Buying old second hand PSU for budget linux-build

[JohnnyPWN]

Psu in question is Corsair VX550. All Japanese Caps and it's really old.

 

Couple questions

 

1. Should I buy, It's really old but perfect for my budget?

2. Does capacitors go bad even without use or yes, but slower?

3. Does it matter how long it has been in use. Lets say 5 vs 10 year?

 

[NunoLava1998]

Better to just get something like a CX450M or CX550M. Getting a used PSU from 2007 is a pretty bad idea (in fact, cheaping out on your PSU is a bad idea).

[JohnnyPWN]

that answer's only the first from my questions. and my limit for psu is 25 euros. I cant get enything new with that.

[NunoLava1998]

1 minute ago, johnnyz said:

that answer's only the first from my questions. and my limit for psu is 25 euros. I cant get enything new with that.

Save up more. You don't want to cheap out on a PSU.

[JohnnyPWN]

cheapest new I can get is this: https://bit.ly/2EHo72u

[NunoLava1998]

Just now, johnnyz said:

cheapest new I can get is this: https://bit.ly/2EHo72u

Save up more, that's a pretty bad PSU

[JohnnyPWN]

I'm not gonna save more it's budget linux pc 30 euros is max get that in your head

[JohnnyPWN]

Also the VX550 was in use 8 years I skipped it

[NunoLava1998]

1 minute ago, johnnyz said:

I'm not gonna save more it's budget linux pc 30 euros is max get that in your head

That PSU is pretty much a fire hazard. You wouldn't want a fire hazard sending power to your system.

A VS450 is only 10€ more...

[JohnnyPWN]

I'm only goin to use gtx 650 Ti 400W is minimum for it

[NunoLava1998]

1 minute ago, johnnyz said:

I'm only goin to use gtx 650 Ti 400W is minimum for it

A VS450 is 450W, so it'll work.

[JohnnyPWN]

nuno: do you mean the Chieftec 400W

[NunoLava1998]

Just now, johnnyz said:

nuno: do you mean the Chieftec 400W

no, i mean this: https://www.jimms.fi/en/Product/Show/138916/cp-9020170-eu/corsair-450w-vs450-atx-virtalahde-80-plus-white-musta

you do realize that Chieftec PSU is pretty bad and i wouldn't recommend it at all.

[JohnnyPWN]

I meant is the chieftec a firehazard?

[NunoLava1998]

1 minute ago, johnnyz said:

I meant is the chieftec a firehazard?

fire hazard is a pretty overkill name, but i would not recommend it at all. a vs450 is much higher quality and is actually pretty ok for a super-budget build like yours, and the chieftec is pretty bad and i wouldn't recommend it at all (other than stuff like scrapyard wars where you're using the system for barely any time at all, and even then there are times in scrapyard wars where the PSUs cause problems).

[JohnnyPWN]

what about 2 year old EVGA 500w 80+ for 25 €

or reasonably new FPS Group PSU

another new possibility coud be Cooler Master MasterWatt Lite 400W

[aisle9]

20 minutes ago, johnnyz said:

what about 2 year old EVGA 500w 80+ for 25 €

or reasonably new FPS Group PSU

 

There were also  old Seasonic but thatäs propably out of quastion and NEC branded

The old EVGA 80+ white units are based on a low-quality HEC design, IIRC. I've used quite a few of them, actually still have one powering a Phenom II x4/GTX 960 rig that I can't seem to get rid of. That said, I wouldn't recommend one for anything more intense than an HTPC setup that does some light gaming. I worry that the cycling between high draw and low draw that comes with heavy gaming could do a number on it fairly quickly, and I have tremendous concerns about its ability to sustain the rated power draw.

 

If the FSP is new, it's probably at least ok. The biggest problem with FSP power supplies tends to be the crappy fans that go bad after a year or two. If it's a year or two old, or older, assume that the fan is either already clicking, already dead, or will be clicking and/or dead momentarily.

