Swash87
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G'day I've got a eVGA Supernova 1000w G2 PSU. I've been having issues with the 12v rail drooping from 11.6v on startup/low load, to 10.6 on full load (reported by mobo, Asus Sabertooth S z170 with 2xGTX580's in SLI). I checked it with a multimeter and found that the 12v is actually quite low and not just a dodgy mobo sensor (checked across 3-4 different cables), voltage is about .1 above motherboard/gpu reported voltages. I then went and checked/reseated all the PSU modular cables, changed wall sockets (checked wall voltage with inline power meter, which was at 239-240v) and changed to a new power cable (between the wall and psu), all voltages were the same. I then noticed, upon first start, the PSU voltages were around 11.6 (cold boot) and stay that way all day (with vdroop included), but if i powered off the PC (hold power button) then powered back on, they'd come on at 12.2v, and stay there, no matter what load was applied (which is perfect and what i expect from the PSU) Even if i booted pc, then powered off and back on an hour later the voltages would move from 11.6 (and down to high 10's under load) to 12.2 (and drop to about 12-12.1 under high load). Does this sound like an internal PSU problem, or is there something else at play here causing this voltage issue? (note PSU is only about 1.5 years old, well within the australian warranty period, so i'll get incontact for an rma if needed). Cheers all - Matt
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bob16314
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Re: 12v rail low until reboot
Sunday, July 10, 2016 7:56 AM
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Swash87
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Re: 12v rail low until reboot
Monday, July 11, 2016 10:32 AM
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Ok, i think i'll hit up eVGA as i did a little more testing and as i posted. Upon cold boot, 12v rail sits at 11.6v, but then fluctuates all over the place depending on load (down to 10.6v under high load from 2 GTX580's). As soon as i power off and back on, it sits at 12.2v and it'll stay there between 12.1 and 12.2v no matter what load i throw at it. Definitely thinking its an internal issue, can't see how anything external could affect the 12v like that!
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JosephL
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Re: 12v rail low until reboot
Monday, July 11, 2016 1:18 PM
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Hello Swash87 and welcome to the Forums. Software level voltage readings can be highly inaccurate. In the BIOS you can check if the PSU is providing consistent power. Go into your BIOS and look for the +12v reading, this is typically under 'PC Health Status', System Monitor, Hardware Monitor'. A healthy reading is between 11.4 - 12.6v, and stable. It should not fluctuate rapidly more than .05v. You can also use a multimeter or voltmeter for the most accurate reading. HERE is a good link describing how to check the voltages in this way.
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Swash87
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Re: 12v rail low until reboot
Tuesday, July 12, 2016 9:50 AM
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Hi Joseph, All these voltage readings are taken with a multimeter (the software level readings are .1v lower than the real world multimeter readings) So when i say 10.6v, i mean the multimeter reads 10.6 and the software reads 10.5! Thanks ps, i tried to open a support ticket but the australian website kept coming up with an internal error (and that your devs have been notified)
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Swash87
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Re: 12v rail low until reboot
Tuesday, July 12, 2016 12:53 AM
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Here it is at 11.28v under light to medium loading (standing still in GTA V), jumping quickly between 11.28 and 11.32. Under heavier loads (near 100% GPU load on 2 sli'ed GTX580's) is when it starts dipping into the high 10v ranges :O (ignore the "negative" reading, i've just got the test probes backwards)
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JosephL
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Re: 12v rail low until reboot
Tuesday, July 12, 2016 1:16 PM
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I apologize that I missed that detail. Your PSU is definitely having some stability issues. We can assist you with getting a replacement unit. I have already set you up with a ticket to get started and sent you an email. Please let us know if you have any questions.
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rjohnson11
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Re: 12v rail low until reboot
Tuesday, July 12, 2016 1:40 PM
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ty_ger07
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Re: 12v rail low until reboot
Tuesday, July 12, 2016 2:22 PM
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Swash87 Here it is at 11.28v under light to medium loading (standing still in GTA V), jumping quickly between 11.28 and 11.32.
 Under heavier loads (near 100% GPU load on 2 sli'ed GTX580's) is when it starts dipping into the high 10v ranges :O (ignore the "negative" reading, i've just got the test probes backwards)
Have you verified that the multimeter is accurate using a known voltage source around 12v? No offense, but that multimeter looks like it has seen better days. Judging from the dings in the display, any discreet component could have fallen off the PCB when it was dropped and affected its accuracy.
