Software to monitor PSU usage

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Is there any software available to monitor PSU usage? I know it probably depends on the mobo, but is there anything?

(see this quesiton as to why I would want to: Power to USB lost when computer is under load)

user1808

Posted 2009-11-03T18:31:43.643

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Question was closed 2016-04-19T05:32:30.253

Answers

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no, to the best of my knowledge there is nothing of accuracy.

for accurate readings you will have to monitor power consumption externally.

Molly7244

Posted 2009-11-03T18:31:43.643

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@Joe The answer is you get a USB-IDE adaptor then you can plug the device eg CD Drive in externally 'cos it uses an ACDC adaptor then not a PSU, and measure exactly and easily, at a mains socket. It uses more when it's reading/writing, than when just idle. – barlop – 2011-07-18T22:20:06.460

What is the best way to do that? The only tools I know of would tell me how much the PSU is taking from the wall, not how much it is putting out, or doesn't that matter? – None – 2009-11-03T18:54:34.160

anything your PSU takes from the wall that doesn't make it to the system components (mobo, gpu, drives) is a) running the PSU fan or b) heat loss. a) can be ignored as reasonably negligible. – quack quixote – 2009-11-03T18:57:27.977

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Given appropriate motherboard sensors, it would be possible to monitor various voltages (eg CPU, RAM, possibly PCIx bus) and amperages (USB bus comes to mind, possibly others) and then do some fuzzy math to extrapolate. But that's a really-only-slightly-educated guess.

Molly's spot-on; if you want an accurate picture of your system power usage, you need to monitor it externally.

quack quixote

Posted 2009-11-03T18:31:43.643

Reputation: 37 382