330 Watt PSU id chip swap for use in M17x R2 question

Hello,

It's been a long time since I've posted here. Anyhow, I've been using my 480 Watt PSU setup for quite some time, but wanted to see if I could get the 330 Watt M18x PSU working so I didn't have to carry around 2 PSU's.

I bought a used 330 Watt Dell M18x PSU and successfully transplanted the ID chip from one of my 240 Watt PSU's. When plugged into the computer, the 330 Watt PSU is recognized in the BIOS as the 240 Watt PSU. So everythings good. Computer functions normally as it should. No sleep, throttling, shut down etc problems.

I'm using a Killawatt to measure my power draw. When using the 480 Watt PSU the computer will draw around 350 Watts from the wall under heavy, heavy load before it shuts off. However, using the 330 Watt PSU it the computer shuts off and the breakers in the PSU trip at only ~240 Watts of draw.

I can't get the 330 PSU to give me more than 240 Watts before it trips. Do I just have a bad PSU here? Or is something else the matter. Can anyone else who've done the ID chip swap weigh in on what they've found?

(I couldn't find the ancient 6990 CFX M17x R2 swap topic - so I'm posting this as a new thread) HELP!

 

240W PSU ID Chip in 330W PSU - Page 6

To answer my own question. Looks like this might be why . . . . Anyone else have any input???

EDIT: Just did some more testing. The 330 Watt PSU will trip around 220-240 Watts. I tried using only a single 240 Watt PSU, and I was able to pull 280 watts and it didn't trip . . . starting to think my 330 watt PSU is bad. Can I fix it? Or should I buy a new one?

 

Nope, it was determined by the folks over at Tech Inferno that the 330W PSU doesn't provide enough power for an overclocked XM CPU and newer model crossfire/SLI GPUs. It cuts out at around 310W~320W. So the 480W dual PSU mod seems to be the only reliable PSU mod for the extreme setups on our R2s.

 

aarpcard,
Mine 330 Watt PSU also is switched off at once as soon as I start any game. Other all functions work perfectly; the computer defines 330 PSU as 240, the battery is charged, brightness is regulated, etc. I too replaced the ID chip from 240 PSU in 330 PSU.
So your 330 PSU works correctly, it is serviceable!
Simply I suspect 330 PSU protection works over 330 Watt. Here if to disconnect this protection, then it can be used.

I too experimented with one 240 Watt PSU + 940xm + 2x 7970m crossfirex, and it wasn't switched off long time as 330 PSU. It turns out that 240 PSU is capable to give more than 240 Watt. 330 PSU mean is also capable to give more than 330 Watt, but protection works.

I also would like to have 1 330 psu.
2X 240 psu it is so bulky and many wires!(((

 

HEY THIS MOD.. could it be done with 2 330 m18x pss? and can some one pm me the link to the mod please..

 

Sure, but it would be a whole lot of work. You would need to put the ID chip from a 240W PSU into each of the 330W PSUs then wire them together in the same configuration you would the two 240W PSUs. It seems like too much work if you ask me, but I reckon it can be done.

 

why would i need the 240 chips? why couldnt i just do it with 2 330 watt adapters for 660watts?

 

Still need to send the signal to the R2 that you're using the correct PSU. If you simply wire 2 330W PSUs together without them having the correct ID chip, it's no different than using a single 330W PSU without putting in the 240W ID chip. The motherboard won't accept power from it.

 

DumbDumb wants to make mod 2x330 PSU for the m18xr2!
What too there is enough power 330 PSU for m18xr2?

 

wonder where limit is, since 2*240 is god and 330 shuts down faster than one single 240.

Would be nice if someone could test the 330 on in original setup and check power on heavy OC.

 

well im willing to try but i need to know HOW to do it... so if some one wants to link me to an article on the mod.. or tell me exactly how to do it then id be more than glad to try..

ok im confused... if im using a R2 with a 330watt power brick and i want to wire up 2 together... and they both have the chip.. im not following what issue would be...
So again im back to .,..I need to see the article on the mod..

 

But something is wrong here.

I can only draw ~240 watts from the 330 Watt PSU before it shuts down. The 330 Watt PSU should be able to deliver at least 330 watts. Right?!?!

With the 2*240 Watt setup, I can draw up to 350 watts before it shuts off. And with 1*240 Watt setup, I can draw up to 280 watts before it shuts off.

Are others experiencing the 330 watt PSU tripping at draw FAR below the 330 watt rating or is it just me? Is my PSU faulty or is this common?

 

If your 330W PSUs already have the chip mod, then you just need to wire them together. If your 330W PSUs don't have the chip mod, then you need to do the chip mod to both before you wire them together. Does that make more sense?

 

no it does not and yes it does..

1, I understand I need a chip mod..but my question is this...

If you guys are using the 240psu chip in a 330 watt psu...couldnt i wire 2 330 watt psus together since they have the 330wattpsu chip?
and if not what am i missing here?
hence why i asked for the article.. so i can understand.. this thread is kinda vauge on the whole mod in general..


and 2.. the chip mod in its self I do not understand and havent got a straight answer on.. EXACTLY what is is and if it involves the 240watt chip as ive read here ..why wouldnt it work with the 330watt chip?

 

The chip mod involves taking the ID chip from a 240W PSU and soldering it into a 330W PSU. The idea is to trick our R2s into thinking the 330W PSU is really a 240W PSU. If the R2 doesn't get a signal from the 240W ID chip, it will run on battery power only and will not draw any power from the PSU(s). Hence, if you were to wire 2 330W PSUs together, both of those 330W PSUs would need to have the chip mod.

Here is the tutorial on how to do the chip mod:

330 Watt power supply for Alienware M17x » imsolidstate

 

DumbDumb, you do NOT need to install the ID chip from a 240W PSU in your 330W PSU. You have a M1 8x R2 which accepts the 330W by default.
All you need to do is wire two 330W PSUs together using a 20A diode bridge.

Folk like Aarpcard are doing this because they have a M1 7x R2 which do not read the 330W PSU and therefore can not charge or run at their full performance.

 

Why does this topic come back in so many different threads?
Can't we make a sticky from Radji's thread?

 

this is what I was thinking.. the whole chip from the 240 psu didnt sit right.. ok im going to give it a shot..
now i got a question.. are alienwares draw as much power as needed right? and fail safes still will kick in on the laptop its self?

I ask because it seems us ,18x owners get to a point where the systems psu cant sustain the major overclocks we have at a certain point and i want to see if i can push it a hair.,

and lastly.. this diode bridge.. is there a guide on it on how to wire it up.

 

theres a dual 330 https://docs.google.com/file/d/0Bwdqi25LDwZyRzhMYUhzWXQwNWM/edit?pli=1 for the m18x series... should work fine on anything but the latest refresh series from this year (2013)