Computer power supply

[tonydanzah]

Computer power supply-added pics

So I have been toying with the idea of putting a spare cd player from a car in the garage. I was going to use a computer power supply. I was just going to upgrade to larger unit and use the old one.

Well before that happened my Ultra Xfinity 600watt unit kind of died? For a few days it was making a high pitched noise. I noticed also the intake and exhaust fan were not spinning. So fast forward a week, I press power and the computer turns on for a few seconds and turns off. I bought a new PSU yesterday. What can I check on the old one to see if its fixable?

 

[Gary S]

Don't even bother. Computers and other consumer electronics will cost you more to fix than to replace. If you want one that works, buy a new one.

 

[tonydanzah]

Kind of what I thought.

 

[ice_burg]

actually you can open those power supplies and look for a popped capacitor. ultras have had a bad rep off and on for that sort of thing. of course it should be switched off and unplugged if you do decide to open it up.

 

[930dreamer]

I've replaced power supplies that soon went out again and fried the motherboard.

 

[tonydanzah]

I've replaced power supplies that soon went out again and fried the motherboard.

I haven't been that unlucky. But when you build computers They always seem to fail piece by piece. Which works great for me, upgrade each time.

 

[Finley]

i'd say capacitor. youll be able to spot it, itll most likely be swelled up. not worth the hassle to fix. they are expendable.

 

[Keep]

Yeah they are expendable, but its still worth taking it apart, it could just be the .02c fuse blown.

If you have any skill with small soldering give it a shot, fuses and small capacitors are cheap and you can say "I fixed that"

Of course buy the new one to have the computer working while you are screwing around with the old one.

Oh yeah take the old one with you when you go to the comp shop, they can test them right there for you, sometimes the "on then off" is the mainboard and not the ps.

 

[Torque1st]

Sometimes TIME is available when DOLLARS are not. Take a peek, it can't hurt anything. Some power supplies require a connection to a mother board to operate.

 

[Gary S]

I currently have 5 computers piled in my garage to go to the dump as soon as I find the time. 3 of them have good power supplies in them, but I won't waste the time pulling them out. They just aren't worth it.

I buy complete used computers for around $35 from a surplus outlet, and the current ones available are 3-5x the machines I'm tossing in the garbage.

 

[jmauld]

If it's just a capacitor, it wouldn't be more than a $10 to fix. And you're not going to find a 600W P/S for anywhere near $10, so I would fix it.

 

[tonydanzah]

well i had to replace this ps to get my comp running in the mean time. I went to FRYs down the street and bought a 750w corvair based on the positve feedback of new egg. I'll reopen the case and post some pics

 

[Cryptic1911]

cant go wrong with a corsair power supply. I have a corsair hx750 running my server with a quadcore processor, 4gb of ram, 10 hard drives, and like 6 fans

 

[tonydanzah]

so after I started taking pictures I think I found the blown capacitor. Where would I order one, I wonder if FRYs carriers them?

<a href="http://s965.photobucket.com/albums/ae133/tonydanzah_photos/?action=view&current=DSCN2016.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i965.photobucket.com/albums/ae133/tonydanzah_photos/DSCN2016.jpg" border="0" alt="psu7"></a>

<a href="http://s965.photobucket.com/albums/ae133/tonydanzah_photos/?action=view&current=DSCN2017.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i965.photobucket.com/albums/ae133/tonydanzah_photos/DSCN2017.jpg" border="0" alt="psu6"></a>

<a href="http://s965.photobucket.com/albums/ae133/tonydanzah_photos/?action=view&current=DSCN2019.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i965.photobucket.com/albums/ae133/tonydanzah_photos/DSCN2019.jpg" border="0" alt="psu5"></a>

<a href="http://s965.photobucket.com/albums/ae133/tonydanzah_photos/?action=view&current=DSCN2020.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i965.photobucket.com/albums/ae133/tonydanzah_photos/DSCN2020.jpg" border="0" alt="psu4"></a>

<a href="http://s965.photobucket.com/albums/ae133/tonydanzah_photos/?action=view&current=DSCN2021.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i965.photobucket.com/albums/ae133/tonydanzah_photos/DSCN2021.jpg" border="0" alt="psu3"></a>

<a href="http://s965.photobucket.com/albums/ae133/tonydanzah_photos/?action=view&current=DSCN2023.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i965.photobucket.com/albums/ae133/tonydanzah_photos/DSCN2023.jpg" border="0" alt="psu2"></a>

the cap with the black crude is bubbled.

