Contents
- 1Introduction
- 1.1Packaging and accessories
- 2Connectors & cabling
- 2.1Casing & cooling
- 3Input filtering
- 4Primary side
- 4.1+5 V stand-by rail
- 5Secondary side
- 5.1Build quality
- 6Load testing
- 6.1Loading +5 V SB
- 6.2Combined loading
- 6.3Combined loading ripple
- 6.4Crossloading, overloading
- 6.5Crossloading, overloading ripple
- 7Conclusion and evaluation
- 7.1Thanks
Load testing
Loading +5 V SB
As always, all load testing is done in accordance with testing methodology. The stand-by supply in Silverstone Strider Gold S SST-ST55F-G(S) V2.0 had no problem providing both nominal power and extra power under (short) overload scenario. But using low-end PWM chip has its disadvantages – the voltage started very high so the supply does not drop below 5 V under load and the efficiency is barely 75 %. Ripple was great though.
Output (W) | Load (A) | Voltage (V)/ ripple (mV) | Input (W) | Efficiency/power factor |
0 | 0 | 5.18/2.48 | 0.5 | —/1 |
14.88 | 2.93 | 5.08/1.68 | 20.0 | 74.4 %/0.41 |
17.24 | 3.40 | 5.07/2.08 | 23.0 | 75.0 %/0.43 |
+5 V SB ripple (left to right): 0 A; 2.93 A; 3.40 A
Combined loading
Combined loading also went without major incidents. It seems that using cheap semiconductors takes its toll once again and despite having −12V regulator, the voltage regulation is as bad as without any regulator at all. Similar situation with +5 V, starting at 5.11 V and dropping below nominal by the end. But the stand-by rail won the race with 5.18 V no load, that’s 3.6 % over nominal value. Bad Sirtec, bad!
Output power | Load/ voltage +5 V SB | Load/ voltage +3.3 V | Load/ voltage +5 V | Load/ voltage +12 V | Load/ voltage −12 V | Input power | Efficiency/power factor | Temperature intake/ outtake |
5.1 %/ 28.22 W | 0 A/ 5.18 V | 0.018 A/ 3.36 V | 0.297 A/ 5.11 V | 1.924 A/ 12.19 V | 0.293 A/ −11.11 V | 37.0 W | 76.3 %/ 0.73 | 26 °C/ 28 °C |
20 %/ 113.36 W | 0.504 A/ 5.15 V | 1.504 A/ 3.35 V | 1.502 A/ 5.08 V | 7.80 A/ 12.16 V | 0.290 A/ −11.21 V | 127.0 W | 89.3 %/ 0.97 | 26 °C/ 29 °C |
40 %/ 223.72 W | 0.99 A/ 5.12 V | 2.88 A/ 3.33 V | 3.36 A/ 5.05 V | 15.55 A/ 12.14 V | 0.291 A/ −11.42 V | 245.0 W | 91.3 %/ 1 | 27°C/ 32 °C |
60 %/ 330.2 W | 1.95 A/ 5.07 V | 4.26 A/ 3.31 V | 4.87 A/ 5.03 V | 23.0 A/ 12.10 V | 0.292 A/ −11.65 V | 358.0 W | 92.2 %/ 1 | 27 °C/ 36 °C |
80 %/ 436.82 W |
2.41 A/ 5.04 V | 5.92 A/ 3.29 V | 6.70 A/ 5.00 V | 30.5 A/ 12.07 V | 0.302 A/ −11.85 V | 476.5 W | 91.7 %/ 1 | 28 °C/ 37 °C |
100 %/ 550.82 W | 2.84 A/ 5.01 V | 7.18 A/ 3.27 V | 7.77 A/ 4.98 V | 39.1 A/ 12.04 V | 0.302 A/ −12.07 V | 610.5 W | 90.2 %/ 1 | 29 °C/ 40 °C |
Efficiency was OK with around 92 % maximum but low-load efficiency did not even reach 80 %. By the final test the unit’s fan was spinning on full speed (or close to it) yet it was slightly warmer anyway.
