How to determine the power of a computer

At numerous forums dedicated tocomputers, with an enviable periodicity, there are reports of malfunctions in the operation of computer components, overheating and even the burning of the power supply unit or motherboard along with the video card.

Одна из причин этого – неверно рассчитанная power of the computer. Obviously, this is a rather important issue, since it is connected with the operability of the entire computer system. In this article, we'll talk about how to choose the power of the computer power supply, ensuring the stable operation of its electronic assistant.

At first glance, it may seem that the problemfar-fetched, because now you can buy a unit even for a kilowatt. Accordingly, if the user enters, without thinking about the possible consequences, they are quite predictable. However, the characteristics that are not always stated in the specifications for the power supply unit coincide with the actual ones, and computer power verification is often of interest only from the theoretical side (practice begins after failures and breakdowns). In addition, paying for watts that will never be used is not too wise.

Many people know the situation when, after buyinga modern video card and connecting it to the motherboard connector instead of the expected increase in FPS-s (frames per second) after a while working from the system unit there is a smell of burnt insulation and fused varnish. One possible reason for this is that the total power of the computer is greater than that which the power supply can give. Of course, we pointed out a very neglected case - in practice this is preceded by program failures.

The power of the computer can be determined

There are several ways to find outthe amount of electricity consumed by the system. The most difficult, but giving the most accurate results is the way to determine the power - with the help of current-measuring devices. In any electrotechnical shop there are on sale measuring pincers and the multimeter. The power of the computer can be determined by using any of these devices.

Dangerous, but accurate

To measure with ticks you need to dividethe power cord of the computer for two wires. It is better not to cut the factory one, but to assemble a small "plug-socket" extension lead in which the conductors are not assembled in a single cable. After that, you need to connect your computer to the network through it, boot the system and turn on the most resource-intensive application. Now you can measure the current. We seize any wire with ticks and look at the current value. The power of the computer can be easily found knowing the formula P = I * U, where "U" is the voltage of 220 V. Thus, at a current of 1 ampere, the power will be 220 W. Knowing this, it is impossible to make a mistake in choosing a power supply. Metering is done quickly and safely.

The multimeter is included in the discontinuity of either of the twowires of the extension cord, therefore, all preparatory work is carried out with the plug disconnected from the mains. It must be switched to the current measurement mode (limit - 10 A). After that, the system turns on, and the current is displayed on the display panel of the device. The calculation of power is similar to the previous method.

Fast, convenient, but not too informative

Another possibility of determining the powerThe system block is realized with the help of special programs or services on the Web. Having opened a page of such site, in special graphs it is necessary to specify the type of installed components and their number. After pressing "Calculation", the approximate power will be reported. Knowing it, you can select a power supply. Also convenient is that you can specify a new component instead of the old one and see the change in power consumption.