Dead PSU?

archcommus · 25-08-2003, 11:02 PM

Lately my computer has been sounding sort of loud, but I wasn't sure if it was my CPU fan, PSU fan, rear exhaust fan, or my video card fan. A few days ago the sound got really loud, sort of sounding like a loud motor, and so I turned off the computer and opened it up. I unplugged the rear exhaust fan and video card, and it was still loud, so I knew it either had to be the CPU fan or PSU fan. I wasn't sure which, but I was guessing it was the PSU because I don't think the CPU fan is capable of being as loud as this was. So, I gave up, turned it back on, and after five minutes it turned itself off. Now my computer won't go back on. My best guess is that the sound I heard was the PSU, and now it died. What do you think?

zeus · 25-08-2003, 11:57 PM

Ive had 2 psus die on me.
Both times they literally went 'pop'.

Put it this way. If the cpu, graphics card or any other component died the psu would still start up and the fan start spinning. Even if the motherboard is dead.

I reckon your right, its the psu.
Try changing the fuse first though, before buying anything.

archcommus · 26-08-2003, 01:11 AM

Yeah, when I press the power button NOTHING happens. No LED lights, no fans, nothing.

I already ordered an Antec 400W PSU, but I'd still like to know what you mean exactly by changing a fuse. Thanks.

zeus · 26-08-2003, 01:32 AM

Are you in america?
maybe you dont have em?

In the plug which fits into the socket in the wall we have a fuse.
If the plug or electric device gets overloaded or shorts the fuse pops.
Saves tripping the main house fuse then.

archcommus · 26-08-2003, 03:25 AM

Umm.....isn't that what the grounding prong's for?

zeus · 26-08-2003, 08:39 AM

No, ground is summit else. The fuse totally stops any current going through the plug.

Big B · 26-08-2003, 03:40 PM

We don't have that over here...at least not on the PSU's I've run across.

zeus · 26-08-2003, 05:22 PM

Here is a pic of what I meant.
http://www.thediyworld.co.uk/wired%2...ith%20fuse.jpg

Its the bit with 13a, 13 amp written on it.

We have 3 types... 3a, 5a and 13a. 3a are for lamps and little things like that. 5a for computers, tvs, videos, cd players etc etc. And 13a for kettles, washing machines, pressure washers etc. 5a fuses break quite easily thats why I said to check

archcommus · 26-08-2003, 08:29 PM

Oh okay. Well yeah, we don't have those over here. But thanks for the suggestion anyway. My new PSU should be arriving Saturday or Sunday so hopefully that's all it needs.

archcommus · 26-08-2003, 10:27 PM

Also, are you POSITIVE that even with a dead motherboard the PSU and fans and such would still power up?

harrack52 · 26-08-2003, 11:26 PM

If the fans are plugged directly to the psu, yes they will. But they won't if they're plugged on the 3 pin connectors of the motherboard.

The same applies to hdds since they're pluged in the psu.

archcommus · 27-08-2003, 02:17 AM

Okay, I was just checking since, after all, the PSU IS plugged into the motherboard, so I wasn't sure if a dead motherboard would be able to tell the PSU to turn on or not.

harrack52 · 27-08-2003, 07:39 AM

Well actually what happens is the exact opposite.

When you turn your system on, the power supply supplies the power to the board, hdd, etc.

But if the mobo is dead, the power cannot move through the board. Therefore, everything that gets its power from the board itself will not power on.

I haven't read this anywhere, but it just makes sense to me.

Someone please shoot me if it doesn't :p

I really do think a new psu will solve your problem.
In any case, I certainly hope so.

Big B · 27-08-2003, 05:32 PM

Depends on what's dead on the mobo. If it's affecting the power traces, yeah, you might not have the fans spin up.

archcommus · 27-08-2003, 07:24 PM

Well, I thought that if your motherboard was dead, your PSU wouldn't turn on either, because the power button on your case is hooked up to your motherboard, not your PSU. So the signal to tell it to turn on has to go from the power button, through the motherbaord, and then to the PSU.

25-08-2003, 11:02 PM	#1 (permalink) Top
archcommus Big Geek Join Date: Nov 2002 Age: 21 Posts: 193 Status: Offline	Dead PSU? Lately my computer has been sounding sort of loud, but I wasn't sure if it was my CPU fan, PSU fan, rear exhaust fan, or my video card fan. A few days ago the sound got really loud, sort of sounding like a loud motor, and so I turned off the computer and opened it up. I unplugged the rear exhaust fan and video card, and it was still loud, so I knew it either had to be the CPU fan or PSU fan. I wasn't sure which, but I was guessing it was the PSU because I don't think the CPU fan is capable of being as loud as this was. So, I gave up, turned it back on, and after five minutes it turned itself off. Now my computer won't go back on. My best guess is that the sound I heard was the PSU, and now it died. What do you think? __________________ --Archcommus--

26-08-2003, 01:11 AM	#3 (permalink) Top
archcommus Big Geek Join Date: Nov 2002 Age: 21 Posts: 193 Status: Offline	Yeah, when I press the power button NOTHING happens. No LED lights, no fans, nothing. I already ordered an Antec 400W PSU, but I'd still like to know what you mean exactly by changing a fuse. Thanks. __________________ --Archcommus--

