Hi all! I always see there is high interest for this server PSU and thought to write everything i know about it.
HP DPS-1200FB is server type PSU. Normally it is inserted into servers where it runs in parallel together with 2 or 3 more. You can not simply get this PSU and plug and play it with your machines. You also need to get the distribution board that will connect to this PSU, and many PCIE cables to power your graphic cards.
I have 2 versions of this, one is HSTNS-PD11 and another HSTNS-PD19. PD19 has somewhat higher efficiency, but unless you can get them for the same money as PD11, they are not really workt the money.
This PSU only has 12V output. This means you can not use it together with normal motherboards because normal motherboard uses ATX port that also has 3.3 and 5V wires.
To use this PSU with normal motherboard, it is necessary the following:
Run in parallel with normal ATX power supply. 12 port PDB (power distribution board) for this PSU comes with small port where you can plug your normal PSU, when normal PSU is started, it will also start HP PSU. I highly DO NOT recommend this mode for AMD VEGA, because the server PSU starts like few moments too late, and then your VEGA will not start properly, instead there will be green indication on vega cards and system will not boot. I don´t know if this is valid for other graphic cards as well. I had to use arduino to start my motherboard manually after the power was applied to PSUs.
Use this PSU as solo PSU, and have special tiny power supply to power the motherboard. This small psu is normally rated 100-150w and is there only to provide ATX power to motherboard. I never tried this.
Use specialized motherboards like OCTOMINER or similar. They can be powered only by 12V PCIE cables and work beautiful. Highly recommended to keep your rigs simple and super reliable. Less parts = more reliable. Now I am using 17 port PDB, 14 ports are used for 7 vegas and 3 ports for motherboard.
1200W of this PSU is rated for OUTPUT. This is not what your rig takes from the wall, from the wall will be much more, like 1300-1350W at full load. I am powering 7x Vega 56 without any issue. Depending on the rig, power consumption from the wall is around 1280W with PD19 version. With PD11, the power consumption is 30-40W more.
Unlike normal computer PSU, these are extremely robust. You can load them up all the way to 1200W and maybe even more. The cooling fan of the PSU is like a jet engine. With 6 Vegas I barely hear the PSU, with 7 Vega it sounds like the rig will take off. I thing the fan can do more than 20 000rpm.
PSU is very small in dimensions. In fact, it is hard to believe such power and efficiency is packed into such a small thing. Together with PDB and cables, it is much easier to arrange than normal desktop PSU.
PSU is thermally and overload protected. In case something goes wrong, it should protect itself. Never had experience with fan failing, or making a short circuit (dou do NOT want to make short circuit with this PSU as it will instantly melt wires and make big flash)
Now, I am on the other side of the world, away from my rigs. To simly power on my rig, i use very cheap china SONOFF POW wifi power switches. there is minimal Do-it-yourself involved to connect this switch, but for 10$ (banggood dot com) you get WIFI switch, power meter (it is measuring and logging your consumption) with this I can see by power consumption if the rigs are stuck or not mining. But this is offtopic now.
PD19 has a little bit better efficiency than PD11. I got them because it was super sweet deal on ebay. When I replaced PD11 with PD19, consumption of the rigs dropped by 30-40W.
There are special techniques to start this PSU without the PDB. PDB contains electronics for reliably starting this PSU, but it can be done without. If you need them for special purpose, you will not find the way how-to in this post. But it can be done.
Photos attached:
PSU with PDB and all cables populated. Also SONOFF POW device for remote power on/off
https://i.redd.it/2gs8jw966hd11.jpg![](https://ip.bitcointalk.org/?u=https%3A%2F%2Fi.redd.it%2F2gs8jw966hd11.jpg&t=665&c=7tAz_NNo6grANw)
Rig assembled with only such PSU is very clean and minimalistic.
https://i.redd.it/hs8zejus6hd11.jpg![](https://ip.bitcointalk.org/?u=https%3A%2F%2Fi.redd.it%2Fhs8zejus6hd11.jpg&t=665&c=lFZRr2q3SKP6ow)
Another view
https://i.redd.it/gkggpz0n6hd11.jpg![](https://ip.bitcointalk.org/?u=https%3A%2F%2Fi.redd.it%2Fgkggpz0n6hd11.jpg&t=665&c=oZAQnFft8mJ5Kw)
And one more
https://i.redd.it/dpvjb52z6hd11.jpg![](https://ip.bitcointalk.org/?u=https%3A%2F%2Fi.redd.it%2Fdpvjb52z6hd11.jpg&t=665&c=kuGeG27sysD36g)
Did I forget something? I have no idea. Ask anything you are interested!