I smoked my PSU but it still works??

altiris

altiris

New member
I just installed my new EMU-1820m. All was fine but I think I overloaded my PSU. I smelled that burning smell and the PSU fan went haywire. Funny thing is that it still works. My PC acts normal now. Has anyone experienced smoking your PSU but it still works. Or will it eventually fail prematurely or even damage my PC? I’ve never burned components before. I mean it’s an Antec 430W PSU. I checked the system requirements for the EMU and nowhere does it specify how much power you need. However I think it may have it in the Spec sheet. But still it should clearly bet under the system requirements. I don’t want buy another PSU. Its like adding another $100 or so my the expense of my new upgrade.
 
Psu

altiris said:
I just installed my new EMU-1820m. All was fine but I think I overloaded my PSU. I smelled that burning smell and the PSU fan went haywire. Funny thing is that it still works. My PC acts normal now. Has anyone experienced smoking your PSU but it still works. Or will it eventually fail prematurely or even damage my PC? I’ve never burned components before. I mean it’s an Antec 430W PSU. I checked the system requirements for the EMU and nowhere does it specify how much power you need. However I think it may have it in the Spec sheet. But still it should clearly bet under the system requirements. I don’t want buy another PSU. Its like adding another $100 or so my the expense of my new upgrade.
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I have had many die the last one just blew up and stoped....one computer i repaired for someone ...when the power supply failed it smoked.....computer was turned off .....then they turned it on.. the restart it killed the motherboard and took everything else out. :mad:

most of the time its the fan that dies...but i just change them out better to replace it then lose all the work you did...time cannot be replaced the same way......and if you have music you created or digital pics that you cherish you should back it up as well so you wont have to worry losing stuff.

how old was the power supply :confused:

but to save grief replace ASAP before it takes every thing out.(cheaper in the end)

and get a can of compressed air and gently blow out the dust bunnys as well. Dont blow near the optical drives.
will help keep the heat down as well. :cool:

Never use a vacume cleaner you could create static and that may kill your computer

as well check to see if the CPU fan is running as well and any other fans.
when powered up...any grating noises could mean dying fans.

Hope this helps :D
 
SuperGeek said:
I have had many die the last one just blew up and stoped....one computer i repaired for someone ...when the power supply failed it smoked.....computer was turned off .....then they turned it on.. the restart it killed the motherboard and took everything else out. :mad:

most of the time its the fan that dies...but i just change them out better to replace it then lose all the work you did...time cannot be replaced the same way......and if you have music you created or digital pics that you cherish you should back it up as well so you wont have to worry losing stuff.

how old was the power supply :confused:

but to save grief replace ASAP before it takes every thing out.(cheaper in the end)

and get a can of compressed air and gently blow out the dust bunnys as well. Dont blow near the optical drives.
will help keep the heat down as well. :cool:

Never use a vacume cleaner you could create static and that may kill your computer

as well check to see if the CPU fan is running as well and any other fans.
when powered up...any grating noises could mean dying fans.

Hope this helps :D
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well this is fairly new. I say about 7 months old. I built my PC around August last year. I just reinstalled the OS so everything important to me is backed up. There is no grinding noise. See, I use the ASUS PC probe that monitors fans and heat. nothing unusual there. After installing the 1010 card and plugging in the Dock I installed the drivers. During the instillation the lights started flashing on the Doc station. After the instillation that’s when I started to smell the smoke. Then when I rebooted the fan for the PSU was going very fast and on the probe monitor the RPM’s would go up and down. Then I noticed 88mm case fan stopped. Also when I unplug the Doc to the card the fan would change speed. Then I would unplug it and the speed would decrease. So I shut down. Unplugged the 88mm fan and one DVD drive. All seems normal. I surfed the net, opened closed apps, Installed software and no unusual behavior or noises. It acts normal the probe monitor showed normal voltages at all levels. I haven’t tried recording with the card yet. I did turn on phantom power. But I didn’t put any load on it. So Im thinking I over loaded the PSU.
Lets see. 430W PSU, 6600gt Video card requires external power for the PSU, 2 40gig HD, 1 SATA HD, 2 DVD rom drives. AMD3800+ X2. I don’t know the power consumption of the EMU1820m. but like I said it all runs normal now. However it still worries me that something burned. I think I can still exercise my warranty for it but who knows how long it will be out. Maybe Ill just buy another one and take this one in for repair and ebay it when it gets in.
 
