Nf4 Ultra-D power issues with seasonic

[sudman]

Well my rma replacement which is a 600 w S12 Rev A2 certainly seems to be fine in my sli-dr expert.

 

Wish i could say the same for the crappy bios

[Zwar]

I just built a system with a S12 600w and have had no issues.

 

I'm also only using 3 of the 4 power hook ups.

 

I'm using the 2 standard 24 and 4 pins. Then I'm using the generic m4. I don't have the 3.5 floppy style power hooked up.

 

Other then some issues with bad RAM that tested bad in other machines so I RMA'd it. No issues here plays my games just fine.

[brentpresley]

Been in contact with Seasonic for the past 2 weeks concerning a faulty S12-600 Rev. A1.

 

Just heard back from them today that they have a Rev. 3 that DEFINITELY fixes the DFI boot problems (at least that is what I am told). Their RMA contact told me the Rev. 3 S12-500 and S12-600 PSUs will be available beginning Feb. 15th.

 

If you still have problems with your S12, I highly recommend that you contact Seasonic for an RMA.

[davidhammock200]

Been in contact with Seasonic for the past 2 weeks concerning a faulty S12-600 Rev. A1.

 

Just heard back from them today that they have a Rev. 3 that DEFINITELY fixes the DFI boot problems (at least that is what I am told). Their RMA contact told me the Rev. 3 S12-500 and S12-600 PSUs will be available beginning Feb. 15th.

 

If you still have problems with your S12, I highly recommend that you contact Seasonic for an RMA.

EXCELLENT news!

[@nthrax]

I started with a Seasonic S-12 600W and experienced the problems others have described. Seasonic was very nice and offered to send me a new PSU that they claimed had been tested with my exact setup. No dice, it has the same problem.

 

I gave up on Seasonic and switched to an Enermax Nosietaker 600W and everything is now working great.

 

Same problem! My first S-12 worked for 4 months, afterward it died and my replacement came in yesterday. That S-12 worked for 3-4 hours until a cold boot killed it. Now I get flashing DRAM LED. Thinking of calling Seasonic for refund to buy a different power supply. How does the +5v fix work? I'm curious of trying it out.

[brentpresley]

Been in contact with Seasonic for the past 2 weeks concerning a faulty S12-600 Rev. A1.

 

Just heard back from them today that they have a Rev. 3 that DEFINITELY fixes the DFI boot problems (at least that is what I am told). Their RMA contact told me the Rev. 3 S12-500 and S12-600 PSUs will be available beginning Feb. 15th.

 

If you still have problems with your S12, I highly recommend that you contact Seasonic for an RMA.

 

Now Seasonic has told me there WILL NOT be a Rev 3 and that the problem is strickly DFI's since they didn't implement the +5VSB correctly.

 

This is the apparent word from Seasonic HQ (typos and all):

 

Please note our power supplies conforms to the newest Intel specifications and have been

tested by Intel and AMD to be in conformity.

 

There have been many issues with DFI boards and from a 3rd party testing, they have found

that the start up +5VSB on certain DFI boards is out of range of Intel specifications and therefore

causes compatibility issues with our power supplies.

 

The issue here is if the power supply is changed out to another Sea Sonic power supply, the

possibility of the same issue to occur is high. This issue should be brought to DFI to resolve.

If you change to another brand of power supply, the problem may or may not surface as this

depends on power supply design and tolerances. Normally speaking Intel sets specifications

for Power Supplies, Motherboards & VGA in order to minimize or prevent compatibility issues

and if one of the 3 items is out of spec, then compatibility issue can arise.

 

I would like to emphasize that this power supply is not defective and is not a RMA item.

Thanks for purchased our products.

 

OH THE JOY OF IT ALL. :confused: :mad:

 

This experience has really soured things for me concerning both DFI and Seasonic. I seriously doubt I will buy another product from either company.

[red930]

For Clarity.

 

There is no "Intel" PSU spec.

 

The spec they are alluding to is the ATX 12V 2.X specification which you can see here...

http://www.formfactors.org/developer/specs..._public_br2.pdf

 

See page 27 section 3.3.3

 

"The +5 VSB output should be capable of delivering a minimum of 2.5 A at +5 V ± 5% to external circuits. The power supply must be able to provide the required power during a "wake up" event. If an external USB device generates the event, there may be peak currents as high as 3.5A lasting no more than 3 seconds."

 

So they are telling you that the DFI board draws more than 3.5A on the 5VSB line during idle and/or startup for more than 3 seconds.

 

To be completely accurate they should have quoted this since the Expert board uses the EPS spec...

http://ssiforum.org/Power%20Supplies/EPS12...Spec%202_91.pdf

 

Now here's the really funny part...

 

Seasonic is the only power supply manufacturer having this major problem across their entire line. They are claiming that DFI is the only board with this problem.

