SGI: Hardware

All the documentation I have seen in the way of techpubs and PDF manuals for the O2k and onyx2 deskside vixen speak about getting a 210v circuit installed as they are very US-centric. Anyone here have one in the UK? If so, do you require 3-phase commercial wiring, power converters or are you running them off your standard wall sockets?

Just curious as I live in a listed building and doubt I could take up the stone floors to install a commercial wiring system...

I powered a deskside Origin 2k from 120v, it took around 9amps I think. When I first got it I think I powered it from 240v from my garage circuit. I didn't check the power draw but would guess it'd be in the 5 amp area. So that should easily run from your UK circuits. You'll need a power cord with an IEC 320 C19 connector.

The desksides don't use 3-phase, the PDUs in the rack models do, depending on model. Even still the PDUs break out the power to the C19 connectors on the same module that is in a Origin2000 deskside. The Onyx graphics module has a single phase 200-240v cord.

chancehooper wrote: All the documentation I have seen in the way of techpubs and PDF manuals for the O2k and onyx2 deskside vixen speak about getting a 210v circuit installed as they are very US-centric. Anyone here have one in the UK? If so, do you require 3-phase commercial wiring, power converters or are you running them off your standard wall sockets?

Just curious as I live in a listed building and doubt I could take up the stone floors to install a commercial wiring system...

I've run a rack Onyx2 from a standard UK ring main wall socket quite comfortably. I really wouldn't worry about a deskside machine, it's no harder on the wiring than a 1KW fan heater. As long as you're pretty sure the wall socket is on a ring main you'll be fine.

Come to think of it, I ran a pair of desksides off a single wall socket during production of a recent-ish TV series.

Great, thanks for the info - now I just have two hurdles to cross: finding one I can afford to ship/is in the UK and convincing the wife that it's "only a little computer for the studio"... Wish me luck!

fieldframe wrote: I've run a rack Onyx2 from a standard UK ring main wall socket quite comfortably. I really wouldn't worry about a deskside machine, it's no harder on the wiring than a 1KW fan heater. As long as you're pretty sure the wall socket is on a ring main you'll be fine.

Come to think of it, I ran a pair of desksides off a single wall socket during production of a recent-ish TV series.

3-phase (208V-or-thereabouts) is an unusual config, even for large SGI gear. Most common is single-phase 240V, although multiple racks can be run off of different legs of 3-phase service to equalize things out and make your local power company happy.

A single phase 220-250v 30A circuit works perfectly here for two desksides

chancehooper wrote: Great, thanks for the info - now I just have two hurdles to cross: finding one I can afford to ship/is in the UK and convincing the wife that it's "only a little computer for the studio"... Wish me luck!

Good luck!

In my case, approval from the treasurer for me to acquire an O2k involved an 1800km round trip with a 5 year old and 3 year old in tow.

Worth it.