Note: This product is designed only for power supply output tests. Do not leave it connected to the power supply for long periods of time unattended. It generates heat and could possibly damage your power supply.

Product Link

Price: 

Installation / Usage:

     For a testing tool such as this we are not going to do our standard evaluation no need for installation comments, but how it works on the other hand is good to know so here goes. The PSU test is pretty self explanatory and labeled well but I will go over them for safety.

     Number one rule when dealing with tools especially powered devices is make sure it is unplugged before hooking up any power. I know its easier to just plug it in and go but think of it this way a PSU is basically a battery and DC current hurts allot more then AC. And the standard PSU runs around 24 amps meaning it has bite when you get jolted. Be Safe power off plug out. That being said where do we start..

     First and foremost is the Main motherboard power connector. This unit allows for both type 20 and 24 pin power units. The LCD will not be on until power is plugged in so make sure to plug in the mother board connector first then plug in the PSU. Bellow is what you should see. Make sure if you are using the 20 pin main times the 4pin connector is required as well.

     You might be wondering what happens when you have a bad power supply. Well that all depends on what you call bad. Fore example if you have a low output on your PSU but there is still power then you might see the LCD displaying a LL in one or more areas in addition you will hear an alarm indicating there is a problem. To hear the alarm the easiest way is to hook up a 20 pin PSU but do not plug the 4 pin 12v connector on the other side. You will definitely hear the alarm.

If your power supply is completely dead then plugging in the tester will do no good the LCD will remain blank. This is to be expected but make sure you remember to check the power switches on the back of the PSU to make sure you remembered to power it on rather then just writing off the PSU as being bad..

     Lets talk about the drives and how this tester displays when testing these devices. You have three general devices or plugs used in a PC SATA power, 4-pin 12v Molex, and the 4-pin Floppy. Bellow you will see different variation and what the LCD display’s in each situation. For a better understanding of wring and voltages check out our knowledge base Wiring 101 http://www.marnscda.com/PCWire101.htm

SATA

4-Pin 12v and 5v

Appearance:

     Appearance is pretty similar to the original PSU tester but with one huge addition a LCD display that shows much more then just goes or bad like the old version. This little tool is great very small and lightweight. The LCD is really cool but I will let you be the judge by the photos.

Over View (Pros & Cons):

     Quality so far is great I was a bit concerned after seeing the box that the tester came in was a little mangled from shipping but to my surprise nothing other then the packaging was damaged. The PSU tester is made of a aluminum alloy making it light and for the most part durable. The display might be cause for worry if you plan jumping up and down on it but for normal wear and tear use it seems to hold up well.


     Ideal user of this product range from the PC repair shop to a PC gamer that dabbles in equipment. The easy to use design makes this product very desirable for and PC enthusiast. As many people know the PSU is one of the most replaced items on a PC. Especially if you get an off the shelf brand PC. So a tool like this can save 60-dollar diagnostic fee at the local PC repair shop and that money can be put words a proper PSU. I am sure you will see this product in many future reviews.  

     One important thing to keep in mind is that this tester will only test a stagnant power source it does not test load or in other words the way the PSU will react with other components and with multiple power draws like hard drives or CD-ROM's but it is still a great tool and will definitely get allot of use around or lab.

    On the plus side it is easy to use pretty easy to understand as long as you understand the basic wiring concepts of a PC and other then the SATA connection everything is very self explanatory. The only addition I could see to make this an even better product would be a way to leave the tester on and run the mother board or hardware like a monitor, to see just what kind of draw the PSU can take. But at this price range and with the limitation versus size CaseBuy has a great overall product.

Conclusion:

    When all is said and done this new revision of the PSU tester is a good tool. It is great for any PC enthusiast that needs a quick and easy way to test the basic out put and performance of a Power Supply. I makes short work of a sometimes time consuming task of diagnosing a problem with a PC that will not boot. It is very easy to award the new and improved LCD Easy PSU tester by CasyBuy.com.tw with our highest award the Editors Choice Trophy of Excellence for a innovative new way to test a PSU with no muss or fuss.

Rating: 6 out of 6 Stars

Review Date: 08/12/06

Reviewer: pr101j (Paul)

Company Info

CASEBUY TECH CORP.
- TAIWAN -
2F,No.3,Lane 78,ZhongYi ST.,SHILIN DIST,TAIPEI,TAIWAN,R.O.C,
Tel.+886-2-2831-5700
Fax.+886-2-2836-9359

- CHINA -
ROOM B,9/F BLOCK 5, KANGYI GARDEN, QINGXI TOWN, DONGGUAN CITY, GUANGDONG PROVINCE, CHINA
Tel: +86-769-7295833,+86-769-7803568,+86-769-7803566
Fax: +86-769-7295318
 

Marns CDA

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pr101j