PC Build 102 Powering your machine
Now that we have put together all the loose ends on the home-built computer, it is time to fire it up
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Sep 20, 2016- Throughout the different iterations of this series, you’ve learnt how to plug everything together into one solid personal computer. We installed the CPU, RAM, graphics card and the various disk drives; we also plugged in the front end connectors of the PC case to the motherboard and in this piece, we’ll power everything with the help of a power supply unit (PSU). Much like the motherboard or the CPU, power supplies come in various forms. Primarily, this difference comes in the form of voltage usage; you can get PSU that outputs from 550 watts of electricity to 1000 watts of electricity. The higher the wattage of a PSU, the more internal components it can support. So, if you plan on building a monster machine with additional sound cards, dual graphics cards and a number of disk drives, you will need a power supply that can support this wide array of components.
In general terms, the PSU is the unit of the computer where you plug in the master power cable the end of which you plug into a wall-outlet. But because the internal components of your computer can’t handle the high capacity electricity that you get from the grid, the PSU takes wall power and converts it into a power that your internal components can handle. It is an essential part of your computer and I would recommend investing in a decent power supply and not skimming on this important piece of hardware. If the PSU does not work as it’s supposed to, it might end up frying all of your computer’s internals.
Calculate how much power your build is going to need to function well--there are online tools like the power supply calculator on the Cooler Master website--and invest in a power supply that is slightly higher than the calculated demand to compensate for future updates.
Some cases come with pre-installed power supplies but more often than not, these power supplies are rudimentary. If your case has one, unscrew the four screws of the back of the case holding the unit together and gently slide the unit out. These units come with many thick cables, so make sure that you remove it gently so as to not damage the unit. Once the unit is out, grab all of the cables of your new PSU and gently push it into the PSU tray. Let the cables hang and slide in the unit itself. Before plugging anything, make sure to secure the PSU with the four screws you removed or with the screws that came with the unit itself. Once the PSU has been properly mounted, you’ll need to identify the different types of connectors of the PSU.
If you have a modern PSU, it should come with a variety of different connectors but if you have an older or a cheaper PSU, they’ll come with a lot of Molex connectors. All power-supplies come with a 20-pin motherboard connector with an expanded four pin connector for motherboards that require a 24-pin connection. All power supplies will also have an additional four pin connector for the second power in port on the motherboard. Keep in mind that some modern motherboards will require an eight pin connector for the second power in port, if this is the case, make sure that your power supply has an eight pin connector. Most PSU come with four pin connectors and this might cause a big problem for you when it does not fit your motherboard’s power connectors.
Now, if you have a modern PSU, it will also come with additional eight-pin or six-pin connectors for the graphics card. Make sure the PSU supports the connectors that your graphics card demands. Most high-end graphics cards will also demand power from two eight-pin for six-pin connectors, so make sure the power supply has these connectors. Modern PSUs will also come with dedicated SATA power supply connectors that will plug directly into your SATA drive. Older PSUs won’t have these connectors, they’ll have the two motherboard connectors and everything else will be a Molex connector, flat white connectors with four rounded connecting pins inside the flat white connector. If your power supply has these Molex connectors, you will need converters to plug them into your graphics card and your SATA drives. I would also not recommend going for a PSU with all Molex connectors because they’re not build for high-end computers and will most likely not support the power demands of most of your internals. But if you have no other choice, use a converter to make them compatible with your internal peripherals.
Now, you need to identify the voltage for all of these connectors and plug them in where necessary. For this, keep the PSU documentation nearby. First and foremost, grab the biggest connector, the 24-pin connector, and plug it into the respective connector on your motherboard. This is easy to identify because it’s the biggest connector and port, you can’t make a mistake with the motherboard connector. With the help of the PSU documentation, find out which one of the four-pin connectors is the 12V connector. Once you figure out the four-pin connector that outputs 12V, plug that into the four-pin power slot on your motherboard. This powers your CPU, so make sure you don’t make a mistake with this connector or your computer will not boot. Also find the PCI-e six-pin or eight-pin connectors and plug those into your graphics card. If your PSU does not have these connectors, most graphics cards will come with converts, find these converters and plug them into Molex connectors and then plug it into your graphics card. Now, power all of your disk drives with the help of the SATA power connectors or Molex to SATA converters. After you’ve connected everything, work on a cable management. Since most of the cables from the power supply are thick, they can often be difficult to manage, so grab a few zip-ties and secure them in bunches. It would be better if you could wire all of the cables at the back of the case so that they don’t obstruct the front end of the motherboard.
After the power supply has been successfully installed try turning the computer on. Don’t close the case just yet, make sure that the computer boots up. From the BIOS, make sure all of your components are working properly. If the computer does not display anything on the monitor, try taking out the RAMs and plugging them back in. If the CPU fan is now working, make sure that the
four-pin connector that you plugged into the motherboard is outputting 12v. If the graphics card is not powered well enough, you won’t get any display on the monitor. Troubleshoot this by plugging in your monitor to the VGA output on your motherboard. If it works, try using a different connector or plugging in your converter into a different Molex connector. Tinker around a bit and once everything is up and running, close up your PC and start installing an operating system.
Congratulations, you’ve build your own computer from scratch. Enjoy the sense of completion and enjoy working or gaming on your new custom built computer. Make sure you maintain your computer from time to time and you should be good to go.
Published: 20-09-2016 08:45
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