 

Seasonic PSUs tend to be good, but I wouldn't buy an old NEC-branded one given that it's probably their lowest tier unit.

 

MasterWatt Lite units are garbage.

 

You really need to consider saving up more for something like a CX450, CX450M, CX550, CX550M, a new S12II/M12II, BQ unit, something like that that's inexpensive, brand new and not likely to fail. A PSU may well die quietly, but it can (and sometimes will) take other components screaming to their demise along with it.

[Guest]

Guys.. He doesn't want to spend any money.  Having him use an old (10 years?) good PSU is still better than him going out and buying a bomb.

 

2 hours ago, johnnyz said:

Psu in question is Corsair VX550. All Japanese Caps and it's really old.

 

Couple questions

 

1. Should I buy, It's really old but perfect for my budget?

2. Does capacitors go bad even without use or yes, but slower?

3. Does it matter how long it has been in use. Lets say 5 vs 10 year?

 

OP:  Does the fan still spin?  Is it cleaned of dust (if not, blow it out), can you see all the caps inside (use a flashlight)?  If you can, do you see any bulging tops or brown film on the tops?

[JohnnyPWN]

JohnnyGURU: Buying online. I already turned that offer down.

 

I was actually thinking about buying chinese psu from aliexpress for 25€, but my rig would propably be in flames if I put it in.

[JohnnyPWN]

I think about vs450 as a option, when I get money ok. It's going to be most expensive part of the system.

[JohnnyPWN]

45 minutes ago, aisle9 said:

The old EVGA 80+ white units are based on a low-quality HEC design, IIRC. I've used quite a few of them, actually still have one powering a Phenom II x4/GTX 960 rig that I can't seem to get rid of. That said, I wouldn't recommend one for anything more intense than an HTPC setup that does some light gaming. I worry that the cycling between high draw and low draw that comes with heavy gaming could do a number on it fairly quickly, and I have tremendous concerns about its ability to sustain the rated power draw.

That's basically what i'm going to do. Because I have a main rig. It's going into a second linux-rig. So It could be ok for me, if it isn't sold out yet.

[Stefan Payne]

5 hours ago, johnnyz said:

Psu in question is Corsair VX550. All Japanese Caps and it's really old.

No, absolutely NOT!

 

5 hours ago, johnnyz said:

Couple questions

 

1. Should I buy, It's really old but perfect for my budget?

2. Does capacitors go bad even without use or yes, but slower?

3. Does it matter how long it has been in use. Lets say 5 vs 10 year?

1. Hell, no! Its far to expensive for what you get! Even though its indy regulated, you'd be better off spending a bit more for a new, low end DC-DC unit
2. Yes, because there's dihydrogenmonoxide in them, wich is one of the worst reacting substance on the Planet.  That is why they have a Shelf Life in the Datasheet.
3. No, it does not. The PSU won't get better and its 10 Years old or more. It was good when it came out, today its shit as all PSU from that Time are.

[Stefan Payne]

4 hours ago, johnnyz said:

that answer's only the first from my questions. and my limit for psu is 25 euros. I cant get enything new with that.

Get 10€ more and get a be quiet System Power 9 400W or Xilence Performance A+.

25€ for a 10 Year old PSU that might die any second is just way too much.

 

As I said, those old PSU are rediculously expensive, 25€ is way too much.

 

Those are right now ~35 and 38€ right now:

https://geizhals.de/xilence-performance-a-serie-430w-atx-2-4-xp430r8-xn060-a1380612.html?hloc=de

https://geizhals.de/be-quiet-system-power-9-400w-atx-2-4-bn245-a1765560.html?hloc=de

 

And its worth spending that money on a new, decent quality PSU!

[JohnnyPWN]

Hey, Non-binary relative of Max Payne. Yes I'm not buying 10 year old psu, but I'm still looking cheaper alternative for VS450.

 

 

Hey  I think they stopped sending to finland if I rememeber correctly. Mindfactory atleast

[JohnnyPWN]

What do you think going full scrayard wars and running temporary 2 psus at once.... What could happen?