Add 2 PSU -D Power Supply Expansion Module with Delay Timer

With the advent of affordable 1500w PSUs and a world of power efficient computer systems you may think there is no reason to add more than one power supply to a single system.  Under normal circumstances I would agree but there are a few situations were a secondary power source is actually beneficial.  In this review we will be looking at a new product designed to fill a specialized niche in a high-end computer system.

Add 2 PSU-D is a device used to link a secondary PSU to your system and make it operate seamlessly with the rest of the system.  Much like the original Add 2 PSU adding additional is extremely safe with the added benefit that you can now delay the shutdown of the secondary PSU.

In the world of overclocking when adding additional power supplies you want to make sure they power on and off with the primary system PSU. However, for those of you building custom water loops or experimenting with TEC coolers there is a benefit to having your cooling system run for a short while after the main system is shutoff.  The Add 2 PSU-D you can help you there by keeping the secondary PSU running anywhere between 5 seconds and 7-9 minutes after the main PSU has been shut off. 

That way you can allow the system to cool down for a short while after the system has been turned off.  Some high-end power supplies do this already but only with their primary cooling fan and you cannot control the delay length.  With Add 2 PSU-D you can power anything for a short while and you control the delay by adjusting the white POT along the edge of the unit.

The module is extremely easy to use.  First, plug a spare 4pin Molex lead from your existing PSU into the Add2PSU-D module.  Next, plug the 20pin or 24pin main power lead from the secondary PSU into the remaining plug on the module.  Finally mount the module in your case and route cables as needed.

When the main system turns on the power will activate the module and prompt the secondary PSU to activate.  We talked about using this module for high-end system cooling but you could use this module for low power situations such as lights or extra case fans. 

We tested this unit using a 1200w Cooler Master Silent Gold PSU and linked it with an extremely old 430w Antec PSU.  The results were flawless with instant power to both PSUs and a delayed shutdown of the Antech 430w.  With the dial turned down (towards the minus sign) the secondary PSU ran for about 6 seconds before shutting off.  Turning the dial up (towards the plus sign) allowed the PSU to run much longer.  Sadly, you are unable to disable the delay making the 5-6 seconds shutdown the lowest setting.

Knowing actual power requirements of your system can sometimes be a little confusing and while it is always best to choose an adequate PSU for your system there are instances' where having a secondary PSU is the best option.  TEC cooling and DIY water cooling are just two examples that can benefit from having a power off delay.  A more extreme example might be cooling a Bitcoin mining farm where the external cooling system is run from a secondary PSU.  That way If a system goes down you can trust that a secondary PSU will continue to run the fans and cool the system.

Regardless of your particular need the Add2PSU module just gives you a convenient way to link more than one PSU together in a single system.  You're still responsible to make sure your AC power circuits can handle the load but you'll no longer need to hack up PSUs or hotwire them to get the power you need.

I really like the Add2PSU-D because it makes adding a secondary PSU extremely easy and fills a very unique niche in high-end system building.