Thread: Power supplies and high-voltage detonation

  1. #1
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    Power supplies and high-voltage detonation

    Hello,

    Yesterday I heard a loud arcing sound followed by a bang, my computer powering off in the process. Looking at the back, I noticed smoke coming out of the PSU, so I unscrewed it from the case and popped the hood. Inside, I found a smashed 250V fuse, a transistor that had gone extra crispy and glue all over the place. Add to that the fact that the PSU was extremely hot and I figured out the fan had expired before taking the rest of the PSU with it about an hour later.

    What struck me as odd is how the PSU seemed to be so low-tech compared to the rest of the computer. The wires coming from it were very thinly soldered to the PCB, so a bit of light yanking would rip them from it. The fan itself was clogged up with dust and there seemed to be no easy way to replace it.

    Is this standard in ATX power supplies, or can you get ones that are a bit more "modern" in construction?

  2. #2
    Much older and wiser Fountain's Avatar
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    What struck me as odd is how the PSU seemed to be so low-tech compared to the rest of the computer. The wires coming from it were very thinly soldered to the PCB, so a bit of light yanking would rip them from it. The fan itself was clogged up with dust and there seemed to be no easy way to replace it.

    How about dont yank the wires, and break out the old vac to clean the fan from time to time.

    The clues are there. Look after it and it shouldnt blow up.
    Such is life.

  3. #3
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    Cleaning the fan is the best solution to this, yes, but with a big sticker saying "DO NOT REMOVE COVER UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES, NO SERVICABLE PARTS" on the side of the PSU I'd imagine it would discourage some people.

  4. #4
    5|-|1+|-|34|) ober's Avatar
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    yeah... anyone who doesn't have a clue.

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    In your face... ha ha ha Liger86's Avatar
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    Sounds like you used petrolium jelly to make a fan run quiter. But what happens when jelly heats up?
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  6. #6
    PC Fixer-Upper Waldo2k2's Avatar
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    yeah...im sure he did just that...
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