supplies and more. Power Supplies is affiliated with Welding Inverters.