Re: Computer power supply tester; buy which one?

"mark krawczuk" <krawczuk65@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:460ae159$0$24862$c30e37c6@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
a MULTIMETER puts a LOT LESS LLOAD on than a power supply tester.
a multimeter will show the same results as the tester , wether there is
the corrct voltage or not....simple.


"w_tom" <w_tom1@xxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:1174629197.872365.42730@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
On Mar 21, 4:51 pm, "Michael A. Terrell" <mike.terr...@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
wrote:
You have to know your test equipment, and when to use what. Denying
yourself some simple tools for quick tests is a stupid as trying to work
with
no test equipment.

Which is exactly why one buys the multimeter and does not use a
'magic box' power supply tester. The former provided a definitive
answer and with numbers that can obtain further useful information.
The latter (power supply tester) hardly applies a load, does not
really say why it is 'go or nogo', and never really provides a
definitive answer. Get the meter because one needs simple tools for
quick and reliable tests. A tool that is also useful for solving
other electrical problems - not just the power supply.

Power supply tester will not even provide a definitive answer AND
makes useful assistance from others almost impossible (no numbers).




No.. it's not that simple. A PS tester puts a minimum load on the main
regulated output of the PSU; just enough to allow the PSU to come up. All the
other outputs are totally unloaded. The tester only provides an "idiot light"
indication of the condition of the PSU, whereas a digital multimeter, even a
cheap one, will provide a qualitative indication of each of the PSU outputs...
and under actual loaded conditions (if the PSU is left connected in the PC).
With those measurements, you can make a much better determination of the
condition of the PSU. Who knows the voltage limits of the LED indicators on the
tester? Nobody specs that for their testers, at least for none of the testers
that I have seen on the net.
With a multimeter, you will know, with known accuracy (within the spec'ed
accuracy of the DMM), what the actual output voltages are. The tester won't
give you that info.
True, the DMM still doesn't give you the total picture, such as ripple and noise
on the outputs, but knowing the actual voltages on the outputs is an order of
magnitude better than what the "idiot lights" tell you.
Yes, it takes a bit more time to check each output individually with a DMM, but
it's a much better test. On second thought, it might even take less time to
check with a DMM, because you don't have to disconnect the PSU from the
motherboard, then hook up the tester, then turn on the PSU. With a DMM, you
only have to gain access to the PSU connector and touch the probes
appropriately.

As far as testing a pile of PSUs, I guess you can use a tester to cull out the
obviously dead ones rather quickly, but beyond that, I question its value.

--
Dave M
MasonDG44 at comcast dot net (Just substitute the appropriate characters in the
address)

Life is like a roll of toilet paper; the closer to the end, the faster it goes.


.

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