[TIP] Thermaltake Dr. Power III PSU Tester

Appletax

Appletax

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Thermaltake Dr. Power III PSU Tester

I just discovered this PSU tester that looks really nice. It's version 3 and I think it was released this year so it's very state-of-the-art.

It's on my wishlist.

Interestingly, It appears that the ultimate PSU tester is the PassMark Inline PSU Tester that's a massive $620.00. It can go between a PC and PSU and show results under a heavy load. Sure would love for Santa to put one of these bad boys under my Christmas tree :-)

PassMark Software - Inline PSU Tester

www.passmark.com www.passmark.com
 
A simple multimeter can do that to be honest. It's not worth the money unless you are a break fix shop. Even then, you can rig up a connector with some switches and high load resistors to do the same thing with a standard multimeter.
 
It's certainly better than the blinky light things. But as @GTP said with the cost of power supplies as well. Now if they had come out with it 15 years ago I'd have got one.
 
NviGate Systems said:
A simple multimeter can do that to be honest. It's not worth the money unless you are a break fix shop. Even then, you can rig up a connector with some switches and high load resistors to do the same thing with a standard multimeter.
Click to expand...

Could you please give me a link to a good guide for doing this?
 
Appletax said:
Could you please give me a link to a good guide for doing this?
Click to expand...
I'll try and see what I can find, I'm not sure what is out there.

I was mostly going on my knowledge of electronics. The standard method of testing charge ports or power banks is with a load,you can get USB loads that have huge resistors that vary the load between 500ma and 2A. You could do something similar with a PSU. You would need a high wattage resistor with a fan likely that could put a decent load on the 5V and 12V and 3.3V lines. You'd have to do the math, but even for a bog standard PSU, you'd want to load it up. Maybe there is something else like a 12V Motor or something it could run or an LED light, enough to put a decent 5 or 10A draw to see if the voltage sags.

It would be a DIY project. Most likely the DIY project pages that might help would be those who make a bench power supply from an atx PSU. They talk about minimum load etc. you could use an atx extension cord to wire up the load and to provide some sort of output pin that a multi meter can read. You'd also want a switch for main power and a switch to turn on or off a load.

The amount of time is likely a waste but if you want to go down that road, it's not exactly wasted knowledge.
 
I'd just connect the PSU to a spare/test computer & plug the probes of the multimeter directly into the ATX connector (via the small holes where the wires are attached). Easy :)
 
Or just replace the PSU.
Why bother wasting time testing when its quicker and easier to just replace it?
So you test it and tell the client its ok. Then a week later it fails and you're client loses trust in you.
 
GTP said:
Why bother wasting time testing when its quicker and easier to just replace it?
Click to expand...
Because it gives you information as to what the problem might be. If you test it under load and the voltages don't look right, you've found the problem. Obviously if it's completely dead you don't need a tester to tell you that. And decent power supplies are expensive these days. You used to be able to get a decent power supply for $30 to $50 but now you're spending at least $100 and that's without any markup. I don't just go replacing $250+ parts (with labor and markup) as some sort of test or prophylactic measure. If you do and it doesn't fix the problem the client loses trust in you too and is (rightfully) upset that they spent hundreds of dollars and still have the same problem.
 
Appletax said:
Thermaltake Dr. Power III PSU Tester

I just discovered this PSU tester that looks really nice. It's version 3 and I think it was released this year so it's very state-of-the-art.

It's on my wishlist.

Interestingly, It appears that the ultimate PSU tester is the PassMark Inline PSU Tester that's a massive $620.00. It can go between a PC and PSU and show results under a heavy load. Sure would love for Santa to put one of these bad boys under my Christmas tree :)

PassMark Software - Inline PSU Tester

www.passmark.com www.passmark.com
Click to expand...


That Passmark looks awesome. If I still had my shop I think I would take that for sure. I know that was one of the things I test during my diagnostics is the Powersupply all the time. its one of those things that can do some crazy things in a system if the power supply is putting out dirty power to the system. Its like the Car mechanic. They test Batteries and the Charging systems because that will screw with the electronics. No different to the power supply in the computer. But now that I am more mobile I do not usually do hardware too often and the digital one like the thermaltake is fine.

Thanks for the suggestion. I may get a early business birthday present this year.
 
Canadian Tech said:
How true! I'm curious as to what you import from Japan or elsewhere?
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Pretty much everything I own/use in the last 2 years is from Japan. My mobile phone, Desktop PC, Tablet. I also import Jeans for around $8-20 a pair, T-Shirts $5 each, Shoes $20 a pair, Solder Iron, Watches, HDD Enclosures, SSD, Figures, DVD/BD/CD/LaserDisc and more. I still do buy from Amazon now and then but prices are insane all around. Thrifting used to work for me, but prices there are insane compared to the US. (Local Thrift Stores want $20 for ripped jeans, $39.99 for decent ones) I'd rather give my money to an individual in Japan than some big corporate monster.
 
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