How To Repair A PC Power Supply [5 Easy Steps]
- [Step 1]: Remove Power Supply. Before you can fix a power supply, you have to remove it. ...
- [Step 2]: Test Fuse. Run the non-recovery test, which is a series of a few to a few dozen charge-and-discharge cycles. ...
- [Step 3]: Clean and Check Connectors. ...
- [Step 4]: Replace Connectors. ...
- [Step 5]: Replace Fuse. ...
What should I do when my power supply fails?
Check the fan in your computer. If the fan in your computer is failing to spin, it could lead to overheating and smoke in the system, all of which can cause a failed power supply. Familiarize yourself with proper ESD procedures. This should be done before doing any kind of PC repair work which requires opening a computer.
How to diagnose PC power supply?
How to Diagnose PC Power Supply 1 Make sure that everything is plugged in. 2 Hit the power button. 3 Look at when your computer boots up. 4 Check for beeps. 5 Observe any computer failures. 6 Check the fan in your computer. See More....
What to do when your PC power supply dies?
When a PC power supply dies or begins to wear out, it must be replaced. With a few simple tools and the help of this guide, you can do this job yourself and save on expensive repair fees. Make sure that everything is plugged in.
How do I change the power supply on my computer?
Identify the power supply unit. It will be connected to almost every component inside the computer case and will look something like this: Remove the case cover. Unscrew the mounting screws on the back of the case which hold the power supply in its housing. Place the screws in a handy location. Gently remove the old power supply from the case.
How do I fix my power supply on my computer?
Plug the PSU power cable into a wall socket or surge protector, and turn on the computer. Most power supply models have a light on back of the unit that glows when it's powered on. If it doesn't light, try a different power cable and a different socket to eliminate those items as the source of the problem.
What causes computer power supply failure?
Electric Interference: Lightning, power spikes, etc. Voltage fluctuation. Dirt/Foreign Substance: Cigarette smoke, house dust, etc. Overheating and/or Ventilation Failures: The most common reasons of an SMPS failure is overheating.
How do I know if my PC power supply is bad?
The most obvious sign of a faulty power supply is when your computer won't even turn on. Even if everything else on your computer is broken, if your power supply is operational its fan should turn and you'll still see a power LED light up near the power supply or on the front of the case.
Is it worth repairing a PSU?
Once power supply become faulty, DO NOT attempt to open, repair neither re-use any such suspected PSU. Not even you are trained electrician. That's first and main rule. At 1st - it doesn't worth it.
How do I test a PC power supply?
To test your PSU:Shut off your PSU.Unplug all cables from the PSU except for the main AC cable and the 24-pin cable.Locate pin 4 and pin 5 on your 24-pin cable. ... Bend your paper clip so the ends can be inserted into pin 4 and pin 5. ... Turn on the PSU.See if the PSU fan turns.
What are the common power supply problems?
The five common power supply problems include voltage and current issues at the input and output, reversed polarity, temperature issues, and missing external components.
What is the lifespan of a PSU?
How Long Does a PSU Last? Under normal intended use, a PSU should last a long time—at least five years, possibly up to 10 years if you're lucky. But if you start putting the power supply under high loads over long periods, it can be overstressed.
How do I know if I need a new power supply?
9 Ways To Know if You Need a New Power SupplyAge.Programs crash without software issues.You experience random blue screen crashes.You hear unknown PC case noises.Fan turns on but nothing else.GPU-Intensive programs don't start or run.You notice visual power fluctuations.Running multiple devices yields poor performance.More items...•
How do you test if a power supply is working?
The AnswerPlug the power supply into the wall.Find the big 24-ish pin connector that connects to the motherboard.Connect the GREEN wire with the adjacent BLACK wire.The power supply's fan should start up. If it doesn't then it's dead.If the fan starts up, then it could be the motherboard that's dead.
Can you repair a blown power supply?
The replacement process requires you to remove the circuit board from the housing, unsolder the blown fuse from the circuit board, and then solder the new fuse back in place.
What are two reasons that PC technicians don't usually repair a power supply?
The reason that PC technicians don't usually repair a power supply is because there are high voltages present posing harm and it is not worth the time to repair them. Why is it important to buy a power supply that's close to the requirements for your system instead of buying a higher wattage power supply?
Why would a PC technician ever have to change out a computer's motherboard?
Why would an IT technician ever have to change out a computer's motherboard? A motherboard is considered a field replaceable unit and an IT technician needs to know how to replace one when it goes bad. Reasons for needing to change out a computer's motherboard would include lightening and electrostatic discharge (ESD).
What is the most efficient way to determine whether your power supply is bad?
The easiest way to diagnose this is to smell the power supply after turning it off and disconnecting it from AC power. If you can smell a burnt odor with a chemical overtone to it coming from the power supply's outside vent, your power supply has died.
How to get power supply out of PC?
Gently remove the old power supply from the case. This is usually a simple process, but if there is little room in your PC, it may be necessary to remove other components to get the power supply out. If you don't feel comfortable removing other components, replace the mounting screws and enlist the help of a PC expert before continuing. Do not try to yank a power supply out by force.
