Antec TrueControl 550 watt ATX
This content was originally featured on Amdmb.com and has been converted to PC Perspective’s website. Some color changes and flaws may appear.
Basically
everything that was said in the previous Antec TruePower 480 section applies to
the TrueControl 550. The Antec
TrueControl 550 watt PSU is a TruePower PSU with a special external control
panel that allows the end user to adjust the main output voltages and minimum
fan settings. This added flexibility can
provide more cooling or less noise, plus precise output voltage control. This may be of particular interest to
overclockers… 🙂
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Antec
TrueControl 550 watt PSU – key features
- User
adjustable, dedicated output circuitry for +3.3V, +5V and +12V
- 5.25” drive
bay panel for adjusting voltages and minimum fan speed
- Voltage
feedback circuitry with ±3% regulation
- Two double
ball bearing cooling fans
- Antec Low
Noise Technology – minimizes fan speed
- Temperature
speed control for external case fans
- Fan speed
monitoring
- Sleeved ATX
power cable
- Gold plated
connectors
- Rear panel
On-Off switch
- Rear panel
4-pin Molex connector
- 3 year AQ3
warranty
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The
5.25” drive bay control panel contains three recessed pots (potentiometers) for
adjusting the main output voltages. A
special adjustment tool (screwdriver) is provided for this purpose. The User’s Manual states that each output
voltage can be adjusted ±5%. The small knob on the right allows adjusting
the minimum fan speed.
The
control panel must be connected to the TrueControl 550 PSU to obtain optimum
output voltages. The power supply will
automatically default to 95% of rated output voltages if the panel is not
connected (+3.14V, +4.75V and +11.40V).
A
word of caution: be careful when adjusting voltages above their nominal set
points. A lot depends on where and how
you measure the voltage being adjusted.
For example, if you increase the +5V rail setting from 4.70V to 5.00V
based on the motherboard BIOS readings, you may actually be raising
the +5V going out to all the peripheral drives above the 5% maximum
(5.25V). The proper way is to measure
the voltage with a good digital multimeter at the ATX connector. There will typically be a 0.1~0.3V difference
between voltages measured at the ATX connector and voltages measured at a spare
4-pin Molex connector.
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One
of the unique features of the Antec TruePower units is they have dedicated
output circuitry for +3.3V, +5V and +12V.
Most traditional power supplies combine the +3.3V and 5V outputs on a
common regulator circuit. Combining the
circuits can limit the maximum output of either of the rails and can sometimes
cause voltage regulation problems when there is a heavy load on one output and
a light load on the other. Having dedicated outputs results in more current being available to
each output with better regulation.
TruePower
models incorporate internal temperature monitoring, which allows the power
supply to adjust the two PSU fans as well as up to three case fans for an
optimum balance between low noise and maximum cooling. Active Power Factor Correction (PFC) is an
available option (standard on European models) on the TrueControl 550PEC.
