Guide to Power Supplies

Choose the best computer power supplies

Analyze the output rating and power distribution of PC power supplies to match your current needs and prepare for expansion up the road. Computer power supplies of 250 W or greater will generally provide enough room for growth to meet most needs. Servers built with many CPUs and internal SCSI drives will require paying more attention to the voltage supplies.

I recommend: : ICP America is a provider of computer power supplies that provide a wide range of wattage options. AC power supplies and DC power supplies and converters are also available through reputable vendors like Advanced Power Solutions.

Choose industry standards for power supplies

Advancements in computer processors, the PCI Express bus and graphics cards mean that more power is required to operate them. The ATX12V standard was developed to accommodate this need.

I recommend:  Intel is a leader in computer power supplies offering solutions for low consumption and high consumption.  PC Power and Cooling also manufacturers a line of high wattage ATX12V computer power supplies as does Antec.

Meet high current, frequency and voltage needs for power supplies

Industrial uses of power supplies-like that of the telecommunications field, military and medical industry-will require applications to meet high current, frequency and voltage.

I recommend: Powerware offers a line of high performance power supplies covering such industries as industrial, medical and telecommunications. Computer Power Supply offers high voltage products, and Magnavolt Technologies offer high frequency AC power supplies. Glassman High Voltage is a leading supplier of high voltage DC power supplies.

Locate reputable distributors of power supplies

Do your homework. Compare brands and prices at various distributors of business and computer power supplies. Buying used power supplies can also be a smart option.

I recommend: Compare ratings of various distributors of PC power supplies and generators at Bizrate.com. Power Plus Technical Distributors and Sola/Hevi-Duty are good resources for computer power supplies as are the power supply distributor listings on Business.com. eBay provides comprehensive listings of new and used computer power supplies.

Protect IT resources with uninterruptible power supplies

To effectively monitor and regulate computer power supplies, uninterruptible power supplies are the IT professional's greatest asset. Uninterruptible power supplies can incorporate transient surge-suppression technology to prevent equipment damage and can stage the start-up of a generator to avoid circuit overload.

I recommend: :  Liebert offers a line of smaller uninterruptible power supplies that can protect a single PC or a smaller workstation, producing between 200-650 VA. Toshiba offers a reputable line of larger systems, capable of running an entire data center, with ratings of between 1,000VA and up. Also choose from a list of uninterruptible power supply vendors offered on Business.com.