Combined loading ripple
I like what I see, I really do!! All the positive rail managed ripple less than 10 mV and even the −12 V rail with fan connected stayed within 20 mV. Finally, a result you would expect from high-end single-rail unit with active rectification and DC-DC modules.
Output % | Ripple +5 V SB | Ripple +3.3 V | Ripple +5 V | Ripple +12 V | Ripple −12 V |
5.1 | 7.60 mV | 3.80 mV | 6.20 mV | 9.40 mV | 14.8 mV |
20 | 4.40 mV | 9.20 mV | 5.80 mV | 9.00 mV | 12.2 mV |
40 | 6.40 mV | 6.80 mV | 6.60 mV | 7.60 mV | 15.4 mV |
60 | 3.60 mV | 7.40 mV | 4.00 mV | 9.40 mV | 18.8 mV |
80 | 3.80 mV | 5.00 mV | 7.20 mV | 8.40 mV | 19.4 mV |
100 | 3.60 mV | 9.4 mV | 4.20 mV | 9.20 mV | 15.6 mV |
Ripple 5.1% load (left to right): +5 V SB; +3.3 V; +5 V; −12 V. The second channel is connected to +12 V.
Ripple 100% load (left to right): +5 V SB; +3.3 V; +5 V; −12 V. The second channel is connected to +12 V.
Crossloading, overloading
Crossloading went quite well, considering this is +12V unit with DC-DC modules, I did not expect anything else. Voltage regulation was somewhat tighter, however, the stand-by supply still stayed quite high, out of 2 % regulation. OTP did not react as even with fan grille fully blocked by a sheet of paper, the unit was capable of cooling itself. OCP limit was not reached on any rail an all of them handled the applied overloading without any problems.
Output power | Load/ voltage +5 V SB | Load/ voltage +3.3 V | Load/ voltage +5 V | Load/ voltage +12 V | Load/ voltage −12 V | Input power | Efficiency/power factor | Temperature intake/ outtake |
23 %/ 129.19 W | 0.499 A/ 5.13 V | 1.428 A/ 3.32 V | 19.23 A/ 4.98 V | 1.891 A/ 12.16 V | 0.278 A/ −11.26 V | 150.0 W | 86.1 %/ 0.96 | 27 °C/ 30 °C |
19 %/ 106,68 W | 0.498 A/ 5.13 V | 20.11 A/ 3.33 V | 2.21 A/ 5.05 V | 1.877 A/ 12.17 V | 0.279 A/ −11.25 V | 128.5 W | 83.0 %/ 0.97 | 27 °C/ 32 °C |
98 %/ 539.38 W | 0.494 A/ 5.09 V | 1.468 A/ 3.29 V | 1.193 A/ 5.03 V | 43.3 A/ 12.04 V | 0.300 A/ −12.06 V | 592.5 W | 91.1 %/ 1 | 27 °C/ 37 °C |
130 %/ 717.16 W | 3.30A/ 4.94 V | 8.56 A/ 3.25 V | 11.84 A/ 4.94 V | 50.9 A/ 12.00 V | 0.299 A/ −12.15 V | 810.5 W | 88.5 %/ 1 | 29 °C/ 47 °C |
Combined overloading finally triggered the over-power protection around 720 watt, that is approximately 30 % overload. Voltages dropped slightly but were still well within tolerance.
Crossloading, overloading ripple
Under combined overload, the +12 V rail ripple finally exceeded 10 mV, but not by much, only to 11.2 mV. Still excellent results.
Output % | Ripple +5 V SB | Ripple +3.3 V | Ripple +5 V | Ripple +12 V | Ripple −12 V |
23 | 4.80 mV | 6.00 mV | 7.00 mV | 9.60 mV | 15.2 mV |
19 | 3.40 mV | 7.80 mV | 3.60 mV | 5.00 mV | 13.8 mV |
98 | 4.20 mV | 5.80 mV | 9.00 mV | 9.80 mV | 16.6 mV |
130 | — | 6.00 mV | — | 11.20 mV | — |