Test Setup
All measurements are performed utilizing a custom designed and built load tester, called Faganas, which is able to stress PSUs up to 1800 Watts. We also use a DS1M12 (Stingray) oscilloscope, a CHY 502 thermometer, a Fluke 175 multimeter and an Instek GPM-8212 power meter. Furthermore, in our setup we have included a wooden box, which along with a heating element is used as a Hot Box. Finally, we have at our disposal three electronic loads (Array 3711A, 300W), a Rigol 1052E oscilloscope and a CEM DT-8852 sound level meter. In the near future we plan to acquire six additional loads to complete our new test set up, which with the help of our custom built software will have the same capabilities with the, ultra expensive, Chroma ATEs. In
this article you will find more details about our equipment and the review methodology we follow.
Voltage Regulation Charts
The following charts show the voltage values of the main rails, recorded over a range from 60W to the maximum specified load, and the deviation (in percent), when compared with the voltage values at 60W load.
Efficiency Chart
In this chart you will find the efficiency of SPS-750C at low loads and at loads equal to 20-100% of PSU’s maximum rated load.
Voltage Regulation and Efficiency Measurements
The first set of tests reveals the stability of voltage rails and the efficiency of SPS-750C. The applied load equals to (approximately) 20%, 40%, 50%, 60%, 80% and 100%, of the maximum load that the PSU can handle. In addition, we conduct two more tests. In the first we stress the two minor rails (5V & 3.3V) with the maximum load that our tester can apply to these rails, while the load at +12V is only 2A and in the second test we dial the maximum load that +12V can handle while load at minor rails is minimum.
Voltage Regulation & Efficiency Testing Data Chieftec Nitro SPS-750C |
---|
Test | 12 V | 5 V | 3.3 V | Power (DC/AC) | Efficiency | Temp (In/Out) | PF/AC Volts |
20% Load | 11.941A | 1.996A | 2.154A | 160.92W | 88.39% | 43.2°C | 0.924 |
12.032V | 5.074V | 3.305V | 182.05W | 48.0°C | 232.7V |
40% Load | 21.597A | 4.906A | 5.971A | 302.84W | 90.10% | 44.2°C | 0.969 |
11.989V | 5.013V | 3.235V | 336.10W | 51.1°C | 233.4V |
50% Load | 26.229A | 6.793A | 7.930A | 373.23W | 89.53% | 46.7°C | 0.976 |
11.972V | 4.983V | 3.199V | 416.90W | 54.1°C | 233.1V |
60% Load | 33.981A | 6.781A | 7.929A | 465.07W | 89.84% | 47.1°C | 0.981 |
11.948V | 4.970V | 3.199V | 517.65W | 54.6°C | 231.7V |
80% Load | 44.758A | 8.861A | 9.418A | 606.75W | 89.03% | 50.0°C | 0.987 |
11.916V | 4.925V | 3.161V | 681.50W | 59.6°C | 230.8V |
100% Load | 57.886A | 8.851A | 9.410A | 760.90W | 88.12% | 51.9°C | 0.992 |
11.881V | 4.914V | 3.152V | 863.50W | 65.1°C | 228.3V |
Crossload 1 | 1.972A | 19.672A | 16.710A | 170.78W | 79.23% | 49.4°C | 0.941 |
11.964V | 4.832V | 3.120V | 215.55W | 57.4°C | 230.3V |
Crossload 2 | 63.273A | 1.938A | 2.115A | 770.40W | 88.91% | 52.1°C | 0.992 |
11.913V | 5.018V | 3.263V | 866.50W | 65.4°C | 229.9V |
First of all the PSU managed to handle full power even at very high ambient that exceeded 50°C. Also efficiency is pretty high and with 40% load manages to surpass 90%, even by a very small margin. Voltage regulation at +12V is pretty tight with 1.38% deviation. The 5V rail went above 3%, registering 3.25% and 3.3V exceeded 5%, the ATX limit, registering 5.2% deviation. As it seems there are significant voltage drops on the poor cable connections that transfer 3.3V to the main ATX connector.
Efficiency at Low Loads
In the next tests, we measure the efficiency of SPS-750C at loads much lower than 20% of its maximum rated load (the lowest load that the 80 Plus Standard measures). The loads that we dial are (approximately) 40, 65 and 90W. This is important for scenarios in which a typical office PC is in idle with power saving turned on.
Efficiency at Low Loads Chieftec Nitro SPS-750C |
---|
Test # | 12 V | 5 V | 3.3 V | Power (DC/AC) | Efficiency | PF/AC Volts |
1 | 1.988A | 2.002A | 2.181A | 41.39W | 70.69% | 0.721 |
12.052V | 5.081V | 3.329V | 58.55W | 229.5V |
2 | 3.905A | 1.998A | 2.178A | 64.43W | 76.98% | 0.806 |
12.045V | 5.079V | 3.325V | 83.70W | 228.4V |
3 | 5.956A | 1.998A | 2.176A | 89.13W | 81.73% | 0.859 |
12.047V | 5.079V | 3.324V | 109.05W | 228.2V |
Efficiency at low loads isn't the best we have seen from a PSU of this certification, since only at test#3 and with 90W load it managed to overcome the 80% mark.
Power Consumption in Idle & Standby
In the table below you will find the power consumption and the voltage values of all rails (except -12V), when the PSU is in idle mode (On but without any load at its rails) and the power consumption when the PSU is in standby (without any load at 5VSB).
Idle / Standby Chieftec Nitro SPS-750C |
---|
Mode | 12 V | 5 V | 3.3 V | 5VSB | Power (AC) | PF/AC Volts |
Idle | 12.062V | 5.121V | 3.357V | 5.111V | 12.05W | 0.281 |
233.3V |
Standby | 0.68W | 0.019 |
234.2V |
With only 0.68W vampire power the PSU is ErP Lot 6 compliant.