PSU question

[maniac_113]

what does the small switch on my PSU do? its either 115V or 240V. what should it be at? will it go faster? is it more dangerous or something?

[HeadBand]

110 is us power outlets and 220 is europe

[maniac_113]

so does it which is selected? does the PSU get more voltage?

[Gettinbye]

Unless you're in Europe, you do not want to run 220. Your machine won't go faster-you just stand the chance of harming your system. I'm sure someone else here could give you a detailed explaination as to how and why.

[Dax_Brandy]

Originally posted by maniac_113
so does it which is selected? does the PSU get more voltage?

maniac_113, stay away from that switch! it is actually a voltage input selector. if your local electric company is supplying 110 - 115 V ac to your home then leave that small switch to 110, otherwise if the elect. company is supplying 220 - 240 V, then that switch should be in the 240 position.

that switch is not going to give you increased performance or voltage to the PSU. but it will definitely give you a headache if you set it wrongly.

[dafanman]

maniac_113,
Back when I worked for a mom & pop before going private, We built a new system for a college bound daughter, at the time it was the latest P166, 32 ram, ect.....

They had it about 2 days when the calls started, every little thing, and this is after giving a complimentary 1 hr training session at the time of pickup.

So anyway in she comes one sat morning, with her "computer expert" boyfriend and the sys is not worknig (dont you just love that explination)crashes, locks up, ect...., whine, whine whine....

Started trouble shooting it and a couple mins into it system just froze, cover was off and if reached into the case, and man it was hot, i mean hotter than a cyrix in september.

Checked psu, and sure enough turned out the little brother had switched the voltage selector on the back of the psu and the psu was burning hot, switched out the psu and all was well.

Currently have a user in another forum who has switched their psu to 230watts because the ram was incompatible with the board, question now is how bad did he damage it, currently not booting, even with new ram.......

Moral is: Leave that switch alone unless you move to europe.

Laterz
dafanman

[Dax_Brandy]

Moral is: Leave that switch alone unless you move to europe.

or some parts in southeast asia.

[Xtreeme]

"if your local electric company is supplying 110 - 115 V ac to your home then leave that small switch to 110, otherwise if the elect. company is supplying 220 - 240 V, then that switch should be in the 240 position."


"Leave that switch alone unless you move to europe"

At 240v the current draw is less. So if you have 10 pc's persay running 240v they will actually be a little more energy efficient. Runs faster-no. 1 pc help-no. 240 (220v) europe only-no. My home has (like all US homes standard residential wiring) a 220 feed. One leg is 120v other is 120v. Both legs makes 220v. Without 220v in your home you'd have no stove-some furnaces no water heater (electric of course) etc. All homes here have 240 (actually get 220v). Your OUTLETS in wall are commenly 110v (one half branch). So if useing a outlet you persay plug appliances in like tv light etc. Then yes always 120v setting.

[Dax_Brandy]

that is if you say Line to Line voltage is 220V. so you have 110 on each line. I thought US standard is only 110.

in our case, Line to neutral is 220V.

[JayMan]

Originally posted by Dax_Brandy
or some parts in southeast asia.

Or australia

JayMan