PSU problem.

[Modestus]

PSU on my computer went 3 weeks ago no problem I replaced it however yesterday my second computer (while running) tripped the house circuit breaker and it now trips instantly every time I try to power up.

This suggests to me that the PSU is faulty so to check I took out the PSU from the comp and took it to another house to make sure there was nothing wrong with the circuit breaker anyhow it also tripped that circuit so it does seem that the PSU is at fault.

So first question can you test a PSU for a fault when its out of a computer?

And second a recommendation for a PSU this was a 1200W but I don't really need that power so thinking around 850 – 1000 (modular) will be plenty.

Cheers Modestus.

[PoleCat]

Just to be sure I'm absolutely clear on this. Your PSU tripped the breaker in your own house. You then took it to another house, installed it in a system and powered it up - where it again tripped the breaker in that house. Correct?

If so don't worry about testing that PSU - it has something very wrong with it. Trash it at your earliest convenience. But for future reference you can test a PSU with a voltmeter outside of a rig. I'll let someone else recommend a good PSU for your needs. Good luck!

As an aside - how old are the electrical systems in the houses where you tested this PSU?

[Modestus]

Just to be sure I'm absolutely clear on this. Your PSU tripped the breaker in your own house. You then took it to another house, installed it in a system and powered it up - where it again tripped the breaker in that house. Correct?

If so don't worry about testing that PSU - it has something very wrong with it. Trash it at your earliest convenience. But for future reference you can test a PSU with a voltmeter outside of a rig. I'll let someone else recommend a good PSU for your needs. Good luck!

As an aside - how old are the electrical systems in the houses where you tested this PSU?

I did not put it into another system at the other house, I just plugged it in on its own and it blew the circuit instantly and with a bang.

What has me concerned is that within a couple of weeks to PSU on two different computors broke I think it was just really bad luck as they were all about the same age. At the time I did use the second PSU to test the first system and it is possible that when I was doing this it got damaged but I dont think it so.

Perhaps I could have a problem with my surge protection?

[Modestus]

Worst case scenario installed new PSU but it looks like my two hard drives got fried, they seem to be dead and cannot be detected. DVD drives not working either and even with another HD with a operating system it wont boot so not even sure if the CPU or the graphic cards are OK.

Sick as a parrot.

Edit: All connections checked a 100 times.

[Bolkonsky]

Brand-wise, go with Corsair. Post your system specs though, so we know how much you need.

[Modestus]

Brand-wise, go with Corsair. Post your system specs though, so we know how much you need.

Decided to get a corsair 850W already ordered it.

[irishron]

Sure the new power supply is not bad? Do the fans even spin?

[Modestus]

Sure the new power supply is not bad? Do the fans even spin?

The new PSU seems fine the fans work and there is power going to the MB, the Startup even lists some of the components but when it comes to detecting the HDs it cant. I also took out one of the HD and connected it to another computer no luck dead as a dodo.

At this stage I am hoping that its only the hard drives and the DVDs. I have looked around the net and tried a few things but the signs are not good they almost certainly got shorted. There is a slim chance you could change the PCB on the HD but the modern HD apparently need almost a perfect match.

I am really pissed off and kicking myself for not backing up this comp because I do back up the my other one which deals with real life but who cares about that crap.

[irishron]

You mean it won't recognize them in BIOS?

Have you tried entering the harddrive info manually?

Have tried just hooking one up at a time starting with the one with the Windows partition?

Yeas, I'm going back twenty years before the plug and play thing.

[Modestus]

You mean it won't recognize them in BIOS?

Have you tried entering the harddrive info manually?

Have tried just hooking one up at a time starting with the one with the Windows partition?

Yeas, I'm going back twenty years before the plug and play thing.

Yes wont recognize them in the bios.

I ask in the bios to manually detect them no luck.

