VOGONS


First post, by ayuwea

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Hi everyone!

I´ve decided to build a little DOS-Win98 machine and I need some advice about the psu.

Case: Morex 2699. My plan is to mod the case and fit 2x4cm + 1x9,2cm fans http://silent.gumph.org/content/4/7/011-cubid … 99r-review.html
MB/CPU: VIA Epia M (C3 Nehemia CPU) https://theretroweb.com/motherboards/s/via-epia-m
Hard Drive: Hitachi 2,5" 100Gb 5400rpm with 44-40 pin adapter
Sound card: Yamaha XG 7x4 (not bought yet)
IGPU: Integrated VIA S3G Unichrome Pro
*GPU: I´ve already bought dual PCI riser, so I´d like to try to fit a Voodoo 2 3000 PCI in this case.
Bays:Slim CDROM + Slim Floppy Disk
PSU:???

I was expecting to add a flexATX PSU, but there´s not enough room between motherboard and front panel. I´m not sure how much current are components taking from 3,3V and 5V rails as the MB doesn´t have the 12V CPU connector. These are the options I´ve found, but I don´t know if they´re enough:

- PicoPSU 20pin 120W https://www.mini-box.com/PicoPSU-120-WI-25-12 … TX-power-supply
6A (3,3V), 6A (5V), 6A (12V)

- DC-DC PSU 160W https://www.mini-box.com/M2-ATX-160w-Intellig … =8&category=981
8A (3,3V), 8A (5V), 8A (12V)

- HDPlex 250W https://hdplex.com/hdplex-fanless-250w-gan-aio-atx-psu.html
10A (3,3V), 10A (5V), 20A (12V)

Are any of them suitable for my build? Do you have other recommendation?

Thank you!

Reply 1 of 4, by dominusprog

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If money is not an issue, go with HDPlex.

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Reply 2 of 4, by jtchip

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It depends on which Nehemiah CPU, the fastest 1.4GHz variant has a 21W TDP, but the link to the EPIA-M says it only supports up to Samuel 2? That appears to max out at 800MHz and 13W TDP. The CPU VRM likely draws its current from +5V so that's 2.6A or 4.2A (+ VRM inefficiency).
In any case, I've posted before that I used to run a Jetway J7F2 (CN700/VT8273R+) with a 25W TDP VIA C7-D 1.5GHz and a 5400RPM 3.5" HDD on a 80W PicoPSU (the older 1.0b with 5A on 3.3V and 5V, and 3A on 12V) with external 60W 12V PSU. It did need a small fan on the PicoPSU otherwise the hard drive would occasionally post errors. Given that 5V x 5A = 25W I guess the CPU doesn't consume all of its TDP. The system ran for over 7 years as an always-on server (CPU was occasionally maxed out) before it was retired and the PSU re-used on a newer server (which did have an ATX12V input so the fan was dropped).
In your case, you have more demands on the +5V rail:

  • 2.5" HDD, probably max 1A
  • sound card, probably quite small
  • Voodoo (I guess you meant 3 2000). Searching around suggests it can consume up to 15W so 3A
  • Slim CD-ROM drive
  • Slim floppy drive

No idea how much the slim storage devices consume, they do come in USB-powered variants for perhaps 0.5A each?
The picoPSU 120-WI needs its rails de-rated by 20-40% (so 3.6-4.8A) if run fanless but even 6A is not going to be insufficient. The DC-DC 160W also needs to be de-rated by 25% if run fanless, I suspect you'll need a fan if you use this, especially with the Voodoo.

Reply 3 of 4, by ayuwea

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Thank you for the detailed info!

The CPU is a VIA C3 Nehemiah 1 Ghz (15W TDP).
And you´re right about the voodoo, I meant Voodoo 3 2000.

So... if I´m not mistaken:
CPU: 3A + VRM inefficiency= 4,5A
HDD: 1A
Voodoo: 3A
Slim CD + Floppy: 1A
Sound card: 0,5A?

That's already 10A of power draw in the 5V rail. Even the HDPlex is in the limit.

I´ve been thinking in hard modding the case to fit a FlexATX PSU between the MOBO and the power/reset buttons, giving up the front USB/audio panel. I´ve found a very cheap Seasonic SS-250SU in my zone (FlexATX with 17A 5V rail) so I´m giving it a try.

Reply 4 of 4, by jtchip

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ayuwea wrote on 2024-08-16, 12:57:

CPU: 3A + VRM inefficiency= 4,5A

The CPU VRM efficiency isn't that bad, probably similar to the efficiency of the DC-DC converters in a picoPSU so >85%. However, some of the power draw of the CPU will be on the +3.3V I/O as well. Taking both into account, it's probably safe to just use 3A for +5V. So that totals 8.5A, still just outside the 8A limit of the DC-DC 160W PSU but it can probably take a brief peak beyond that and you're probably not going to load everything at the same time.
The pico-style PSUs are really designed for modern systems where the CPU and GPU draw from +12V.

ayuwea wrote on 2024-08-16, 12:57:

I´ve been thinking in hard modding the case to fit a FlexATX PSU between the MOBO and the power/reset buttons, giving up the front USB/audio panel. I´ve found a very cheap Seasonic SS-250SU in my zone (FlexATX with 17A 5V rail) so I´m giving it a try.

That would be preferred, happy modding.