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HOME  PSUs #679 - Cooler Master iGreen Power 600W
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#679 - Cooler Master iGreen Power 600W |
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Written by Rodney Reynolds
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Wednesday, 31 May 2006 |
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Page 3 of 6
Specifications:
This particular product is available in
three different models;
430W,
500W,
600W. I'm going to be looking at the 600W
model (P/N: RS-600-ASAA) today. This power supply has a continuous wattage of 600
and a maximum output capacity of 700 watts.
Now how is this wattage determined? Well to understand this, you need to know what rails are. Rails are basically well regulated transformers which convert domestic current into the voltages that your computer system can use. There are essentially two different rails: the +3.3/+5v rail and the +12v
rail. In this particular case, the approximate maximum peak output of the +3.3/+5v rail is 166 watts and the +12v is 456 watts, which is essentially how the wattage of this power supply is determined.
The 3.3/5v rail is responsible for the motherboard, memory, PCI cards, AGP card and so on. The 12v rail is responsible for the HDDs, DVD, CD-ROM, fans, etc.
Ok, let's get into the details and specifications!
Here are the peak amps on each rail: The +3.3V is
25A, and the +5V is 25A. Unlike most power supplies with only one +12V rail, this product has
three: The +12V1 is 19.5A, the +12V2 is 19.5A, and the +12V3 is
19A. Also, the AC input specs are: 10A @ 115Vac / 5A @ 230Vac.
This power supply meets the ATX 12V v2.1/2.2 specification. For additional information on form factors please visit Form Factor website.
It also meets the newest SSI standard,
EPS 12V V2.91
standard. For additional information on SSI, visit the
Server System Infrastructure site. Having
the latest ATX 12V specification is important because some power supplies tend
to overheat and shut down the system under max load. Higher end power supplies
float in the ~85% range. This PSU is above 80% efficient. The efficient of any
PSU will vary depending on load. Detailed efficiency for this product is as
follows: 82% @ 120W, 85% @ 300W, and
82% @ 600W. Note that the more efficient a power supply is, the less heat will be generated, and therefore it won't require excessive cooling.
This power supply also has Active Power Factor Correction (PFC). Active PFC is
preferred over Passive PFC because it provides a more efficient power frequency.
This reduces total harmonics, corrects input voltage, and it allows for a full
input voltage range. The disadvantage is that it increases the cost of the power
supply. This PSU has a 0.99 Active Power Factor value.
Additionally, this product is 100% Hi-pot, Chroma, ATE (Automatic Test Equipment) & Burn-in function tested. So what the heck does all that mean? Well, production Hi-pot testing ensures insulation integrity. Chroma is a world recognized leader in power supply testing equipment which includes automated power supply test systems, electronic loads, programmable AC power supplies, and related equipment to support the power conversion industry. Finally, Burn-in is really a stress test and means it was tested at full load and still meets specs.
A power supply also needs to be fail-safe and worry free. This unit has that
covered with Over-Voltage, Under-Voltage, Over-Temperature, Over-Current,
Over-Loading, and Short circuit occur. Also, it's Safety/EMI Approved with Nemko, TUV, cUL, CE, BSMI, FCC,
and CCC certifications.
Ever wonder who actually makes a particular PSU? Most companies do not make their Power Supplies in house. Rather, they are made by an original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) which are probably unknown to most of us. This is
the case with this Cooler Master PSU. So, how does one go about finding out who actually made it? Well, that's very simple. Just get the number which is below the UL logo. In this case it's
E131875. Now visit this
UL Database site and enter the number.
Like the majority of new power supplies on the market, this one meets
Energy Star and Blue Angel requirements and RoHS Compliance. This in turn
means energy and money saving.
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