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    M17xR2 Ac Adapter issues after OC

    Discussion in 'Alienware 17 and M17x' started by HerbTheTree, Sep 18, 2011.

  1. HerbTheTree

    HerbTheTree Newbie

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    Ever since I oc'd my video cards (dual 5870s) under heavy load I get about 15 minutes and then the power cuts out and I go off battery. The issue is my game goes from 35 fps to 8...

    Anyway I am curious if anyone else has had this issue or anyone knows how to fix it? I am running A10 bios.
     
    HerbTheTree, Sep 18, 2011
    #1
  2. TurbodTalon

    TurbodTalon Notebook Virtuoso

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    Your PSU must be weak. I run a full-time overclock on my cards (100Mhz core and mem), as well as ThrottleStop on my 920XM. I cannot get my PSU to trip unless I'm running FurMark and Prime95 at the same time. If you're under warranty, try to get a new one.
     
    TurbodTalon, Sep 18, 2011
    #2
  3. DR650SE

    DR650SE The Whiskey Barracuda

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    What are your spec and what kinda overclock?
     
    DR650SE, Sep 18, 2011
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  4. HerbTheTree

    HerbTheTree Newbie

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    m17x r2
    I7 740
    8gb ram
    dual 5870m


    OC

    video cards with Saphire Trixx 800 1100
    Proc with a10 modded bios 5%
     
    HerbTheTree, Sep 19, 2011
    #4
  5. TurbodTalon

    TurbodTalon Notebook Virtuoso

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    There is no way you should ever be tripping that PSU with those components and that overclock during normal gaming. If you go to your local hardware store, you can pick up a kill-a-watt meter. That will tell you exactly how many watts your laptop draws at full load. Mine was $30.
     
    TurbodTalon, Sep 19, 2011
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  6. aarpcard

    aarpcard Notebook Deity

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    Yeah, that doesn't sound right. You're probably drawing 230-240watts, but not enough to trip the PSU. Either you have a bad PSU or something else is going on that's causing you to draw in excess of 250-260watts.
     
    aarpcard, Sep 19, 2011
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  7. HerbTheTree

    HerbTheTree Newbie

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    I sent alienware an email trying to get a new PSU. Ill go check out the wattage today, thanks for the info :)
     
    HerbTheTree, Sep 19, 2011
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  8. TurbodTalon

    TurbodTalon Notebook Virtuoso

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    Yeah brother. Good luck on your journey.
     
    TurbodTalon, Sep 19, 2011
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  9. HerbTheTree

    HerbTheTree Newbie

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    Resolution!!!!

    I feel like I just won something... weird..

    So after 3 times talking with alien support and having them run the a10 bios update and power down and whatnot I was getting a little annoyed.

    I didn't have a wattage tester but I did have a MultiMeter(and I am a noob at any electronics) so I found a video explaining how to test the ac adapter on youtube( MicroCenter Tech: Notebook Power Problems, Part 2: Test AC Adapter - YouTube) The problem with that is they dont check the amps only the volts...

    As I learned volts X Amps = Watts

    The PSU is rated at 19.5volts and 12.3 amps

    After testing mine was 19.6volts and 9 amps...AHA!!!

    Anyway I called support with these numbers and they are now sending me a new ac adapter (it was under warranty yay!)

    So anyone else that has an issue like this I highly recommend checking what the ac adapter is outputting before you sit with support for 2 hours.
     
    HerbTheTree, Sep 20, 2011
    #9