 

Now let's put our little thinking caps on!!!

 

If the DFI board was that "out of range of Intel specifications", no power supply from Seasonic would work.

 

If the DFI board was that "out of range of Intel specifications", no power supply would work ever.

 

If the DFI board was that "out of range of Intel specifications", why does the "new" Seasonic power supply work for a while then stop working.

 

Does the DFI board detect the new PSU and work for a while before stopping?

 

You have just been thrown under the bus by Seasonic.

[red930]

Do you get the "cold boot" no start condition with your Seasonic PSU?

 

The next time it happens and your rig won't boot, please try this.

 

------

Remove the power from the PSU by unplugging it or using the main power switch.

 

Press the Power button on the case or motherboard.

 

Press and hold the Reset button on the case or motherboard then apply power to the PSU by plugging it in or using the main power switch.

 

Release the Reset button.

 

Press the Power button on the case or motherboard.

------

 

Please post back with your results.

[Swishbish33]

I bought a S12-500 rev. A2 from Case-Mod the week before Christmas and I have to push the power button twice to get it to boot. It has worked every time with that method, but I am nervous about what the future may hold. Bleak?

[brentpresley]

Do you get the "cold boot" no start condition with your Seasonic PSU?

 

The next time it happens and your rig won't boot, please try this.

 

------

Remove the power from the PSU by unplugging it or using the main power switch.

 

Press the Power button on the case or motherboard.

 

Press and hold the Reset button on the case or motherboard then apply power to the PSU by plugging it in or using the main power switch.

 

Release the Reset button.

 

Press the Power button on the case or motherboard.

------

 

Please post back with your results.

 

 

I'm still waiting for the replacement A2 to show up. If I have the problem with that one, I'll try this.

 

I'm planning writing a SCATHING letter to Seasonic about this. I'm sure it will do NO GOOD, but it's going to be sent anyway.

[Diverge]

To be completely accurate they should have quoted this since the Expert board uses the EPS spec...

http://ssiforum.org/Power%20Supplies/EPS12...Spec%202_91.pdf

 

I was just curious and checked out that site, and happened to look at the company's that are members to SSI, and DFI was not listed. And that spec pertains to desiging power supplies, not motherboards. I'm sure the motherboards are or should be designed using the ATX Motherboard specifications, 2.1, 2.2, which both state that the +5VSB line be capable of delivering 2A. It's most likey spec'd conseratively so it doesn't equal or exceed the max that the power supplies are designed around. The ATX 2.01 (PSU spec) says that +5VSB is 2A MAX, and 2.5 Peak. I'm pretty sure this was the specification that was current at the time the nF4 ultras were created. The ATX 2.2 states 2.5A MAX and 3.5 Peak for +5VSB, and I'm pretty sure it came long after the DFI nF4 Ultra's; and is also the PSU spec, it doesn't mean that motherboards should be designed to equal or exceed the MAX specs for the PSU's.

 

Also, the thread was started on 07-23-2005, 08:11 PM, for the nF4 Ultra's, not just the expert.

 

Not that it at all concerns my system, since my parts play together just fine (for now at least). But it bothers me that no one wants to take the blame. All manufacters just about always blame the other companies, but if they are 2 companies that do alot of bussinesss together, or are important customers with one another, they will sometimes work around the others problems. obviously that isn't the case between DFI and Seasonic, and some other PSU's, that have the same compatibility issues.

 

Edit: most PSU's were ATX 2.0 around the time of nF4, but it seems that spec isn't posted anymore... so not sure of the specifications. But the box for the seasonic s12-500 that i have at work here says ATX 2.0 and +5VSB is rated for 2A.

[red930]

The ATX spec was changed back in June 2004 to increase the 5VSB to 2.5A continuous. This was several months before the nF4 chipset boards from DFI hit the market.

 

The EPS spec is relevant to the Expert since it uses the 8pin CPU power connector.

 

If Seasonic is trying to say that their PSU is built to the ATX 2.0 spec then they should not have the 8pin CPU connector of the EPS spec which provides for 3.0A continuous or 3.5A peak

 

As far as membership goes, there is no requirement since the specs are published openly. You would only want to be a member if you wanted to control the spec which isn't required.

 

The big question is still this...

 

Seasonic has a problem with DFI boards. They openly blame DFI for a board design error. If the DFI board was out of spec, no PSU would work reliably and we know that just isn't true. There are a lot of other power supplies that work just fine with the DFI motherboards.

 

Look out, here comes that bus again!

Edit: most PSU's were ATX 2.0 around the time of nF4, but it seems that spec isn't posted anymore... so not sure of the specifications. But the box for the seasonic s12-500 that i have at work here says ATX 2.0 and +5VSB is rated for 2A.