hi, all I have an idea that I told Seasonic

[Rock N Roll Rebel]

I called Seasonic and told them that it would be cool if they would make a PSU with an LCD on the side of the power supply that would tell watts volts and all so you would know if anything goes wrong with the power supply but it will only be for cases that you can see it. tell me what you think

 

[A Computer Guy]

Up the ante and tell them it should be a paperwhite display not LCD so when the power goes out you know what the last readings were.

 

[JWNoctis]

Sounds a bit complicated and expensive to last only one PSU and leave out everyone else. Make this into a test appliance and monitor addon drawing power off +5VSB, and put it up on Hackaday or similar - There will be clones either way. Probably very doable with off-the-shelf parts.

Someone already made that, but there could probably be another in a more sleek and cheaper package.

 

[Ruru]

Isn't that practically like some Corsair i-series but instead of using software for monitoring, it would have its own display (or did I get something wrong?)?

 

[AusWolf]

Up the ante and tell them it should be a paperwhite display not LCD so when the power goes out you know what the last readings were.

I like the idea, but the problem is that e-paper screens take a long time to refresh, so it might not be able to show any sudden fluctuation right at the moment of failure.

 

[OliverQueen]

I would prefer a small separate panel that connects to the rear of the PSU (or via Bluetooth/wireless radio) to show realtime stats as none of the cases I use have ‘windows’ in the PSU area & tbh prefer to use cases that don’t have windows at all if I can get away with them (they are under the desk on a ‘roller skate’ as is so would be hard to see anyway).

 

[Bill_Bright]

on the side of the power supply

On the side? That would not work for many scenarios. In some computer cases, PSUs mount up top with the fan intake on the bottom. Other cases, they mount on the bottom with fan intake on top. In some "slim" cases, they mount vertically with fan intake going ether way. So which "side" would this display go on?

Assuming you could mount the PSU so this display was still visible, it would almost certainly demand the PC case have a side panel window so you could see what the display says. Many cases don't have side panel windows. On my Fractal Design case, the PSU sits below the window opening.

To me, it would be pretty inconvenient if you had to remove the side panel to read this display.

Plus, with some cases, the PSU sits in its own chamber to create and isolate its own cooling - the status display would be covered.

Therefore, I see no practical place for this display but on the back panel of the PSU. And for me, my PC slides into a cubby hole below my desktop. I would have to slide the PC out just to see this display - not practical at all. At least not for me.

Also with that limited real estate already used for the master power switch and the power cord connector, this display would have to be pretty small or risk impacting air flow (and thus PSU cooling) through the PSU case.

I like the idea of a status display that does not rely on software running in the OS. But the only practical solution I can see for this is a dedicated display "device" that connects to the PSU then somehow displays on a display panel that sits outside the PC case so the user could easily see it. How would that work? Bluetooth? Cable? IDK.

It would also require some proprietary configuration and as far as I am concerned, "proprietary" is a bad word that needs to be avoided at all costs.

Ideally, IMO, if the PSU and case makers got together to bring this display to the case's front panel, much the same way USB ports are mounted in front, that would be good. But getting the PSU and case makers to agree on a standard to do this most likely is impossible.

What would this display even show? To me, it would have to accurately display the 4 primary voltages (+12VDC, +5VDC, +3.3VDC and +5Vsb) to at least 1 decimal place.

Temperature would be nice but where would the sensor go? Rectifiers? Which one? What would be considered normal?

What about fan speed?

Wattage? From where, line input or output? If output, which rail?

Current?

% load?

I'd want it all and either the font size would have to be tiny (and my 70+ year old eyes would not like that) or the display panel would have to be pretty big.

I think the idea has much merit. I just don't see a practical solution to implement it.

Up the ante and tell them it should be a paperwhite display not LCD so when the power goes out you know what the last readings were.

I understand the point here and it clearly is an excellent idea. But unless I'm not understanding your definition of "paperwhite display" (I'm thinking Kindle e-readers), the displays still need power to light up. So it seems it would require the addition of a battery, adding even more to the cost, and making it even more proprietary.

 

[JIWIL]

It would probably end up like those keyboard displays that can only show the time and cat.gifs

 

[bug]

The usefulness seems very, very limited. I'm thinking you can easily tell when a PSU goes belly-up because of overvoltage or overcurrent, by seeing which component inside has failed.

