imsai 2

From: jpero_at_cgocable.net <(jpero_at_cgocable.net)>
Date: Wed Aug 18 02:26:20 1999

> Date: Tue, 17 Aug 1999 22:53:43 -0600
> Reply-to: classiccmp_at_u.washington.edu
> From: "Richard Erlacher" <edick_at_idcomm.com>
> To: "Discussion re-collecting of classic computers" <classiccmp_at_u.washington.edu>
> Subject: Re: imsai 2
> X-To: <classiccmp_at_u.washington.edu>

>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: jpero_at_cgocable.net <jpero_at_cgocable.net>
> To: Discussion re-collecting of classic computers
> <classiccmp_at_u.washington.edu>
> Date: Tuesday, August 17, 1999 9:20 PM
> Subject: Re: imsai 2

Snip!

> >If one have a Astec, SPI any decent quality make with ball bearing
> >fan, count on it that it will keep working and working and fewer
> >problems, mystery rebootings etc.
> >
> So what does one of these PSU's with a fan that lasts cost?

Very minimal actually if the decent PSU have this type of fan already
installed as stock. Too many PSU has 85 C capacitors and MOST of
them was dried out. Happened to me and successfully rebuilt
mine and several more. Many PSUs that I seen that kept going used
105C, And mostly true in laptop PSU bricks especially if it's
straight from brand like IBM, compaq, etc.

The PSU area shouldn't be cut corners IHMO. That saves your troubles
and keep good reputation up. No wonder IBM designed their PSUs and
that shows and still good for more years to go. Yeah there was few
bad apples but that's very tame compared to peecee PSUs crap unless
one is using good PSU type.

> >
> Well . . . let's see . . . fan = $40 in q1, power supply including fan = $33
> in q1. . . cabinet, including power supply and fan = $22 in q1 . . . not
> hard to figure out which they were . . . and they're marked 230 or 250
> watts, BTW.
> >

No no, faulty way of looking at cost and there's a way. Not 40
dollars for that FAN! Buy Astec, SPI or something like that has same
features of quality PSUs for example they cost about 10 to 20 dollars
more than a cheapie PSU. And ready to go into cases to sell or to
replace a junk PSUs. When that surviving PSU with bad fan came in we
simply replace it with a Sanon ball bearing type fan that cost $10
and that PSUs that got rescued lasted LONGER and quieter.

But to state more clearly, my opinions:

Not worth our time to doodle with cheap PSUs. Remember to keep
mind, I rebuilt several and I can tell you that is very expensive
to do even without labor cost. Even just total cap rebuild cost
about the same as a decent PSU all up with good stuff inside plus new
fan. I recall about 40 to 60 for a whole decent PSU and done with.

On upside, those good PSUs run quietly and smooth and lot of air
moved.

DITTO to cpu heatsinks and fans problems. :-( Too many were sleeve
bearing types and even "good" ones I found heatsink surface warped.
Since we started to sell boxed CPUs, heatsinks problems went down and
for other stuff we sell ball bearing heatsinks. To see how common we
have to deal with this, last monday replaced a cpu heatsink and we
did several in last few weeks. Oh not stupid labels on cpu surface
too! Cost difference between cheapest one and a good one is about 3
to 5 dollars around here.

 This is from experience speaking.

Wizard
Received on Wed Aug 18 1999 - 02:26:20 BST