View Full Version : BANG!
This evening I was passing the study on my way to a nice, hot steaming bath when I heard a BANG. I wandered in, to a smell of burning, the lights on the desktop computer "off", and the monitor showing "No signal". A gentle wisp of smoke was curling up from behind the desk.
I promised myself it was the power supply, and fished out the spare from the cupboard. Amazingly, it WAS the power supply (I suspect the fan packed up due years of dust). All is back together and working, and I've been to Ebay to order another spare.
That's the fifth power supply I've changed in the past six months - most of them in other folks' computers. I didn't bother to check this time, but the others were "fan seized up".
Do folks reckon hoovering out the case every six months or so would help?
Guest 112233
5th Jan 2009, 01:28
Yes - Vacume the thing regularly - especially if you live in an area that is dust laden e g near a motorway etc. PS the power supply could have damaged the internal circuitry on the affected m/c - Get the affected p.c checked out as it could fail under heavy loading high temp etc.
CAT III
Ta - I reckon a regular vac job is on the cards.
Checkout - I'm the local checker-outer :(
The mobo is OK (cos it started OK afterwards). The 3 hard drives are OK, the 2 DVDRW and the CDRW seem OK (I've not written a disk to check). That'll do till the next bang :)
Spitoon
5th Jan 2009, 04:22
I'm with Keef on this - if I take a machine to a local checker-outer, I'll probably get some spotty oick - is that how you spell it? - who just plugs it in and says "It's working OK". If it doesn't work, he'll (or she'll) just replace bits that have gone brown at the edges until it does work again.
I think I've built enough of these PC things to spot things that are amiss and can do the same diagnostics as aforementioned oick without paying through the nose for his/her expertise. If it is dying slowly, then so be it - I'll fix it when it breaks next time. (Oh, and I do do regular back ups of my data, just in case).
P.S. - Power supplies do seem to be a regular repair/replacement on both my machine and others for whom I seem to be a freebie consultant!
frostbite
5th Jan 2009, 11:45
Computers in bedrooms are probably most prone to this problem - it's all the dead skin that floats around therein.
The bed bugs don't consume it all!
Keygrip
5th Jan 2009, 12:50
Spitoon - where were you when I needed you?
I built a machine (my first ever self build) which was meant to include "SLi" video technology. Power up. Nothing on the screens, no video output.
Tried all sorts of limited knowledge self assessment - it was all 100% brand new components, nothing brown at the edges. Eventually gave in and took computer to a high street store to their "Firedog" experts.
They asked me what the symptoms were, then had to sell me a US$100 insurance scheme before they could look inside. Paid the fee and as the oik was laying the machine on his workbench he said "This is good, I've never done any SLi work before. I might learn something".
Pratted around for 30 minutes, gave up, said, "Nope, no idea. Suggest a new motherboard. Thanks for coming".
Spitoon
5th Jan 2009, 14:45
Keygrip, I'm not sure whether it's good to know that things are just the same on your side of the pond!
Did you get it working in the end?
Keygrip
5th Jan 2009, 16:41
Not with SLi - no.
Both video cards had dual digital outputs. So four outputs alltogether.
Motherboard said it supported SLi, but any attempt to put a video card into the second slot resulted in a total loss of graphics.
Many oiks, geeks, guru's and tech support of the mobo company (ASUS) declared it as a motherboard "fault" and insisted it should be replced.
Identical symptoms on FOUR successive motherboards before I got tired of pratting about. Was only doing the SLi "because I could" (or, as it happened, couldn't)
When I went into deeper conversation with the incorrectly titled "support technician" at ASUS he eventually pointed out that the SLi would only allow one monitor to operate, despite four outputs across the two cards. If I wanted a second monitor (which I most certainly did), I would have to fit a third video card.
Machine runs an absolute treat with one video card, I'll leave it there.
Funnily enough, my back up power supply also went *BANG*, in a very spectacular and colourful way, one evening just before Christmas. It was, however, coincidental with me dropping a camera tripod on it.
Note to self: Buy new UPS.
