Finding your real PSU Manufacture Guide

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Finding your real PSU Manufacture Guide - 7/17/2009 8:55:53 AM

Rudster816

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This isnt very common knowledge so Im posting a guide thread about it.

Original Article:
http://www.hardwaresecrets.com/article/370

Most PSU companies you see that start making power supplies after already being on the PC parts market dont usually make there own power supplies. Corsair, OCZ, Antec, Thermaltake, Coolermaster, Xigmatek, and Enermax all have power supplies on the market that are manufactured by a different company.

Finding out who really makes your power supply:

Its actually very easy to find out who really makes your PSU can be fairly simple. You will find a Underwriters Laboratories (UL) record number on almost every unit being sold on the label. The number appears below a symbol that looks like RU if you held it up to a mirror. Below the RU you will find a tiny number staring with an E, thats the number your looking for.

http://database.ul.com/cgi-bin/XYV/template/LISEXT/1FRAME/index.htm

Use the site listed above to look up who actually makes your power supply. Type in the number (including the E) in to the search field 'UL File Number' and press search. Some UL numbers arent listed so sometimes your search will result in no hits.

Not all is lost though, here is a page that lists some of the PSU manufactures and there OEM's that arent listed by the web link above

http://www.jonnyguru.com/modules.php?name=NDArticles&op=Story&ndar_id=24

Some manufactures will buy there own UL number so even if you use the method here you will see that its being made by the same people as the label says, when infact it isnt. I havent encounterd any PSU's like this.

Example:

This label is from a Corsair HX260W. The label says E104405 if you cant read it. Using Johnny Guru's page you can see that this PSU has been made by Seasonic.

The Cooler Master RS-500-ASAA is manufactured by AcBel Polytech

If you see simmilar looking PSU's look up there OEM. If they are the same they might be the exact same PSU but sold by a different brand. You can find great deals on units this way. For example my Xigmatek PSU is made by CWT (Channel Well Technology). They also make many of Antecs, Thermaltake, and Corsair's power supplies. There new to the market so there prices are a bit lower than other brands, so I got a fairly good deal.

Be warned though, some PSU manufactures buy OEM power supplies from different companies, so just because CWT makes some Corsair PSU's, doesnt make they make them all. Also, just because they are made by a reliable company such as CWT\Seasonic\FSP doesnt make them good quality units. Sometimes manufactures will design there own PSU and send the design elsewhere to be made. So if the design is flawed but the OEM company is good, your still getting a bad PSU.

< Message edited by Rudster816 -- 7/17/2009 6:12:37 PM >

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RE: Finding your real PSU Manufacture Guide - 7/17/2009 9:08:41 AM

[WD]*

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wow really?

let me see.....

wow found that my Corsair HX1000 has been made by evga.... nice

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RE: Finding your real PSU Manufacture Guide - 7/17/2009 9:12:13 AM

W4R10CK

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quote:

ORIGINAL: el_che14@hotmail.com

wow really?

let me see.....

wow found that my Corsair HX1000 has been made by evga.... nice

Lol, nice try.

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RE: Finding your real PSU Manufacture Guide - 7/17/2009 10:27:43 AM

Kaninja

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You mean Corsair's are just re-badged Seasonics?.....what the heck!

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RE: Finding your real PSU Manufacture Guide - 7/17/2009 12:00:11 PM

SgtSmoke

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Rebranding is constantly found in countless imported goods. You'd be amazed at how profitable and logical it actually is to have like 5 separate middle men between the actual manufacturer and the end user (allows everyone to save money by bulk discounts being passed on via shipping, materials, warehouse fees, marketing, sales, and other overhead).

I wouldn't lose sleep over this. Any reputable rebrander will apply their own method of QA to ensure that the rebranded product with their name isn't a POS.

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RE: Finding your real PSU Manufacture Guide - 7/17/2009 12:23:28 PM

Kaninja

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quote:

ORIGINAL: SgtSmoke

Rebranding is constantly found in countless imported goods. You'd be amazed at how profitable and logical it actually is to have like 5 separate middle men between the actual manufacturer and the end user (allows everyone to save money by bulk discounts being passed on via shipping, materials, warehouse fees, marketing, sales, and other overhead).

I wouldn't lose sleep over this. Any reputable rebrander will apply their own method of QA to ensure that the rebranded product with their name isn't a POS.

I was being facetious. I have a history in these forums of trying to fight the statement I made above. I know that Corair PSU's are NOT in fact re-badged Seasonics and CWT's. Seasonic and CWT are simply the OEM's for Corsiar. Corsair selects the platform from the OEM, redesigns and modifies it to their specifications and then submits the specs back the OEM for manufacture.....at least that's for Corsair. There are some PSU's that are a direct re-badge.