I had to borrow a DVD as mine seemed to have been damaged with the hard drives so I have reinstalled windows onto another harddrive that I had so at least the MB, CPU and Graphic cards are OK.
Going to see if it will see the other HD from an external enclosure using a usb connection but it would be a miracle if it works.

[irishron]

It sounds the way my luck runs.

[PoleCat]

Just looking back at this thread - Make sure you throw away your surge protector as well. Unless it wasn't properly grounded it shouldn't have let a surge out from your PSU to the general breaker console. BTW - are you using a Cheater Plug in an old two-prong plug with that system? Have you grounded it? Good luck!

[Modestus]

Yes I must get a new surge protector and backup my modding files.

Anyhow here is what I think happened.

1\ Power fails on computer A.

2\ Use PSU on computer B to check PSU on A.

3\ Perhaps while checking damaged PSU B.

4\ Install new PSU in Comp A working fine.

5\ Two weeks later while Comp B is running house circuit trips at this stage I have no idea what tripped it.

6\ Turn back on Comp B and it trips house circuit instantly, there is a fault with Comp B, the damage may have been already done but I made matters worse.

7\ Opened Comp B disconnect power cables but I now think I forgot the cables for the hard drives and DVD drives, turn power on trips again at this stage if the damage had not already been done it was now.

Too casual when poking around in computer with regards to static electricity. I am now beginning to realise all the psd files, textures and patterns (I made) for photoshop that I have lost, seriously pissed off with myself for not backing up.


BACKUP FOLKS NOW!

[PoleCat]

...[snip]...5\ Two weeks later while Comp B is running house circuit trips at this stage I have no idea what tripped it....

I'm all but sure what caused the breaker panel to fail. You have a grounding problem somewhere along the line. Whether it was a bad surge protector or generally bad grounding in the house remains to be seen. Just to be sure - if your PSU is blowing out your breaker panel then you have greater concerns to think about....

7\ Opened Comp B disconnect power cables but I now think I forgot the cables for the hard drives and DVD drives, turn power on trips again at this stage if the damage had not already been done it was now....

If you forgot to hook the power cables to the hard drives and the optical drives then I wouldn't expect them to be fried out. But if all you forgot was the data cables then that might be a different story.

...BACKUP FOLKS NOW!

Can't disagree. Hopefully you find a forgotten backup somewhere. Good luck!

[Modestus]

I'm all but sure what caused the breaker panel to fail. You have a grounding problem somewhere along the line. Whether it was a bad surge protector or generally bad grounding in the house remains to be seen. Just to be sure - if your PSU is blowing out your breaker panel then you have greater concerns to think about....

Not sure if you understand me , the house tripped that is what the trip is supposed to do if it senses a fault and they can be very sensitive.

I am assuming that a surge protector is there only to control spikes in the voltage, I have no idea if this was the cause of the problem with the PSU but once the PSU had a problem you do want your house trip to throw.

I agree that I must replace the surge protector because it may not have been working as intended so overtime it allowed the PSU to build up a problem of course it could have being anything a loose wire, a loose screw or the most likely moving it to test the other comp. Of course the fact that I had two PSU go in a matter of weeks has me concerned but the house wiring should be fine and is not that old.

Anyhow I am in the process of buying a new house and will probably get the keys this week, I wont be moving for a few months but among other things it will be rewired from top to bottom. I can see the headline......Man buys new house because of faulty PSU.

If you forgot to hook the power cables to the hard drives and the optical drives then I wouldn't expect them to be fried out. But if all you forgot was the data cables then that might be a different story.

Can't disagree. Hopefully you find a forgotten backup somewhere. Good luck!

I forgot to unhook them when I turned the power on the second time so I think thats when they fried and the CPU and MB were not connected so they survived.


I will try one long shot with the Hard drives that I came across on the net to get my data back, nearly the same drive.

http://forum.hddguru.com/samsung-hd1...ir-t15652.html

[Modestus]

Took a chance and swapped a PCB from another HD (similar) and retrieved the data from the two damaged drives.

[irishron]

Now, this is good news.