PSU or Power Supply Unit is one of the significant components of a computer system. This unit is a power supplying unit which passes current to essential components of a system. This unit is also known as SMPS. SMPS or PSU can be upgraded to a better version if you already have a PSU. However, to upgrade to better version you need to determine what kind of SMPS you have installed in your system.
In order to determine the output of your current PSU you need to physically look at the installed SMPS and check for the power supply. Almost all power supplies have stickers on them which read special instruction in regards with the specifications of the device. These instructions also include the total output rate of the power supply passed by the device. Power supply in computer systems is measured in Watts; for example the label would hold the information of output power in watts such as 330W or 400W etc.
The amount of power supply can be anything based on the system especially SMPS. However, most manufacturers also include the power supply capacity of the device in its model number. For example, if you see model ALJ-330M then there are chances that the figure 330 explains the power capacity of the SMPS. Most of the time, the information is denoted on the PSU itself. However, if you cannot find any indication there are possibilities that the specifications are explained on the other side of the device which is not visible due to fixation. If this is the scenario then you may have to completely dismantle the power supply unit in order to determine the model number and the wattage of the device.
Determining the power wattage supplied by the device is just one of the important factors, it is also highly essential to determine the motherboard form factor of your system. For information on form factors You can refer to our Motherboard Form Factor section. To your information SMSP or PSU built today are mostly compatible with the ATX motherboard form factor. However, there are other form factors such as BTX, LPX, NLX, baby ATX, microATX etc. If you have any of such motherboard form factor then you can look for a compatible SMPS.
In case of laptops the PSU installed in them usually supplies power in range of 25 to 100Ws depending upon the model and manufacture. However, laptops mostly work on external power which is passed through some device which is commonly known as “power brick”. The term power brick is adopted for this device because the device enjoys the shape and size of a brick. This can be considered as AC adapter which supply powers when it is plugged with any conventional power switch on the wall. This adapter generally coverts AC power into DC voltage to enable the portable computer to function.
Installation of PSU:
Installing PSU is not as difficult as you may perceive. However, sufficient knowledge about computer functioning and hardware technicalities may help you accomplish the task easily. The difficulty involved in installing a PSU is lesser and the ration can be measured as 1:5. However, before you start working on the installation process you need to record all the possible information that is on the device. This information may include serial number, model number, rate of power supply etc. Also you should be familiar with precautions related with ESD or Electrostatic Discharge. This is essential as you are working with electrical components and there are chances of adversities. In order to avoid ESD completely it is better to switch of your system completely and remove the power cable from the AC power supply.
Removing existing power supply: If you have a SMPS already installed in your computer system then you first need to remove it in order to replace it with a new and better PSU. You first need to ensure that the system is off and it appropriately unplugged. Then disconnect all the possible bus (cable) that are ruining into important components of the system on the motherboard. When all the cables are unplugged you need to dismantle the existing SMPS. You can do this by using a screwdriver or other important tools used for manipulating with computer hardware. You will find screws which are used to fasten the SMPS you need to open these screws to remove the PSU. These crews can be located in the rear of the computer case or inside the case.
Installing Power Supply Unit :
Once the SMPS is removed from its location you can now start installing the new PSU at its place. You need to determine the location of the power supply and the way it should be positioned. This cannot be explained it the article as power supply units vary in size and shape. Hence, you need to place the SMPS in its appropriate position and fasten it with the case using screws, drilling them in the relevant screw holes.
Connecting cables: Once you have properly fixed the SMPS you should now start connecting the cables. It is better if you could recollect the previous connection which means that you should be able to connect all the wires bask to their places as it was previously connected. If you are making a new connection then it is essential for you to understand what cable will run into possible component. One of the important connections that you need to do is to connect the motherboard with the power supply unit. You also need to connect the power supply unit to other important components of the computer system such as CD/ DVD drive, floppy drive, hard disk drive and other such additional computer parts.
Once you have connected all the parts to the power supply unit you can now put back the removed parts of the case and put on the computer.
Magical Tip: Precaution: – Before you start connecting any component to the device, you need to gain information on possible connection you can make. You should ensure to connect appropriate cables to relevant devices.
