Quote: Originally Posted by
DarquePervert 
If you were able to boot the PC up without the 4-pin 12v cable, then you obviously don't need it.
That was my thought exactly, but that evidently is not the case.
Quote: Originally Posted by
DarquePervert Personally, I think your system is pushing it for the M2ATX.
The CPU by itself can draw as much as 90w, which would be pulled mostly from the 12v rail. Add in everything else you have, and I'm pretty certain you're overloading the PSU.
Well as for "everything else" that's the rest of the main board, optical drive, and a hard drive. The optical drive is rated at 1.5A on the 5V rail and 2.5A on the 12v rail so another 30 watts on the 12V. The hard drive is rated at .7 on the 5V and .75 on the 12V. So another 9 watts on the 12. So we're up to roughly 129 Watts on the 12 rail. That doesn't sound like I'm pushing the 160 all that far to me.
Quote: Originally Posted by
DarquePervert Case size has nothing to do witht he capabilities or power output.
Never said it did. You're missing what I said. My focus was case size and not power output. My case size went from an itx, to a micro-atx because of cpu power needs but no bigger than a micro-atx because I've hit a size limitation.
Quote: Originally Posted by
DarquePervert You're hardly running a "minimal power setup".
As I explained above, what I meant by 'minimal power' was to describe a situation where every watt counts. Not that I was USING minimal power, but that the smallest change in power draw can hurt. This is my first time operating on a budget when it comes to power. Like Apollo 13 I guess...
Quote: Originally Posted by
DarquePervert Any of the DC-DC power supplies sold int he store should fit into a microATX case. I recommend the DSATX for it's advanced programmability. The Opus 250w and 320w units offer more power output, though.
My Micro-atx case is just over 3 inches tall (the CPU fan touches the case top) and the power supply space is only 2 inches wide while it's about 4 inches deep. The M2 fits exactly in this space with no room to spare other than height. The other power supplies looked like they were modeled after a typical ATX power supply and would by far not fit. For example, the dimensions of the opus 150 is 4 inches by 5 inches and I'd have to make some kind of external enclosure for it to use it.
Advanced programmability doesn't have any place in my setup. I need an on/off with the car controller and any old capasitor/relay trigger setup will do. Others may need it complicated, but I do not.
If the M2 won't power my system, then I'll upgrade it. I don't have any problem with that. I just thought I got the right tool for the job and it seems like I actually did only I didn't set it up right. My cable shipped already so that problem will be resolved soon.
Quote: Originally Posted by
JimmyFitz
I have my wired in place of the power button and don't use the power button at all.
My situation is that the M2 does not throw it's switch sometimes... or maybe it does, but the PC isn't getting enough juice to respond.
Thanks though, I appreciate the input!