 

[iuliug]

Doesn't ROG have PSUs with displays?

 

[dirtyferret]

Isn't that practically like some Corsair i-series but instead of using software for monitoring, it would have its own display (or did I get something wrong?)?

pretty much

To me, it would be pretty inconvenient if you had to remove the side panel to read this display.

practically pointless unless you have a case with an open window exactly where the display is (very doubtful) or an open case
also, the extra cost would make the PSU so niche (think the seasonic noctua PSU but pricer)
and finally, as @Ruru stated their software like the corsair i- link that can give you that data already without the added LCD cost

But the only practical solution I can see for this is a dedicated display "device" that connects to the PSU then somehow displays on a display panel that sits outside the PC case so the user could easily see it. How would that work? Bluetooth? Cable? IDK.

basically a PSU power tester

 

[Bill_Bright]

basically a PSU power tester

Yes, and I keep one similar to that in my tool bag for house calls.

But those don't tell you the status under a variety of realistic loads. And unlike the OP's suggestion (and the point I was making) is they don't test the supply in real-time while connected to the computer.

Nor do they test for ripple or other anomalies, hold-up times, etc. PSU testers are better than nothing but no substitute for proper testing by a qualified tech using an oscope or dedicated PSU analyzer.

Again, not to disparage the OP or his suggestion. I think such a real-time monitoring feature could be invaluable. I just don't see it being practical to implement simply because there are so many different physical configurations to PSU placement and visibility in today's wide variety of PC cases.

Plus, I think the added cost to implement would deter most users.

 

[lilhasselhoffer]

https://www.amazon.com/Fluke-Resistance-Continuity-Capacitance-Measurements/dp/B00JXF8OKG/ref=asc_df_B00JXF8OKG/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=693071814439&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=18013007011087826276&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9010230&hvtargid=pla-441145852451&psc=1&mcid=6756d327704332e4814277d53d0a2bd8

So you want them to strap an ammeter, and presumably volt meter, to each PSU.
Good...you can pay the extra $70 in parts, especially when some PSUs only cost that much to begin with.

This is...not a reasonable expenditure, and for the value it adds a portable meter (as linked above) will give you the relevant data not bound to one PC. I...this is just silly. Consider me happy to spend way less on my PSU to not get a data point which only exists at a failure point and thus is useful either once (at failure), or infrequently as a function of unclean power.

 

[Frick]

So you want them to strap an ammeter, and presumably volt meter, to each PSU.
Good...you can pay the extra $70 in parts, especially when some PSUs only cost that much to begin with.

Honestly I'd love for a product like that to exist, like a really high end model for a very specific clientele? Absolutely yes.

 

[Bill_Bright]

(as linked above)

A link that does not work!

 

[A Computer Guy]

I understand the point here and it clearly is an excellent idea. But unless I'm not understanding your definition of "paperwhite display" (I'm thinking Kindle e-readers), the displays still need power to light up. So it seems it would require the addition of a battery, adding even more to the cost, and making it even more proprietary.

From what I remember (many years ago) they don't have a backlight but just needed power to change the display. I found an article that clarifies https://www.smorescience.com/how-do-kindle-screens-work/
I can see perhaps you might need a small battery or capacitor to ensure the last screen update is completed after power loss.
I see them now everywhere like in BestBuy where they have replaced normal paper price tags for shelf items.

I found a video from our favorite YT entertainer.

 

[Rock N Roll Rebel]

On the side? That would not work for many scenarios. In some computer cases, PSUs mount up top with the fan intake on the bottom. Other cases, they mount on the bottom with fan intake on top. In some "slim" cases, they mount vertically with fan intake going ether way. So which "side" would this display go on?

Assuming you could mount the PSU so this display was still visible, it would almost certainly demand the PC case have a side panel window so you could see what the display says. Many cases don't have side panel windows. On my Fractal Design case, the PSU sits below the window opening.

To me, it would be pretty inconvenient if you had to remove the side panel to read this display.

Plus, with some cases, the PSU sits in its own chamber to create and isolate its own cooling - the status display would be covered.