26-08-2003, 03:25 AM	#5 (permalink) Top
archcommus Big Geek Join Date: Nov 2002 Age: 21 Posts: 193 Status: Offline	Umm.....isn't that what the grounding prong's for? __________________ --Archcommus--

26-08-2003, 03:40 PM	#7 (permalink) Top
Big B HWF Godfather Join Date: Dec 2001 Age: 28 Male Posts: 9,636 Times Helpful: 585 My Mood: Devilish Status: Offline My Computer	We don't have that over here...at least not on the PSU's I've run across. __________________ Hardware Forums\|HWF Rules\|My DVD's\|PSU FAQ\|HWF Folding Team\|2CPU

26-08-2003, 08:29 PM	#9 (permalink) Top
archcommus Big Geek Join Date: Nov 2002 Age: 21 Posts: 193 Status: Offline	Oh okay. Well yeah, we don't have those over here. But thanks for the suggestion anyway. My new PSU should be arriving Saturday or Sunday so hopefully that's all it needs. __________________ --Archcommus--

25-08-2003, 11:57 PM	#2 (permalink) Top
zeus out of date Join Date: May 2003 Age: 27 Posts: 1,643 Times Helpful: 105 My Mood: Twisted Status: Online My Computer	Ive had 2 psus die on me. Both times they literally went 'pop'. Put it this way. If the cpu, graphics card or any other component died the psu would still start up and the fan start spinning. Even if the motherboard is dead. I reckon your right, its the psu. Try changing the fuse first though, before buying anything.

26-08-2003, 01:32 AM	#4 (permalink) Top
zeus out of date Join Date: May 2003 Age: 27 Posts: 1,643 Times Helpful: 105 My Mood: Twisted Status: Online My Computer	Are you in america? maybe you dont have em? In the plug which fits into the socket in the wall we have a fuse. If the plug or electric device gets overloaded or shorts the fuse pops. Saves tripping the main house fuse then.

26-08-2003, 08:39 AM	#6 (permalink) Top
zeus out of date Join Date: May 2003 Age: 27 Posts: 1,643 Times Helpful: 105 My Mood: Twisted Status: Online My Computer	No, ground is summit else. The fuse totally stops any current going through the plug.

26-08-2003, 05:22 PM	#8 (permalink) Top
zeus out of date Join Date: May 2003 Age: 27 Posts: 1,643 Times Helpful: 105 My Mood: Twisted Status: Online My Computer	Here is a pic of what I meant. http://www.thediyworld.co.uk/wired%2...ith%20fuse.jpg Its the bit with 13a, 13 amp written on it. We have 3 types... 3a, 5a and 13a. 3a are for lamps and little things like that. 5a for computers, tvs, videos, cd players etc etc. And 13a for kettles, washing machines, pressure washers etc. 5a fuses break quite easily thats why I said to check

26-08-2003, 10:27 PM	#10 (permalink) Top
archcommus Big Geek Join Date: Nov 2002 Age: 21 Posts: 193 Status: Offline	Also, are you POSITIVE that even with a dead motherboard the PSU and fans and such would still power up? __________________ --Archcommus--

26-08-2003, 11:26 PM	#11 (permalink) Top
harrack52 Supreme Geek Join Date: Jan 2003 Age: 27 Posts: 1,638 Times Helpful: 16 My Mood: Sick Status: Offline My Computer	If the fans are plugged directly to the psu, yes they will. But they won't if they're plugged on the 3 pin connectors of the motherboard. The same applies to hdds since they're pluged in the psu.

27-08-2003, 02:17 AM	#12 (permalink) Top
archcommus Big Geek Join Date: Nov 2002 Age: 21 Posts: 193 Status: Offline	Okay, I was just checking since, after all, the PSU IS plugged into the motherboard, so I wasn't sure if a dead motherboard would be able to tell the PSU to turn on or not. __________________ --Archcommus--

27-08-2003, 07:39 AM	#13 (permalink) Top
harrack52 Supreme Geek Join Date: Jan 2003 Age: 27 Posts: 1,638 Times Helpful: 16 My Mood: Sick Status: Offline My Computer	Well actually what happens is the exact opposite. When you turn your system on, the power supply supplies the power to the board, hdd, etc. But if the mobo is dead, the power cannot move through the board. Therefore, everything that gets its power from the board itself will not power on. I haven't read this anywhere, but it just makes sense to me. Someone please shoot me if it doesn't :p I really do think a new psu will solve your problem. In any case, I certainly hope so.

27-08-2003, 05:32 PM	#14 (permalink) Top
Big B HWF Godfather Join Date: Dec 2001 Age: 28 Male Posts: 9,636 Times Helpful: 585 My Mood: Devilish Status: Offline My Computer	Depends on what's dead on the mobo. If it's affecting the power traces, yeah, you might not have the fans spin up. __________________ Hardware Forums\|HWF Rules\|My DVD's\|PSU FAQ\|HWF Folding Team\|2CPU

27-08-2003, 07:24 PM	#15 (permalink) Top
archcommus Big Geek Join Date: Nov 2002 Age: 21 Posts: 193 Status: Offline	Well, I thought that if your motherboard was dead, your PSU wouldn't turn on either, because the power button on your case is hooked up to your motherboard, not your PSU. So the signal to tell it to turn on has to go from the power button, through the motherbaord, and then to the PSU. __________________ --Archcommus--

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