Power Supply on its way out?
A more accurate method of determining an undersized or
slowly failing power supply is to use the 3.5 digit multimeter. Measurements made to wires as listed in chart in: http://www.hardwaresite.net/faqpowersupply.html An under powered power supply will see voltages drop to or below limits. If critical power supply voltages (3.3, 5, and 12) are in the lower quarter of acceptable limits, then the power supply may be slowly failing - ie electrolytic filter capacitors are starting to fail. Using a meter in combination with what ric has posted can also demonstrate an under powered or slowly failing supply. Take voltage measurements. Then power down and remove from power unessential components such as sound card, extra disk drives, modem, etc. If voltage returns to limits of that chart, then power supply is probably running on its maximum edge - either because it was undersized or because it is slowly failing. There is no quicker tool to answer your question than that so inexpensive 3.5 digit multimeter. Tool so ubiquitous and inexpensive as to be sold in Sears, Home Depot, Radio Shack, etc. Tool that is essential to reliable computer maintenance. Nick wrote: Sometimes when I switch my PC on it switches off after about 1 second. When I do it again it works as normal. Is this a sign the power supply is about to burn out? -- ----------- Nick |
higher? Im on 300 Watt
-- ----------- Nick "ric" wrote in message ... Nick wrote: Sometimes when I switch my PC on it switches off after about 1 second. When I do it again it works as normal. Is this a sign the power supply is about to burn out? Not necessarily. Could be it is underpowered and one output trips its OC protection circuit sometimes. That would be my guess with no further info. Try disconnecting the PSU from unused components and see if the problem goes away. If so, you need a higher powered PSU. |
Nick wrote:
higher? Im on 300 Watt So what? If your +12v, for example, is only rated at 10 amps, and you need 11 amps at start up, you might need more power on the +12v. Total power doesn't mean squat if an individual output is under powered. Nick wrote: Sometimes when I switch my PC on it switches off after about 1 second. When I do it again it works as normal. Is this a sign the power supply is about to burn out? Not necessarily. Could be it is underpowered and one output trips its OC protection circuit sometimes. That would be my guess with no further info. Try disconnecting the PSU from unused components and see if the problem goes away. If so, you need a higher powered PSU. -- Better than hearing "Lady Day", or checking in at Monterey... |
On Wed, 30 Jul 2003 20:32:29 +0000 (UTC), "Nick"
wrote: Sometimes when I switch my PC on it switches off after about 1 second. When I do it again it works as normal. Is this a sign the power supply is about to burn out? Not necessarily. Could be it is underpowered and one output trips its OC protection circuit sometimes. That would be my guess with no further info. Try disconnecting the PSU from unused components and see if the problem goes away. If so, you need a higher powered PSU. higher? Im on 300 Watt Today 300 Watt is to low in many cases. When starting the PC need a lot more power than normal. Important is how many ampere it can handle on every rail +3.3V +5V +12V http://w1.857.telia.com/~u85710476/d...u_antec550.png Note: Going up from 300W to 550W power supply does NOT raise your power consumtion. That is only what the PSU kan deliver if needed. |
ok I'll get rid of the old 4GB HDD just in case
-- ----------- Nick "Ken" wrote in message ... On Wed, 30 Jul 2003 20:32:29 +0000 (UTC), "Nick" wrote: Sometimes when I switch my PC on it switches off after about 1 second. When I do it again it works as normal. Is this a sign the power supply is about to burn out? Not necessarily. Could be it is underpowered and one output trips its OC protection circuit sometimes. That would be my guess with no further info. Try disconnecting the PSU from unused components and see if the problem goes away. If so, you need a higher powered PSU. higher? Im on 300 Watt Today 300 Watt is to low in many cases. When starting the PC need a lot more power than normal. Important is how many ampere it can handle on every rail +3.3V +5V +12V http://w1.857.telia.com/~u85710476/d...u_antec550.png Note: Going up from 300W to 550W power supply does NOT raise your power consumtion. That is only what the PSU kan deliver if needed. |
300 watts is up to the task in most cases. However many 300
watt power supplies are sold on price rather than on value and abilities. Many 300 watt supplies may not even supply 300 watts. And many who repair computers don't even know why failure happens - they just use the Tim Allen concept of 'more power' and assume that solved the problem. This demonstrates why the problem may be even more complex: http://firingsquad.gamers.com/guides/power/default.asp Get the meter and stop guessing. If power is a problem, then the meter will show it up front and immediate. You can spend your life wildly trying this and that. Or save time, read the numbers, and isolate the problem - immediate and obvious. Chances are if the system was working just fine previously and if nothing was added, then 300 watts was more than sufficient. Currently, there is not even one good, reliable, known number to work with - to provide a solution. No number means junk science. Get the meter. See if the power supply really is a problem - rather than guessing. Nick wrote: ok I'll get rid of the old 4GB HDD just in case -- ----------- Nick |
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