PC Power & Cooling Turbo-Cool 1200W PSU Review

Specifications

The Turbo-Cool 1200W power supply is rated for a combined, maximum output power of 1,200 watts (1,300W peak) at up to 50°C ambient air temperature (internal case air temperature).  Like all previous Turbo-Cool models, the 1200W unit features Active Power Factor Correction, universal AC input, and uses a single 80mm fan for cooling.

Note that on the nameplate there are two different specifications listed for the AC input.

• 100-240VAC 17A 50-60Hz (20A Receptacle, 5-20P 14AWG Cord)
• 110-240VAC 15A 50-60Hz (15A Receptacle, Std. 14AWG Cord)

The key difference here is the minimum operating voltage (100VAC vs. 110VAC).  The majority of North American residential electrical circuits have a maximum capacity of 15 Amps for 120VAC, 60Hz circuits.  20A circuits are also used, but are typically limited to basement/garage areas or specific heavy loads.  The plugs and receptacles are slightly different (you can plug a 15A plug into a 20A receptacle but you can not plug a 20A plug into a 15A receptacle).

20A Plug                    15A Plug                                20A Receptacle

A heavy duty 15A power cord comes standard with the Turbo-Cool 1200W power supply, which should work perfectly for the vast majority of users.  A 20A power cord is optional.  The only difference between the two is the male plug as shown above.

At maximum load (1,200W DC output), the Turbo-Cool 1200W power supply will pull approximately 13A from an 115VAC circuit (assuming 80% efficiency and PF~1).  This is well within the rated capacity of a 15A circuit, but don’t expect it to power much else.  However, if the AC line voltage happens to be very low, the AC current draw will increase to deliver the same power.  In this case, at maximum load the Turbo-Cool 1200W power supply will pull approximately 15A from a 100VAC circuit.  And under worse case conditions (100VAC supply and 1,300W peak DC load) the PSU could pull over 16A, requiring a 20A circuit.

Under normal operating conditions, the Turbo-Cool 1200W PSU should not exceed the capacity of a standard 15A residential circuit.  Even a heavily loaded, high-end gaming rig with multiple video cards will be hard pressed to pull 800W DC, which translates to roughly 8-9 Amps on the AC side.  And just because a power supply is rated for 1200W doesn’t mean you should operate it at that level (I use 60~70% of maximum load when sizing a power supply).  However, if your application really needs 1200 watts of DC power, the Turbo-Cool 1.2 kW PSU is up to the task!

Specifications for the Turbo-Cool 1200W (courtesy PC Power & Cooling)

The PC Power & Cooling Turbo-Cool 1200W PSU incorporates a single, powerful +12V output that can deliver up to 90A continuous (100A peak).  Going back to a single +12V rail is a trend we are seeing in newer power supplies.  Some manufacturers are no longer creating multiple +12V outputs by implementing current limiting circuits into their design to conform to the 240 VA maximum guidelines; no single output should exceed 240 VA (12V x 20A = 240 VA).  Having multiple current limited +12V outputs can lead to power distribution problems, particularly with some power-hungry video cards.  Delivering a single, powerful +12V output is a better approach IMHO.