Exclusive Interview with PC Power & Cooling Founder
by Christoph Katzer on February 11, 2008 3:00 AM EST- Posted in
- Cases/Cooling/PSUs
Markets
How are the sales in the European market these days? I know you have a strong marketing team there that is working very hard. I didn't even think that it would work out since it's not that easy to establish a totally new brand in a new market, but it looks like you did a good job. How does that show in numbers?
DD: Unlike OCZ power supplies that are already well-known in Europe, PC Power & Cooling units were never available outside the USA. That has changed in the last few months. The combination of numerous excellent reviews worldwide and a strong distribution channel has allowed European sales of PC Power & Cooling units to take off.
What has changed at PCP&C since the buyout by OCZ? You obviously sell more power supplies now.
DD: Actually, a lot is still the same. PC Power & Cooling has the same experienced staff in the same location we've had for 17 years. We are much more productive now since we don't have to concern ourselves with things handled by the OCZ team such as sales and finance.
You have a very good reputation in the US, but in Europe PCP&C is still not more than a typical high-end brand like many others. Wouldn't it be worthwhile to establish the same services you have in the US? Specifically, I am talking about changing cables or connectors or Chroma test-reports for the units?
DD: Turbo Cool customers in Europe and elsewhere receive Chroma test reports generated in our Carlsbad, California facility. As PC Power & Cooling grows in Europe, we will offer options available in the USA such as the custom cables you mentioned.
Work
How did your work schedule change after the buyout? Now as the CTO of the group, your field might have expanded to different directions. Please describe a normal working day.
DD: By not having to handle finance, sales, marketing, and HR, I'm now able to concentrate on product development and engineering, areas of the business I enjoy. Most of my day is spent in our lab evaluating designs, testing products, or communicating with industry OEMs. We can now produce more innovative, high-performance power supply products than ever before.
It's been six months since you joined forces; what can we expect in the near future from either PCP&C or OCZ?
DD: On the OCZ side, we have just announced the new single rail EliteXStream 800W and 1000W power supplies at CES 2008. On the PC Power & Cooling side, we are now shipping the Turbo Cool 860W with 84% efficiency, 1.5% regulation, and adjustable rails. Next will be the Turbo Cool 1200 ESA version, a blue version of the Silencer 750W, and the new ultra-quiet Silencer 500W.
Doug, thanks so much for taking the time talking to us and we look forward to testing these new products.
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NicePants42 - Tuesday, February 12, 2008 - link
Amidst your obvious statements, you appear to assume that I've used the TurboCool 1200, and that I want all PSUs to be watercooled.In fact, I've used the 'Silencer' 750W, found it to be obscenely loud, and replaced it with a Cooler Master Real Power Pro 1000W, which is inaudible as far as I can tell, and has fantastic efficiency from 290W to 700W according to Jonnyguru.
In fact, I suggested that Mr. Katzer ask PCP&C about the possibility of adding hybrid water cooling to a PSU, seeing as OCZ has already experimented with this on RAM.
Christoph Katzer - Tuesday, February 12, 2008 - link
There is just no way to get a watercooled PSU certified that it can be sold as a retail product. No chance in Europe and in the US it won't be too much of a difference.NicePants42 - Tuesday, February 12, 2008 - link
What certificaiton are you referring to? UL?I would like to clarify that I was not suggesting water-only cooling. As I said, OCZ has experimented with hybrid air/water with it's XLC RAM kits. If the water is optional, what is to stop certification?
If UL certification is such a problem, how can we allow for the Koolance 1200W unit? Non-conductive fluid? Going to market without certification? What?
BigTex - Monday, February 11, 2008 - link
He also said the Turbo 1200 is designed for the server market which is not generally noise conscious. PCP&C is obviously a conservative company. A company that eschews multiple rails and modular cables is unlikely to embrace water cooling.Snooper - Monday, February 11, 2008 - link
The whole multiple rail thing is a cop-out anyway. The ONLY way you could justify multiple rails is if you can't design a power supply that can source the needed current while maintaining regulation and ripple. That's not easy. It is MUCH easier to design a circuit that can source a fraction of what you need then put multiple ones in the power supply to get your "xx Amps @12V!!!" marketing quote.PCP&C does it the right way. And the capabilities of their supplies shows.
And getting UL approval on any kind of water cooled power supply is going to be VERY interesting! I would LOVE to have a true 750w "Total Silence" WC power supply to plug into my computer and hook up to my WC system! I hate fan noise.
tynopik - Monday, February 11, 2008 - link
> The ONLY way you could justify multiple rails is if you can't design a power supply that can source the needed current while maintaining regulation and ripple.or that's what the ATX specification required (no more than 20A allowed per rail, something about safety reasons)
for instance, that was the spec when Corsair was designing their supplies, but then the 'requirement' was changed to a 'suggestion' so they changed the design of their 620HX and 520HX to a single rail . . . but they had already spent a lot of money on documentation that said 3 rails, so that's how they sent it out
the supplies are actually 1 rail, but the box and manual and spec page all say 3 rails
lebe0024 - Monday, February 11, 2008 - link
Click on the "Target $59.99" link in the artical header above. HAHAHA. It's for a product called the "Super Turbo Oven"!noxipoo - Monday, February 11, 2008 - link
price went up to 69.99 from all your clicks!! how am i suppose to overclock my chickens now?tynopik - Monday, February 11, 2008 - link
[quote]But I don't see many power supplies with lower outputs and more cables. I actually had to ask you to build me a custom power supply with all the connectors I wanted.[/quote]this is a question that has vexed me for years, but forget about PCIe connectors, how about regular old peripheral connectors?
my system isn't powerful, but i have a lot of HDs. I had to get a 620W PS which is way overkill simply to get 10 peripheral connectors. 6 IDE HDs, 2 HD cage fans, 2 case fans, very easy to hit 10.
would it kill somebody to offer a 400-500w supply with say 16 peripheral and 10 SATA connectors?
(in case you're wondering i've had bad experiences with Y-splitters and prefer not to use them)
mindless1 - Monday, February 11, 2008 - link
You may have bad experiences with Y-splitters, but so might you have bad experiences with a poor PSU. IOW, if you don't pull so many watts as to need a higher wattage PSU, the wiring harness present should be sufficient if only you choose decent splitters.