POLL: How long would you run a power supply before replacing it?

[MacJunky]

Blahblahblah blah blah blah:
<picture of 286 with original PSU>

Blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah, old school mainframes and other big iron power supplies blah blah blah.
<_<
>_>
(you guys know me, etc)

[Bond007]

I have an FSP PSU from my parents computer from around 1995 that still runs...though for the last 4 years I have had it moded as a 12v supply for whatever I want...12v air pump for air mattresses, compressor for tires, charger for li-po batteries, etc...actually comes in very handy.

[Soultribunal]

Originally Posted by Bond007

I have an FSP PSU from my parents computer from around 1995 that still runs...though for the last 4 years I have had it moded as a 12v supply for whatever I want...12v air pump for air mattresses, compressor for tires, charger for li-po batteries, etc...actually comes in very handy.

It also all depends on what you are asking of your PSU.
I have a few Sparkle units (FSP as well) that have run their due course for years upon years. But they were lucky if they ever had to output 100W.

I'd have no problems running those in old machines that I have no money invested. For current hardware however a few year re-fresh is always a good idea.

-ST

[frontier204]

Originally Posted by Bond007

I have an FSP PSU from my parents computer from around 1995 that still runs...though for the last 4 years I have had it moded as a 12v supply for whatever I want...12v air pump for air mattresses, compressor for tires, charger for li-po batteries, etc...actually comes in very handy.

I did the same thing with a AT (no X) power supply I got for $12 a few years back from an overstock electronics store (along with a bag-o-resistors and bag-o-capacitors). That PSU's regulation is horrible though, despite properly loading the +5V line, so I'll replace it when I retire another computer PSU or find a cheap actual bench PSU.

[MARSTG]

3 years for me and then change the whole system, leave it till it dies is not a good option, might kill the system too when it dies.

[jumpload]

I have one im my main pc that's a 250watt psu.

And no they don't make em like that anymore and its about 20 years old and still works,i have twin psu in my main box.
The older one powers hdd,floppy,dvd burner, etc and what not.
Main one powers the mobo and video card only.

Its in a server case with a 486 dx 2~66mgz sicker on the side of it lol, 26" tall 50 pounds, monster tower.
Wish i could find two more towers like that, man you can get a lot of stuff in em.

On three pcs im powering atm with 4 psu 14 hdds 2 Kw peek total power conversion.

[crash01]

Kind of depends on how much damage is going to be done by your system going down unexpectedly. In a gaming/media system I just leave em until they die... 2 Corsair units still running after 5 years.

[Silent_Avenger]

I only run a psu until the warranty is up after that it's either sold really cheap or more than often put into an older build.

[Babrbarossa]

For me they become backup PSUs after a couple of years, then I get a call from a friend "whaaah, my PSU died because its completely clogged with cat hair!! What am I going to do??" so I lend it to them and they can fill it with cat hair and never give it back.

[great_big_abyss]

I have an SPI 400W that had been in my primary rig since I built it 6 years ago. I've since rebuilt my primary and upgraded to a 700W, but that old 400W is still reliably chugging away in my new media box. I figure that as long as you don't overload or push the powersupply, it should theoretically last forever.