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Vlada011
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Re: 12v rail low until reboot
Wednesday, July 13, 2016 8:35 AM
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Yes if someone have cheaper multimeters in house, as me  should check at least on two of them. If both show different results than should be checked again with proven proper multimeter in some service. If one show 11.35 and other 11.25 than should be checked again with proper tool in idle and under load. GPU and CPU stress test in same time. OCCT have some PSU test but should be checked voltage with voltmeters during test. That's 5 minutes.
post edited by Vlada011 - Wednesday, July 13, 2016 8:37 AM
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Swash87
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Re: 12v rail low until reboot
Wednesday, July 13, 2016 9:33 AM
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Thanks heaps Joseph, i got your email, i'll get ontop of this as soon as i can! I'd really hate for something to go pop and take my new 6700k with it! (and set back my plans for a shiny new eVGA gtx 1080 :P) Yes, the meter is accurate (bluepoint/snapon brand meter), i use it day to day in the course of my job (automotive electrician), only looks bad as its dirty (part of the job) and the "ding" is actually just a scratch in the stickon clear plastic that i never removed from the screen (that most people peel off when they get something), though i do have another one (accurate also) i might bring home before i initiate the RMA (on another note the voltage is fluctuating around/more than the ATX spec limit, reason enough to RMA)
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ty_ger07
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Re: 12v rail low until reboot
Wednesday, July 13, 2016 1:56 PM
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Yes, I know it is a bluepoint multimeter and I could tell that you were a mechanic based on the picture. I am a mechanic as well. I just wanted to make sure that you verified that the meter is still accurate. Your mulitmeter will not be able to tell you whether it is fluctuating within or not within the ATX specification. The ATX specification is for ripple current which is a high frequency characteristic of a buck converter. The ripple frequency will be at thousands or millions of hertz and your RMS multimeter cannot detect or display the ripple current. The only somewhat accurate (but still not really at all) approach is to put the meter in AC mode to read the ripple current as millivolts of pulsating DC. For accuracy, you need an oscilloscope. The only thing you can really go by using a multimetet is 11.4v to 12.6v. Any amount of fluctuation within that range displayed on a multimeter would be considered acceptable. ATX spec: Ripple and noise are defined as periodic or random signals over a frequency band of 10 Hz to 20 MHz. Measurements shall be made with an oscilloscope with 20 MHz bandwidth. Outputs should be bypassed at the connector with a 0.1 µF ceramic disk capacitor and a 10 µF electrolytic capacitor to simulate system loading. See Figure 5.
Your multimeter does not read and display at 10 times a second or faster. Additionally, the ATX specification allows for up to 10% voltage fluctuation (instead of the normal 5%) on some 12v DC busses at max load. That means that some 12v DC sources can range from 10.8 to 13.2 volts at max load and still be considered acceptable. And, the -12v DC output to the motherboard is allowed up to 10% fluctuation at any load setting. ATX spec: +12V1DC ±5% +11.40 +12.00 +12.60 Volts +12V2DC (1) ±5% +11.40 +12.00 +12.60 Volts +5VDC ±5% +4.75 +5.00 +5.25 Volts +3.3VDC (2) ±5% +3.14 +3.30 +3.47 Volts -12VDC ±10% -10.80 -12.00 -13.20 Volts +5VSB ±5% +4.75 +5.00 +5.25 Volts (1) At +12 VDC peak loading, regulation at the +12 VDC output can go to ± 10%. (2) Voltage tolerance is required at main connector and S-ATA connector (if used).
Edit: I am not saying that your PSU is not bad. I too would be concerned if my PSU varied so much. I am just saying that there are some weird things that a PSU is allowed to do and still be considered good.
post edited by ty_ger07 - Wednesday, July 13, 2016 3:50 PM
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Swash87
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Re: 12v rail low until reboot
Thursday, July 14, 2016 3:55 AM
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Ahh right, i understand (and have a 4input scope that i could check that with if i needed too, but i don't think i need to go that far though :P) I misread Joseph's comment though as rapid/wild voltage changes (but within the scope of a multimeter) of greater than 0.05v under loading, so thanks for clearing that up! When the PSU does work correctly though, it sits bang on rock solid at 12.1 - 12.2v, barely shifts even with sudden load changes, as compared to when its not working right and swings wildly with typical gaming load changes. Cheers ps, nearly the weekend, so i'll have some more time to check it out more thoroughly and progress with the RMA
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Vlada011
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Re: 12v rail low until reboot
Saturday, July 16, 2016 10:50 AM
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This is perfect voltage, 1200 P2, off course that should be confirmed with voltmeter, multimeter.
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