PSU Power problems+Power testers

from GalCiv2 Forums

Anyone here have experience of using a power tester for a computer? The power unit on my PC failed (fan failed+overheated the power) so I got a computer repairman to replace the power unit. The PC worked fine for about 3 hours before cutting out (although not because of overheating). I checked all cables/sockets were in place on it but it failed to start up again (the motherboard+graphics card fans would spin for about a second before stopping).

Hoping that it was a problem with the power unit again rather than something more awkward/expensive to change like the motherboard (the repairman didn't seem to take any anti-static precautions so it might've been to do with this or some other problem) I decided to get a power supply tester to check. According to the threadbare instructions that came with it it's meant to beep or have the LEDs flicker if there's a problem. I plugged in the 24 pin and 4pin sockets to the motherboard and only 1 light lit up. I plugged in a molex connector as well and still have only 1 light light up. The fan on the PSU also didn't start.

This has me confused as everything I've seen online seems to suggest that multiple LEDs should light up (the tester has them for +12v, 3.3v, 5v, and a bunch of others), and that the PSU fan may also run. Is anyone with any experience of using a power supply tester able to confirm if this should always be the case, or if it'll depend on the power supply tester being used?

The tester I have looks+sounds like it's the same as this one: http://www.gizfever.com/2024-pin-power-supply-tester-p-486.html

The example pictures for this also have all the LEDs on so I'm suspecting (and hoping) that it means it's my power supply at fault.

34,269 views 7 replies
Reply #1 from Sins Forums Top

"Usually" with a power supply tester the +12v, 3.3v and 5v will light up green if there is good power.  But read all material for your model tester because the are all a little different.  Also the fan not spinning is always a tell tale sign of a failing power supply.

Reply #2 from GalCiv2 Forums Top

Looks like I'll have to get a new power supply (hopefully this one will last more than 3 hours!). Thanks for the advice.

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Reply #3 from Sins Forums Top

One thing to check to make sure you don't blow anymore PSUs is the outlet to make sure its wired correctly and that its putting out the correct voltage. 

Reply #4 from GalCiv2 Forums Top

Yep definitely the power supply - replaced it with a decent quality one and computer's back to working fine now (hopefully it will last more than 3 hours this time!)

Obviously I won't be using those IT 'professionals' again! I guess the silver lining is that I've at least learnt how to replace a power supply, so I'm 1 step closer to being able to build my own PC from scratch when I next look to upgrade

Reply #5 from Elemental Forums Top

If you can prove the repairman did the damage by accident I'd call his employer and get them to pay for the new PS. If it wasn't the guys fault however, then yeah it sounds like you just got a bad PS.

Getting bad or near broke parts straight from the manufacturer seems to be a bigger problem in the PC market than it does with other consumer goods for some reason. I've always attributed this to the delicate nature of the parts being shipped and the often rough handling of these things by mail carriers. It could be also that these things are rather harder to assemble than you're average consumer good so that could cause more failures in manufacturing.

Reply #6 from Elemental Forums Top

You can tell the quality of a power supply by the weight of the supply. It may say it's 200 watts higher, but if it's less weight than the 500 watt Cooler Master, then it's not a quality supply. The more heat spreaders in a supply the longer it will last. That being said what brand is the supply you got from the repair service? Often time manufacturers warranty their products and all you may need for a new supply is an RMA number, which you may be able to get with as little as a serial number from the supply.

 

If the supply went dead three hours after you got it, I assume you already contacted the people who did the work? I know personally I would come back out and replace the supply after hours for the cost of gas, or let you bring it to me and replace it at my location free. Unfortunately any hardware can go out, and if it is going to it's probably something like 10x more likely to do so in the first 48 hours of run time in my personal experience. Hopefully you got a quality supply from the repairman and can RMA it yourself with little or no additional cost to you. Either way I wish you luck, you got lucky in that the first supply didn't overvolt anything so much that it caused damage, that isn't always the case when a PS dies.

 

Static electricity can kill a PC, but if the repair man had done so it's likely that it would never have booted back up. They may make you clip an anti static strap to a grounded piece of metal in a college course. In real world conditions, simply keeping a hand on a metal computer case that's touching the floor has always been ample grounding to prevent that stray charge in my experience. More likely is that something, let's say a capacitor, in the power supply wasn't up to specs and blew preventing the supply from lighting the rest of the rails.

 

Reply #7 from GalCiv2 Forums Top

Tried contacting them but they don't answer the phones or emails (despite saying they respond within 12 hours, and have a 30 day guarantee!).

Needless to say I'll be finding as many review sites I can to launch scathing reviews. Don't have enough spare time atm to take it further though :(