Therefore, I see no practical place for this display but on the back panel of the PSU. And for me, my PC slides into a cubby hole below my desktop. I would have to slide the PC out just to see this display - not practical at all. At least not for me.

Also with that limited real estate already used for the master power switch and the power cord connector, this display would have to be pretty small or risk impacting air flow (and thus PSU cooling) through the PSU case.

I like the idea of a status display that does not rely on software running in the OS. But the only practical solution I can see for this is a dedicated display "device" that connects to the PSU then somehow displays on a display panel that sits outside the PC case so the user could easily see it. How would that work? Bluetooth? Cable? IDK.

It would also require some proprietary configuration and as far as I am concerned, "proprietary" is a bad word that needs to be avoided at all costs.

Ideally, IMO, if the PSU and case makers got together to bring this display to the case's front panel, much the same way USB ports are mounted in front, that would be good. But getting the PSU and case makers to agree on a standard to do this most likely is impossible.

What would this display even show? To me, it would have to accurately display the 4 primary voltages (+12VDC, +5VDC, +3.3VDC and +5Vsb) to at least 1 decimal place.

Temperature would be nice but where would the sensor go? Rectifiers? Which one? What would be considered normal?

What about fan speed?

Wattage? From where, line input or output? If output, which rail?

Current?

% load?

I'd want it all and either the font size would have to be tiny (and my 70+ year old eyes would not like that) or the display panel would have to be pretty big.

I think the idea has much merit. I just don't see a practical solution to implement it.


I understand the point here and it clearly is an excellent idea. But unless I'm not understanding your definition of "paperwhite display" (I'm thinking Kindle e-readers), the displays still need power to light up. So it seems it would require the addition of a battery, adding even more to the cost, and making it even more proprietary.

yep I see your point it would not work for a lot of cases it would work in mine I have a Thermaltake view 71 case and maybe some other cases but I do see a good idea of a panel that would plug into the PSU and sit on top of the desk would be better

 

[64K]

I wouldn't consider it as a plus on my PSU buying check list especially since it would increase the cost of the unit but some people might. I'm looking at you LED bling stuff. Maybe put a meter with LED lights around it to stand out and market it as a 'Gaming PSU'.

 

[Bill_Bright]

@A Computer Guy - yeah, I read (okay, scanned, perhaps too quickly) that same article but I took it as though it still needed power to maintain the display - only a very small amount. Reading it again, it seems you are right and,

Once the electrodes have done their job of arranging the particles, they don’t need any more power.

However, I still wonder how those screens will work in this suggested scenario since the screen will display the information from the previous status update. What "sample" rate is fast enough to be useful to the user? I note the Kindle display does not "refresh". It has to be erased and re-written to display updated information.

I note too that today's computer power supplies are "switching" PSUs and operate (switch) at frequencies between 50 KHz and 1 MHz (source). Those switching speeds are great to help keep unwanted and unhealthy AC components out of the DC output voltages, but pretty sure the status display updating that fast would look like a blur. So then they would have to sample with much longer intervals. Is once every 5 seconds fast enough? 10 seconds? Or is the information too old at that point?

Points to ponder, for sure.

 

[Fokker]

It's been done before in similar fashion (I know since I have one ASUS Thor) and without something akin to Corsair's i-Series communications port, it's worthless outside of cases specifically built with it in mind. I modified my case to make use of it, but it's mostly worthless since most modern cases either hide the PSU completely or mount the PSU in an unusual locations (dual chamber cases). It's just too niche for them to justify spending (and charging) the extra money to either add a remote mountable LCD or software monitoring (which most people aren't going to want to throw yet another software/service in the background for that).

 

[chrcoluk]

I called Seasonic and told them that it would be cool if they would make a PSU with an LCD on the side of the power supply that would tell watts volts and all so you would know if anything goes wrong with the power supply but it will only be for cases that you can see it. tell me what you think

It should be at the back of the PSU meaning it wouldnt have a requirement of a see thru case.

 

[Count von Schwalbe]

5.25" bay screen, with USB cable interface. Display similar to HWiNFO for polling time and values.

 

[eidairaman1]

It can be a calculator style display, nothing fancy

 

[Dr. Dro]

ASUS ROG Thor series did it. Might be patented design.