It could have been a protection component that blew so I would replace it ASAP. A big power spike that normally would be protected may fry everything even if output voltages are OK
 
altitude909 said:
It could have been a protection component that blew so I would replace it ASAP. A big power spike that normally would be protected may fry everything even if output voltages are OK
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Well I do have a UPS. I think it should absord any spikes. I really dont want to put any more money into my rig concidering its an expensive hobby. I dont even want to add up the amount of money I have already spent. :) bad habit bad habit.
 
Bad thing is that my wife will let me get what ever I want. ??? She'll just say "well, get what you need. I kind of don’t like that because that means I have to be responsible. Then if I do get something for myself. I feel like I need to even it out buy getting something for her. Not that she makes me feel guilty or anything. But I don’t feel right just getting for myself. So really most likely it will cost me double. Last year I upgraded her engagement ring diamond and got her an engagement ring enhancer. Ouch that did cost
 
I'll stick to the "fake" power supplies and save my money. I'm running a 50 dollar 500w PSU in both of my boxes, have been for the past year. With the PSU iso kit, they are both quiet, cool and power everything just fine. Have fun with the eye candy though.
 
I have seen a 90% failure rate on those budget PSUs after 2 years (we bought 20 or so) so i see them as worthless
 
altitude909 said:
You cant buy a real psu for under a $100
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I just replaced the PSU in one of my servers for $25. $100 my ass. For that price, it better be plated in gold or be water cooled or something.... :D

Seriously, I'm sure there are some cheap PSUs that have a high failure rate, but a handful of years ago was the year of the smoking power supplies when even a lot of name brand power supplies were blowing capacitors left and right.

There was this slimy company (I think in China, but I could be remembering wrong) that was manufacturing caps that failed even at a fraction of their rated specs under typical operating temperatures. It took out a bunch of motherboards, power supplies, etc. I don't blame the power supply for that. I blame the part manufacturer.

Anyway, my gut says you probably got burned by that....
 
dgatwood said:
I just replaced the PSU in one of my servers for $25. $100 my ass. For that price, it better be plated in gold or be water cooled or something.... :D

Seriously, I'm sure there are some cheap PSUs that have a high failure rate, but a handful of years ago was the year of the smoking power supplies when even a lot of name brand power supplies were blowing capacitors left and right.

There was this slimy company (I think in China, but I could be remembering wrong) that was manufacturing caps that failed even at a fraction of their rated specs under typical operating temperatures. It took out a bunch of motherboards, power supplies, etc. I don't blame the power supply for that. I blame the part manufacturer.

Anyway, my gut says you probably got burned by that....
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I’ve heard of those Cap's. Do they still make them? I've seen then in motherboards that would fail. anyway I only buy cheap if it gets enough reputation fore being cheap and reliable. Newegg is pretty good in the reviews in the sense that they don’t even out their reviews on there products just to sell their cheap stuff. Like Musicians friend and Zzounds. I also go to pcworld.com to check reviews.
With so many new brands of components its getting harder to decipher the good from the bad. So latly I’ve been sticking with the most reputable. Even if it costs me a little more. now I’m not going for those $250 PSU’s or OCZ stuff I think is over priced.
Transformers have always been the most expensive component to make. It uses the most material. They are big and heavy. So to me cheap PSU’s don’t leave much room for quality in the other components that make up the PSU. But like I said if it has a good reputation I will buy it.
 
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