X-bit labs

Topower Power Supply Units Roundup (page 6)

Category: Other

by Oleg Artamonov

[ 11/07/2007 | 11:31 AM ]

TOP-600P7 FR (600W) and TOP-700P7 FR (700W)

For the previous PSU the U12 suffix denoted a 12cm cooling fan. Here, it is changed into FR and the cooling system is different. I will discuss the two FR products both together as they are based on the same platform and do not differ in anything save for the max output power (and the ratings of some components).

The PSUs are cooled with two 80mm fans. One fan is pumping air into the PSU case and the other is exhausting it. This design helps increase the amount of transferred air as two fans create a high static pressure. It also helps avoid “dead zones” inside the PSU in which the air flow would be weak with only one fan.

Most of the interior is occupied by large black ribbed heatsinks. There is no free space on the sides of the PCB – the fans are in there. This explains the increased length of the case in comparison with the typical ATX power supply.

But taking a look from a side, you can easily see that this model is identical to the TOP-500P7 U12 in its circuit design. They are based on the same PCB.

The models with a wattage of 650W and higher have a switch that determines if the +12V rail is divided into multiple output lines with a current limit of 18-20A on each (the Split position) or not (the Combined position). This proves my point that the “virtual” +12V lines do not require the PSU to have some special design and do not increase its stability. You can flip the switch into this or that position and make sure the output voltages are not affected by that at all.

The junior, 600W, model (TOP-600P7 FR) doesn’t have that switch. It has one +12V line with an allowable current of 40A (in the TOP-700P7 FR the allowable current is 564W/12V = 47A in the Combined mode).

The PSUs have the following cables and connectors:

• Mainboard cable with a 20+4 connector (44cm)
• CPU cable with a 4-pin connector (44cm)
• CPU cable with an 8-pin connector (44cm)
• Two screened graphics card cables with 6-pin connectors (44cm)

• Two cables with three Molex connectors and one mini-plug for a floppy drive on each (44+15+15+15cm)

• Two cables with two SATA power connectors on each (46+15cm)

The graphics card cables are screened and sleeved into transparent plastic tubes (rather stiff tubes, I should confess). The mainboard cable has a plaited tube on. The other cables are just twisted like a twisted pair as you can see in the photo of a Molex connector above.