How To Install Your Power Supply Unit

Before you do your PSU install check out the previous steps:

1. Install your CPU
2. Applying thermal grease/paste on CPU, OEMs will not come with thermal grease or you might prefer a brand over the stock grade
3. Install heat sink fan (CPU Cooler) on your CPU
4. Install your RAM / Memory

Steps for PSU Install:

1. Open up your case
   • Remove both sides from case
     • mainly to avoid having to remove the panel behind the motherboard later
2. Take a good look and see if you need to use compressed air to blow out any dust particles
   • If you do need to blow out your case take it either outside or to another room
     • Do not blow out your case in the same area your new componets are prepped for install
   • Do not hold air can upside down
     • When the bottom of the can is higher then the top, moisture is release, avoid that
   • Do not shake air can
     • Moisture is released, not good, avoid that
   • Budget cases tend to need to be blown out
3. Lay case on it's side
   • Motherboard tray side is the side that needs to be down

     

   • If you're working on the wood dining room table, pot holders/dish towels can keep you from scratching up the table with the case, otherwise be very careful, whoever loves that table will let you know about any and every scratch you leave on it
4. Remove PSU from its box
   • If it's modular, do not install the cables for now
   • If it's not modular, leave the cables bundled together for now
5. This case is a bottom mount PSU, that means the fan is pointing up
6. Place PSU in case

   

7. Line up PSU (the power button side) screw holes with screw holes on the back of case
8. Use either thumbscrews or the screws that came with the PSU to secure it to the case

   

9. Do not do anything with the cables except keep them out of the way, until you install the motherboard
   • Then we'll come back the PSU cables

Next Steps:

1. Install Motherboard
2. Connect Front Panel

Tips:

The order you do your PSU install does depend on the type of real estate your case has.

Typically I tend to do my PSU install before I install my motherboard in my case. The reason is that in smaller cases if you install your motherboard first, frequently you will find that you cannot install your PSU without uninstalling the motherboard first. Now that is very annoying. So take a look at what you have, that way you can avoid that annoyance.

If you have a removable motherboard tray or a large case, it really will not matter if you install the PSU first or the motherboard first.

Btw: I always populate my motherboard before installing it in the case. With CPUs and support brackets, it really is a must do anyway.

Before I install my PSU, I do populate my motherboard. The reason is that immediately after I install my PSU, I install my motherboard in my case. This is not a hard and fast rule. I just like populating my motherboard first. Do you installs in the order that makes sense for your situation.

I do tend to purchase the PSU form factor that the case requires. I prefer modular and ATX even in my LAN party gamer. Mostly that's because proprietary PSUs tend to be pricey and a bit more work to find. As long as the PSU wattage works for your system, do what you need to do.

Return from PSU install to Installing the Parts

PSU - What to look at before you purchase your PSU.

Power Surges - Reasons to look at protecting your gamer from power surges, using either a UPS or a surge protector.

Install Motherboard - Step by step motherboard installation guide.