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RE: Finding your real PSU Manufacture Guide - 7/17/2009 1:13:58 PM

SgtSmoke

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quote:

ORIGINAL: Kaninja

quote:

ORIGINAL: SgtSmoke

Rebranding is constantly found in countless imported goods. You'd be amazed at how profitable and logical it actually is to have like 5 separate middle men between the actual manufacturer and the end user (allows everyone to save money by bulk discounts being passed on via shipping, materials, warehouse fees, marketing, sales, and other overhead).

I wouldn't lose sleep over this. Any reputable rebrander will apply their own method of QA to ensure that the rebranded product with their name isn't a POS.

I was being facetious. I have a history in these forums of trying to fight the statement I made above. I know that Corair PSU's are NOT in fact re-badged Seasonics and CWT's. Seasonic and CWT are simply the OEM's for Corsiar. Corsair selects the platform from the OEM, redesigns and modifies it to their specifications and then submits the specs back the OEM for manufacture.....at least that's for Corsair. There are some PSU's that are a direct re-badge.

lol, sorry for jumping the gun. I'm doing research on budget builds and just finished wiki-ing rosewill so rebranding was on my mind!

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RE: Finding your real PSU Manufacture Guide - 7/17/2009 4:07:46 PM

Kaninja

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quote:

ORIGINAL: SgtSmoke

quote:

ORIGINAL: Kaninja

quote:

ORIGINAL: SgtSmoke

Rebranding is constantly found in countless imported goods. You'd be amazed at how profitable and logical it actually is to have like 5 separate middle men between the actual manufacturer and the end user (allows everyone to save money by bulk discounts being passed on via shipping, materials, warehouse fees, marketing, sales, and other overhead).

I wouldn't lose sleep over this. Any reputable rebrander will apply their own method of QA to ensure that the rebranded product with their name isn't a POS.

I was being facetious. I have a history in these forums of trying to fight the statement I made above. I know that Corair PSU's are NOT in fact re-badged Seasonics and CWT's. Seasonic and CWT are simply the OEM's for Corsiar. Corsair selects the platform from the OEM, redesigns and modifies it to their specifications and then submits the specs back the OEM for manufacture.....at least that's for Corsair. There are some PSU's that are a direct re-badge.

lol, sorry for jumping the gun. I'm doing research on budget builds and just finished wiki-ing rosewill so rebranding was on my mind!

LOL

No problem.

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RE: Finding your real PSU Manufacture Guide - 7/17/2009 4:54:57 PM

warthorn

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quote:

ORIGINAL: Kaninja
You mean Corsair's are just re-badged Seasonics?.....what the heck!

Yes. And Seasonic makes extremely good PSUs as well, so not really a problem. They also get many of their designs from CWT (Channel Well Technology).

I don't think they're exact copies. Corsair for example might take a design rated for one wattage (say 550W), have it built with smaller heatsinks, and call it something else (450W).

Edit, I see that you stated basically the same thing in a later post

nvm

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RE: Finding your real PSU Manufacture Guide - 7/17/2009 5:12:00 PM

Sk. Vlad

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ok, lol my thermaltake is a re-badged thermaltake

E303666

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RE: Finding your real PSU Manufacture Guide - 7/17/2009 5:17:15 PM

Rudster816

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quote:

Some manufactures will buy there own UL number so even if you use the method here you will see that its being made by the same people as the label says, when infact it isnt. I havent encounterd any PSU's like this.

quote:

ORIGINAL: vlad01

ok, lol my thermaltake is a re-badged thermaltake E303666

quote:

Some manufactures will buy there own UL number so even if you use the method here you will see that its being made by the same people as the label says, when infact it isnt. I havent encounterd any PSU's like this.

Use Johnny Guru's post, it can help you find the actual manufacture of products like that.

THERMALTAKE TECHNOLOGY CO LTD

E303666

Known to be built by HEC, SevenTeam, Sirtec, Channel Well.
Your Thermal take is probably a CWT or a HEC.

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RE: Finding your real PSU Manufacture Guide - 7/17/2009 5:24:58 PM

dwoodward

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Corsair = Seasonic... this has been known for a long time and posted on many threads...

If you dont think so, go take a peek over and newegg for Corsair PSU's and Seasonic PSU's... Identical specs, identical designs, and the same sticker on the side of each unit.

Corsair has stated themselves that they dont manufacture PSU's anyway.