Guest 112233
5th Jan 2009, 17:01
Re prev - Tripod and BANG! - Are you working it with the cover off ? - You might as well p*** on the thing.If you are operating it as the oike left it, put the top back on and if it needs them, four retaining screws - I have to stop - grinding noises form my HD and a nice warm red glow comming from my battery
CAT III
Keygrip
5th Jan 2009, 18:30
Nope, all the covers are on the PC (though no screws, there neither are any, nor anywhere to put them if there were).
The back up power supply, with the rats nest of cables coming from it, was on the floor behind the desk, I stood the tripod in the gap between the wall and the desk (the gap having been made some time ago by the sodding great 19" CRT monitor case - gap no longer required by 20" LCD screen). Thr tripod overbalanced, fell on top of the back up power supply, managed to land exactly on the main on/off switch and partially disconnected it - drawing out a very colourful electrical arc as it tried to decide if I wanted it on, or off.
It made the decision for me in the end and selected permanent off. Little knob departed company with the tripod at the same time, by the way.
Saab Dastard
5th Jan 2009, 20:34
I think there is a slight difference in nomenclature - UPS and backup power supply.
Divided by a common language. ;)
SD
Guest 112233
6th Jan 2009, 03:16
Sounds like the sort of mishap that I could acheive (Dangling DIY connector to my mobile power supply from the light connector comes to mind ) - a bright idea too far - In walks my father armed with a length of Alu tube curtain rail -yep - Ironic it was very nearly CURTAIN Rail. - Quick reacting digits saved the day - Safety first -Hummmmmmmm.
The industrial Safety Acts 1909 & 1911 come to mind.
Never switch a dual power supply fron 220v to 110v in the UK.
CAT III
P.Pilcher
6th Jan 2009, 12:06
Well, despite de-dusting regularly, I am on my third power supply. Is there some form of built in redundancy? The symptom has always been the same - no "bloop" to signify that the motherboard has completed its self check shortly after switch on. The first time it happened, I was on a maintenance contract. The bloke arrived and replaced motherboard, CPU, CPU fan - and power supply. The symptom recurred about 12 months later - no maintenance contract so put in new (uprated) power supply. This lasted for a year or three then the same problem occurred - once again a new power supply from PC World effecting a cure. I don't know which supply rail fails as I have never tested the supplies. but one is certainly failing regularly with my motherboard.
P.P.
I replaced the PSU in a friend's PC twice in about six months. Both times, I didn't have a spare so she was stuck with a PC World £49 job. I now keep a spare in the cupboard - I used it on mine a couple of days ago.
I think what happens is that the fan packs up due to dust and muck in the bearings, whereupon the PSU overheats and fails.
I have a theory (in the early stages of being tested) that a higher power rating supply won't get as hot if the fan dies, and may live longer. I have an extension to that theory that a big enough power supply won't even notice the fan not accling. That will be the next thing I try.
Another friend's PC died about three months ago, and his "usual" fixer couldn't diagnose it so he ordered a new PC online from the same firm as the original. He showed me, with pride, the spec of his new machine - truly done up like a "Christmas tree" with goodies ... and a 250 watt power supply. I pointed out that the stuff he'd loaded would pull at least 400 watts, and he was heading to an early BANG.
The subject turned to his old PC - from the same supplier. We investigated and found a (dead) 200 watt power supply. It now has a 450 watt supply, is working perfectly, and he cancelled the order for the new one. When the firm got shirty, he pointed out that the spec they'd "recommended" to him was almost guaranteed to fail since the PSU was totally inadequate and he'd therefore lost faith in their product and their guarantees. Their answer was that for an extra £50 he could have a 450 watt PSU. The order stayed cancelled!
The obvious solution in such circumstances is to buy a fanless passively cooled PSU (http://www.powersuppliesonline.co.uk/product/zen400-400w-fanless-pc-power-supply/ppa4000800/default.htm). :8
Stone me! That's many times the price of a conventional PSU. I reckon a hefty conventional one, or the "hoover every six months" would be my preferred option.