The abbreviation PSU stands for Power Supply Unit and any PSU used in today's PC systems is a Switching Mode Power Supply (SMPS). A PSU is the vital part of a system since it's the one that feeds power to the other components (CPU, VGA, HDD, etc.) If it stops supplying power, for any reason, then nothing else will run since there will be no power to the system. In case of damage to the PSU, there is a possibility that other components may be damaged, too. This is a fact that unfortunately, many users ignore, otherwise they would first buy a decent PSU for their systems and then with the leftover money would invest in the rest of the components. Unfortunately, usually, the opposite happens since many users acquire all other components and leave the PSU purchase for last.
The efficiency of a PSU (and not only) is defined as the useful power output divided by the total electrical power consumed. For example, if a PSU "draws" 100 W from the socket and provides 90 W of power on its rails, then its efficiency is 90 W / 100 W = 90%. The efficiency in a PSU isn't constant throughout its entire operational range, meaning that there is a significant efficiency deviation depending on the load. Usually, PSUs achieve higher efficiency under typical loads, which are within 40%-50% of their max-rated-capacity.
Eta (uppercase "Η", lowercase "η") is the seventh letter of the Greek alphabet. The efficiency of a PSU is typically denoted by the Greek letter small Eta (η - ήτα). This is why we decided to call our efficiency certification program, ETA.
Nothing in particular. We just wanted to use a Greek letter to name our sound level certifications and we chose Lambda (uppercase "Λ", lowercase "λ"; Greek: Λάμ(β)δα lam(b)da), which is the 11th letter of the Greek alphabet.
The efficiency certifications are only for PSUs and besides normal desktop units, we can also certify redundant server units. The sound level certifications for the moment are only for PSUs, but we plan in the near future to support other PC component categories as well (e.g. VGAs, NAS, cooling solutions, etc.)
Many of you probably believe that a PSU's noise cannot affect the overall noise of a PC system, but our experience proves that this doesn't stand. Some PSUs are equipped with very strong and noisy fans and if the fan control circuit is badly tuned, then the outcome will be hard for your ears especially under tough conditions.
An efficient PSU only lets small amounts of energy go wasted, something that is highly beneficial for the environment, besides the consumers' pockets. Moreover higher efficiency means that less energy is converted to heat, in the PSU's internals, so the cooling system has to deal with lower thermal loads.
As we see it, through the ETA and Lambda certifications the manufacturers and companies are awarded for their efforts to create efficient and silent products. At the same time, the consumers are informed about the products that interest them, so they are fully aware of their efficiency and sound level outputs.
We only use state-of-the-art equipment which is depicted in the corresponding scheme. We have invested in the same equipment that most high-quality labs around the world use and besides upgrading it as often as possible. We also maintain our equipment frequently. We don’t settle with anything that is second-class but we always thrive to use the best available equipment, since we do believe that besides knowledge and experience, good and reliable equipment is the key factor to accurate measurements.
Our high-end equipment is fully controlled by a software suite which was developed by the founder of the company several years ago. This piece of software went through many upgrades and countless hours of real-life testing till it reached its final stage, in which it allows every customization the operator needs and offers limitless abilities when combined with the proper equipment. While most labs are based on manual methods or in the best case scenario on commercial programs, we choose to write our own code that addresses our specific needs, something that allows us to be more productive and above all better in what we do.
Our breakout boards allow the connection of up to ten (10) PCIe connectors and two (2) EPS ones, along with four 4-pin peripheral connectors and a single SATA one. This way we make sure that the voltage drops on cables are minimized even in high capacity units, so our results have increased accuracy.
As the ATX spec defines, we take our voltage measurements directly on the PSU’s connectors (on the PSU's side) through a set of specially designed probes. This way we are able to determine with great accuracy the voltage drops on the power cables. We connect the remote sense cables of our Chroma loaders the same way, in order to ensure that the applied loads are correct and consequently the efficiency readings are accurate.
The turn around time usually is 1-2 weeks, depending on the workload. In general, we give our best to finish all tests the sooner the possible, but without compromising, in any case, our testing procedure's reliability.
We usually ask for two. In case we fall into any kind of trouble with the first one, to be able to continue the certification process without any further delays.
While all the rest efficiency certifications are based on much simpler methodologies, we make sure to provide a PSU's overall efficiency through-out its entire operating range. This is something that nobody else offers. Moreover, we also test rigorously the 5VSB rail along with the standby power that the unit consumes. Finally, to the best of our knowledge, we are the only lab so far that provides an overall noise rating for PSUs, through the corresponding Lambda certification. We believe that it is of high importance for any user to know a PSU's noise rating, besides its efficiency levels.
We plan on doing this, once we prepare the requirements for the corresponding certifications and modify our control/monitor program according to the needs of redundant PSUs.
At the beginning of 2018, we initiated a 230V certification program.