What happens when a PC power supply dies?
When a PC power supply dies or begins to wear out, it must be replaced. With a few simple tools and the help of this guide, you can do this job yourself and save on expensive repair fees.
Why is my PSU not turning on?
Mostly there will be a beeping sound coming from your PSU and it won't turn on if it is damaged. Nothing will happen if the cord is damaged. Check if the power cable is damaged by replacing it with your monitor's cable and trying to turn it on. If your computer still doesn't work, it's likely the PSU.
What to do if your motherboard smells burning?
Not necessarily. It could be a number of things. If you smell burning, unplug the computer and press the power button, discharging the motherboard. Open the case and look for any visible damage, such as scorch marks, or smoke.
What happens if you buy a marginal power supply?
If you purchased a marginal power supply, it is possible that the start up current demand from the hard drives could push demands over the power supply limit. Power supply wattage has "maximum" definitions which may benefit the manufacturer. If two power supplies both have "switching" designs and are made by brand name manufacturers, consider using their weight as a sign of ability. Larger heat sinks and capacitors weigh more.
How to tell if power supply is dying?
A common clue which indicates a failing power supply is a high-pitched whining or grinding noise from the area of the case where the power supply is housed. Don't wait until the supply dies, because its failure can cause voltage problems which can ruin your motherboard, hard drive, or other components.
What happens if you hit the power button?
Hit the power button. The most obvious clue is that the system will do absolutely nothing when you hit the power button. If there is no sound and no monitor activity of any kind, the power supply has probably died. While this can also be caused by a faulty switch, it is usually the result of a burned-out power supply.
How to troubleshoot a power supply?
How to Troubleshoot a PC Power Supply 1 System failures during the boot-up process. 2 The PC doesn’t power on at all 3 Spontaneous restarts or lockouts when trying to use the machine 4 Case fans and hard drives that do not spin 5 An overheating system due to heatsink and fan failure 6 Errors related to system memory 7 Recurring Blue Screen of Death (BSOD)
Where is the power supply switch located?
Many power supplies have an external switch located at the rear of the unit. Check that it has not been accidentally been switched off. Plug the PSU power cable into a wall socket or surge protector, and turn on the computer. Most power supply models have a light on back of the unit that glows when it’s powered on.
Why does my motherboard light flash?
Usually flashing lights on a motherboard indicate a faulty or misconnected power supply. As an aside, the color of the motherboard light can tip off other malfunctioning components. Lights and BIOS beep codes vary by manufacturer. Check your motherboard product manual for that information.
How to connect a 20+4P connector?
Locate the 20+4P (24-pin) connector. Bend the paperclip and insert one end into the green pin (PS_ON) and the other into any of the black pins (Ground).
What to do if your PC doesn't turn on?
If the PC does not turn on at all. As with any troubleshooting situation, disconnect all but the necessary peripherals from the PC. Usually this means you’re left only with the mouse, keyboard and monitor connected. Many power supplies have an external switch located at the rear of the unit.
Is it worth testing a PSU?
If you’re working as an internal IT, it probably isn’t worth your time to get overly intensive with power supply testing and repair. The cost of a new PSU is relatively low, and does not justify extensive personnel hours dedicated to a complex diagnosis. It is common practice for departments that manage multiple PCs is to keep spare power supply or two on hand for “swap” testing to identify when a PSU is the root cause of recurring computer problems.
Why did my PSU survive a short circuit?
Because of mistakes in capacity calculation this PSU survived a short circuit under load. Insulation on the outer load wires has melted and some wires burnt completely.
How many watts does a 12 volt PSU have?
Modern computers draw most of the power they consume in the 12-volt rail. This is the rail that powers almost everything in your machine. If you look at the 12-volt / 15-amp rail of this PSU and convert it into watts, you will get its true capacity of 180 W (12V*15А = 180 W).
How to start a PSU?
To start the PSU, connect this contact with the black wire (ground). You can do it with a paper clip or tweezers. Voltage on outer power connectors will only appear after the power supply turns on – you can notice it by rotating cooling fan. After the PSU starts, check the voltage readings for all rails.
What is the voltage of a PSU?
On the other heatsink, you can see the low-voltage part of the PSU, Schottky diodes, followed by the choke coil for +5-volt and +12-volt rail , and a choke for the 3.3-volt rail, the power cables for external connectors and the power line for the cooling fan.
How to find the green wire on a motherboard?
You can see it in the main connector that delivers power to the motherboard: this is the green wire.
What to do if playback doesn't begin?
If playback doesn't begin shortly, try restarting your device.
Why does my power supply fail?
When a power supply failure is due to dying output caps, the cause is often obvious upon opening the unit: you will see many capacitors with bulged tops, possibly covered in dried electrolyte. These supplies can usually be brought back to a perfectly usable state by re-capping them using appropriately-sized and -rated replacements. Other times, the problems run deeper than a basic cap makeover.
Can you fiddle inside line powered equipment?
As usual when fiddling inside line-powered equipment (and especially on the primary side), don 't try this yourself unless you're a trained professional. You assume all risks for whatever it is you decide to do.
