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Power Supply Has anyone bought the Metalfish 500W modular flex-atx psu from aliexpress/taobao?
- Thread starter Lilbertz
- Start date
This Taobao store have 45 positive reviews of this PSU. I guess it shouldn't be too bad, accept some users mentioned the fan is noisy at load.
https://item.taobao.com/item.htm?spm=a1z10.5-c-s.w4002-19640786689.10.44fb9f2ehtRwGf&id=582597606219
https://item.taobao.com/item.htm?spm=a1z10.5-c-s.w4002-19640786689.10.44fb9f2ehtRwGf&id=582597606219
I also saw vid before you replied. I am looking forward for it
I just bought one, it arrived yesterday. Besides the flimsy power connector housing it looks good. Strange thing happened: I jumped it in order to start it. FAN noise is okay (I will change the fan anyway). I turned it of (removed the jumper). After that I could not start it anymore. After 2min it would start again with the jumper. After playing around a little I found out that removing and putting back on the jumper somehow causes the PSU not to start immediately again. But removing the power cable and insert it again will start the PSU in any case.
I will open it today in order to change the fan - I use this opportunity to create a thread aboutit and show you the internals of the PSU.
I will open it today in order to change the fan - I use this opportunity to create a thread aboutit and show you the internals of the PSU.
@CuMiCo
Have you got some pictures? This is currently reduced (-10%) on Ali-Express, so I bit the bullet and brought one.
I'm also looking forward to see the internals... my last cheap flex from taobao was an epic fail.
I'm hoping its good, will swap out the fan for a Noctua.
I'm planning on sticking it in my BIG1 _ Prototype
Why you didn't ask me, I could have send you a good modded server PSU together with the BIG1 ?
until we get the pictures...
If it looks similar like this TaoBao "600W" FLEX: just forget it ?
Here is a real 500W FLEX with 80plus rating:
Important points to look at if you want to make sure it is a real 500W PSU with 80plus-isch efficiency:
until we get the pictures...
If it looks similar like this TaoBao "600W" FLEX: just forget it ?
Here is a real 500W FLEX with 80plus rating:
Important points to look at if you want to make sure it is a real 500W PSU with 80plus-isch efficiency:
- the cap (or caps) should have a value of something like 240uF
- the heat-sinks should be small (if it needs big heat sinks it is poorly designed and burns a lot of power)
- the inductors / transformers should fill up quite some space on the pcb
- good and efficient high power PSUs usually using E-Core inductors and not toroids
- since you cannot see which safety features it has, at least look if it has a fuse and the grounding wire connected correctly (e.g. not screwed on a painted surface but really making contact with the metal of the case)
- at your own risk: you can also check if it has standard safety features like over current and over temperature protection. E.g. if you short the 12V output it should switch off and not explode.
- observe the temperature: a good 500W FLEX stays cool under low load and barely gets warmer than ~45C under higher load
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If that's the 300W I would say it looks ok-isch. It will run hot / have a poor efficiency though. You can also compare it with the Silverstone 350w flex. There are some pictures of the internals out there.
Another interesting fact is that they do not print the AC input Amp rating on the label. Else you could easily estimate the efficiency.
It's not difficult to build a 500W power supply but it is difficult and expensive to build a good and efficient 500W power supply. I mean there's a reason why the FSP flexguru 500W costs something like USD 130,- right
Another interesting fact is that they do not print the AC input Amp rating on the label. Else you could easily estimate the efficiency.
It's not difficult to build a 500W power supply but it is difficult and expensive to build a good and efficient 500W power supply. I mean there's a reason why the FSP flexguru 500W costs something like USD 130,- right
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i'm aware of this PSU.
please note that unlike other PSUs, its not rated 80 Plus bronze, or gold, or platinum.
its suggested to buy a PSU, that is rated.
i recommend this, instead : https://smallformfactor.net/forum/t...rated-80-plus-in-black-or-silver-color.14246/
I guess we'll wait until you got yours and showed us some tests and pictures of the internals.
PSU is the most critical component of the entire build, it's the last piece of hardware you should cheap out on. I would just get an Enhance 600W or 450W from a known good seller like HZ Mod or YTC on taobao.
this PSU is modular unlike many others, & if you watch the 29 second video, its product label showing a rating of 80 Plus is visible : https://www.aliexpress.com/item/4000935628975.html?spm=a2g0s.9042311.0.0.57eb4c4dDkMYxB
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