What is the computer power supply?

Answer 1

A power supply unit is a device that supplies electrical energy to one or more electric loads. As a computer part, the PSU supplies power to the rest of the computer. The power supply unit converts wall current into the right kind of power for the individual parts of your computer. The current produced is clean direct current that is 12 volts, 5 volts, and other correct voltages. The PSU then distributes the power throughout the system internally to hard drives, DVD/CD drives, floppy drives, GPU's, the motherboard and any other parts as well.

Answer 2

The power supply unit (PSU) in a computer provides power at the correct voltages and currents to the various parts of the computer.

It has to take the mains voltage from the consumer outlet (110v in USA and 240v in the UK) and reduce it for use in electronics.

Also the current from the power socket is Alternating AC.(60Hz in USA and 50Hz in the UK). This has to be rectified into Direct current DC.

Computers mostly use a voltage of 5 volts DC at several amps. They also need 12 volts positive and 12 volts negative at a lesser amperage.

These voltages have to be maintained within strict limits, across various loads, in order to prevent damage to the semiconductors inside.

The low voltages are distributed out from the PSU in a bunch of colored wires, terminated with plugs for all the different parts inside a computer case, such as disc drives, CD roms, graphics cards and motherboard. Enough are provided for most uses, but invariably some are not used.

The PSU uses a method of conversion, called 'switch mode', so are sometimes called SMPSU (switch mode power supply unit). Instead of using a transformer and rectifiers, these units use high voltage transistors, to chop up the mains into small parts and reassemble (using their own computer chips) into the required voltages. They are very complicated and a lot lighter than using a transformer.

Answer 3

A PSU (power supply unit) provides power to each of the components in the computer that makes it work. The exact voltages and the type of power supply varies with the type of computer.

A laptop computer typically uses an external 12 volt adapter or a 12 volt battery. It would have DC to DC converters to reduce the 12 volts to other voltages the computer would use.

A desktop PC computer has an internal power supply which converts household current to various direct current voltages. The main voltages used are 12 volts and 4.5 volts, though they also produce other voltages such as 3.3 volts.

Answer 4

It is the device within your computer that takes the 120 volts AC from your home wiring and converts it to the low voltage DC power that your computer uses. It has outputs of 3.3 volts, 5 volts, and 12 volts DC. Each is necessary for different hardware within the computer.

Answer 5

A computer's power supply is the component that converts AC power from the wall to the multiple DC output voltages required to run a computer.

Answer 6

a computer supply unit works by sending the power through the cables into the drives and comuter itself.