Post #: 12

RE: Finding your real PSU Manufacture Guide - 7/17/2009 5:51:15 PM

Kaninja

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quote:

ORIGINAL: vlad01

ok, lol my thermaltake is a re-badged thermaltake E303666

Pretty sure it's a CWT. Thermaltake partners itself with OEM's like other PSU suppliers.

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RE: Finding your real PSU Manufacture Guide - 7/17/2009 6:05:28 PM

Kaninja

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quote:

ORIGINAL: dwoodward

Corsair = Seasonic... this has been known for a long time and posted on many threads...

If you dont think so, go take a peek over and newegg for Corsair PSU's and Seasonic PSU's... Identical specs, identical designs, and the same sticker on the side of each unit.

Corsair has stated themselves that they dont manufacture PSU's anyway.

Ugh,

. As hard as I might try I seem to fail in every attempt to get my point across, or prove by way of evidence.......an inadequacy on my part no less.

Directly from a Corsair representative;

quote:

"It’s true that we do use engineering partners, such as CWT and Seasonic, to build our PSUs, but it is absolutely not the case that a Corsair PSU is simply a re-badged CWT or Seasonic. This is a really important point and the information that a Corsair PSU is much more than a re-badging is something that we’re very keen to highlight.
We have a dedicated power engineer in the US who analyses and assess the various designs from quality OEMs and then selects good basic models as a starting point. Crucially, we then test and analyse the performance, strengths and weaknesses of that design and modify and add/change components as required to improve the product to our requirements and quality standards. The modified design is then built by our engineering partners, which means that the end result is not the same as the OEM design – it is very much a Corsair PSU. As you know, the final designs are then also qualified in an oven at 50C running at full load (this applies to VX, TX and HX). It sounds like a small point, but it is actually very, very important. "

Perhaps this will clear the air on what I'm trying to say. Corsair doesn't "manufacture", they "design"....hence not a re-badged product.

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RE: Finding your real PSU Manufacture Guide - 7/18/2009 12:01:37 AM

Sinephase

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It makes a lot of sense to commission a company with the factories to produce the products you have designed, the problem I suppose is really knowing which manufacturer rebadges and which does not.
Good to know about corsair. I wouldn't mind seeing an indepth article that compares the components and board layouts between similar units from the same OEM but under different brand names.

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RE: Finding your real PSU Manufacture Guide - 7/18/2009 1:00:48 AM

shansmi

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Nice post.

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RE: Finding your real PSU Manufacture Guide - 7/18/2009 1:39:11 AM

Kaninja

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I'll work on finding out the actual differences. As far as Corsair goes, here are the models and OEM's:

CORSAIR CMPSU-520HX 520W - Seasonic
CORSAIR CMPSU-750HX 750W - CWT

CORSAIR CMPSU-1000HX 1000W - CWT

CORSAIR CMPSU-850HX 850W - CWT

CORSAIR CMPSU-400CX 400W - Seasonic

CORSAIR CMPSU-620HX 620W - Seasonic

CORSAIR CMPSU-750TX 750W - CWT

CORSAIR CMPSU-650TX - Seasonic

CORSAIR CMPSU-850TX - CWT

CORSAIR CMPSU-550VX 550W - CWT

CORSAIR CMPSU-450VX 450W - Seasonic

Now that I look at it the Corsair = Seasonic rhetoric I've been fighting is pointless! Most of their lineup uses CWT as an OEM.

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RE: Finding your real PSU Manufacture Guide - 7/18/2009 2:12:44 AM

Rudster816

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quote:

ORIGINAL: Kaninja

I'll work on finding out the actual differences. As far as Corsair goes, here are the models and OEM's:

CORSAIR CMPSU-520HX 520W - Seasonic
CORSAIR CMPSU-750HX 750W - CWT

CORSAIR CMPSU-1000HX 1000W - CWT

CORSAIR CMPSU-850HX 850W - CWT

CORSAIR CMPSU-400CX 400W - Seasonic

CORSAIR CMPSU-620HX 620W - Seasonic

CORSAIR CMPSU-750TX 750W - CWT

CORSAIR CMPSU-650TX - Seasonic

CORSAIR CMPSU-850TX - CWT

CORSAIR CMPSU-550VX 550W - CWT

CORSAIR CMPSU-450VX 450W - Seasonic

Now that I look at it the Corsair = Seasonic rhetoric I've been fighting is pointless! Most of their lineup uses CWT as an OEM.

Find some pics of a Corsair 750 watter cracked open\detailed insides and ill compare it to my Xigmatek which is also made by CWT. If they are the same than its a CWT design.

I doubt Corsair would use someone else's design though. They have spent too much making a good name for themselves to sell someone elses gear.