<a href="http://s965.photobucket.com/albums/ae133/tonydanzah_photos/?action=view&current=DSCN2024.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i965.photobucket.com/albums/ae133/tonydanzah_photos/DSCN2024.jpg" border="0" alt="psu1"></a>

I touched it and the black came off.

would a blown cap have case the fans not to come on? Or did the fans not coming on cause the cap to overheat and blown?

 

[tonydanzah]

also if is there a way to jump the control wiring to allow the PSU to turn on if I want to use it in the garage?

 

[RPH]

Cap is blown, can't see the value but microfarads. Electrolytic type. these are polorized so pay attention to where the positive lead comes from. Third picture in shows a fuse by the gold heat sinks, check it whilst your in there.

 

[Cargo]

For an ATX power supply put a switch between the green and black wires near the center of the main (20 or 24 pin) motherboard plug. That should let it turn on.

 

[tonydanzah]

For an ATX power supply put a switch between the green and black wires near the center of the main (20 or 24 pin) motherboard plug. That should let it turn on.

what if the wires are not colored?

 

[Jack Olsen]

I just bought a little $40 amplifier that lets me run iTunes through a pair of speakers from one of my wireless thingies. More and more, it seems like this is all the stereo I use -- just the laptop or an iPod -- whether it's for mp3s or 'radio.'

 

[ice_burg]

This should help you out.

http://www.duxcw.com/faq/ps/ps4.htm with the pin out for the wires. I have done this a hundred times when trouble shooting.

 

[tonydanzah]

This should help you out.

http://www.duxcw.com/faq/ps/ps4.htm with the pin out for the wires. I have done this a hundred times when trouble shooting.

thanks for the link

 

[ddawg16]

I have a better suggestion.....

Go to fry's and buy an external drive box....basically it's a power supply and case big enough to hold your standard CD drive....usually cost about $25-40. Even comes with a power cord.....

Besides....what I think you are thinking is a leaky cap...is actually hot melt....they use a ton of that stuff in those supplies to glue stuff together....that one glob coming out of the side of the toroid (round transformer) looks to be one of the leads and they are using hot melt to keep it in place..

Or, do like Jack does....IPod docking station.....that is what I have....listen to AM/FM or the IPod.....The sound track from Wall-e is still one of my fav's...(yea, I know, I'm weird)

 

[mad57]

I use an fm transmitter for my ipod throught 88.5 fm station works great with my 80s boom box.

 

[Torque1st]

The cap with the hot melt looks OK. The cap to the right of it with the bulged end and black leakage is suspect. Pull it out and replace it. Caps are cheap.

BTW- That has got to be one of the worst power supply assemblies I have ever seen.

 

[padstack]

If you're just running a CD player or something, then how much power do you really need? I'm not trying to be a downer here, but think about this - $1 for the capacitor @ Radio shack + gas there and back + your time + the probability that this won't work anyway (lots of components there, although from what you said it DOES sound like a cap problem). IMO, find a known workig freebie PS from craigslist or something and wire that in if that's what you really want to do. I'd have to echo the others' sentiments on the docking station though. If you don't have an IPOD and you have WIFI in access in your garage, you can pick up a wireless music streamer pretty cheap (under $20 on ebay). All you'd need are some speakers.

Not trying to rain on your parade. I'm as cheap as they come (ask my wife!) and I have caught myself all too many times in a situation where I put a couple hours into something that just blows up in my face. Just my $0.02.

 

[tonydanzah]

All good ideas, I already have a decent stero system in my garage now. Radio shack is 3/4 mile away. This is my spare to spare. I have my old 450w power supply stored from 2 computers ago. I was just thinking about taking my spare cd deck, speakers, amp and sub and using them in the garage. I just didn't think 450w would be enough. So my 600w up and dies, if I can revive it cheap enough then I have another option. As far as Ipods, nope don't have one. Won't buy one either, I hate itunes. I also don't like apple phones, can't stand a virtual keyboard. The past phones I have owned, have been adequate mp3 players. Last one even had an fm transmitter built in, my current g1 i can just run line in to my stereo.

 

[Gary S]

One of the problems with using a computer power supply to power a radio or stereo in the shop is that the computer supply puts out +3.3v, -3.3v, +5v, -5v, +12v, and -12v. You will most likely be using only the +12v supply, so you are paying for the electricity to power the other five power supplies that you aren't using anytime the supply is powered up.
Any single voltage +12v supply will run more efficiently.

 

[tonydanzah]

very good point