Hi all,
I have a P.C. that keeps blowing power supply's.
It is P4 2.4, Gigabyte GA-8IG100MK Main Board in a "whitebox" of
unknown make.
Low spec AGP video card
2 x Optical drives
1 x 80gig Seagate Barracuda
The last power supply it blew was a Unicase 400W Silent power supply.


I has been plugged into a middle of the road surge protector the whole
time (which seems to fine.)
This has all happened in the same house; however there hasn't been any
other power problems.

I'm thinking maybe it's the case because the problems happend when the
unit is being switched o every time.
Anyone else seen something like this?
TIA

Rob

Is the line power, from the electric company stable and
clean (no spikes, surges) ? Do you have any other
electrical problems? Is the computer on a circuit that is
isolated from heavy draw items such as motors (air
conditioners, washing machines) or do you see any
fluctuation in the lights?

Have you tried a "name brand" PSU from a company such as PC
Power & Cooling or Antec?


--
The people think the Constitution protects their rights;
But government sees it as an obstacle to be overcome.


"RobW" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed)...
| Hi all,
| I have a P.C. that keeps blowing power supply's.
| It is P4 2.4, Gigabyte GA-8IG100MK Main Board in a
"whitebox" of
| unknown make.
| Low spec AGP video card
| 2 x Optical drives
| 1 x 80gig Seagate Barracuda
| The last power supply it blew was a Unicase 400W Silent
power supply.
|
|
| I has been plugged into a middle of the road surge
protector the whole
| time (which seems to fine.)
| This has all happened in the same house; however there
hasn't been any
| other power problems.
|
| I'm thinking maybe it's the case because the problems
happend when the
| unit is being switched o every time.
| Anyone else seen something like this?
| TIA
|
| Rob
|

On Mon, 9 May 2005 04:39:39 -0500, "Jim Macklin"
<p51mustang[threeX12]@xxxhotmail.calm> wrote:

>Is the line power, from the electric company stable and
>clean (no spikes, surges) ? Do you have any other
>electrical problems? Is the computer on a circuit that is
>isolated from heavy draw items such as motors (air
>conditioners, washing machines) or do you see any
>fluctuation in the lights?
>
>Have you tried a "name brand" PSU from a company such as PC
>Power & Cooling or Antec?

Hi Jim,

Generally speaking the power from the electrical company is good.
No other electrical probs.
No heavy draw or fluctuation of lights either.
I haven't tried a name brand PSU as I have been too frightened it will
get fried like the others. Also, up to this point the supplier has
been replacing the PSU's under warranty.
They will no longer do this, :-) lol.
I'm really wondering if it is a problem with the case.
Especially since the damage seems to be happening when switching on
the machine.

Cheers.
Rob

Try another powercable it might have a faulty fuse.

"RobW" wrote:

> Hi all,
> I have a P.C. that keeps blowing power supply's.
> It is P4 2.4, Gigabyte GA-8IG100MK Main Board in a "whitebox" of
> unknown make.
> Low spec AGP video card
> 2 x Optical drives
> 1 x 80gig Seagate Barracuda
> The last power supply it blew was a Unicase 400W Silent power supply.
>
>
> I has been plugged into a middle of the road surge protector the whole
> time (which seems to fine.)
> This has all happened in the same house; however there hasn't been any
> other power problems.
>
> I'm thinking maybe it's the case because the problems happend when the
> unit is being switched o every time.
> Anyone else seen something like this?
> TIA
>
> Rob
>
>

In article <10BC4506-70D3-4ED8-96C2-(E-Mail Removed)>,
(E-Mail Removed) says...
> Try another powercable it might have a faulty fuse.

Power cables don't have fuses, at least not the ones I've seen connected
to computers in the US.

If you are killing PSU's and you are SURE THE INCOMMING POWER IS
GOOD/Clean, then you've got a device inside the computer that's
overloading the PSU.

You need to determine what part of the PSU is dead - is it a fuse on one
of the DC lines or one the AC of the PSU or something else.

Your spec's don't seem to need more than 350W would provide, but you
could have a shorted/intermittent connection where the screws mounting
the motherboard connect to the chassis - many times the installer will
not use the proper screw size (screw heads) and will short a trace
without knowing it's been done.

Disconnect everything, reseat the computers motherboard on the chassis,
make sure that every mounting post is accounted for and that none are
shorting out traces on the board, same for the screws.

I've also seen power leads (for drives) without a cap over them short
out on the metal parts of a case and blow a PSU.

--
--
(E-Mail Removed)
remove 999 in order to email me

im from UK and every power cable has to have a fuse in UK so suppose it
depends where your from. if you use fuses it could well be a problem.

"Leythos" wrote:

> In article <10BC4506-70D3-4ED8-96C2-(E-Mail Removed)>,
> (E-Mail Removed) says...
> > Try another powercable it might have a faulty fuse.
>
> Power cables don't have fuses, at least not the ones I've seen connected
> to computers in the US.
>
> If you are killing PSU's and you are SURE THE INCOMMING POWER IS
> GOOD/Clean, then you've got a device inside the computer that's
> overloading the PSU.
>
> You need to determine what part of the PSU is dead - is it a fuse on one
> of the DC lines or one the AC of the PSU or something else.
>
> Your spec's don't seem to need more than 350W would provide, but you
> could have a shorted/intermittent connection where the screws mounting
> the motherboard connect to the chassis - many times the installer will
> not use the proper screw size (screw heads) and will short a trace
> without knowing it's been done.
>
> Disconnect everything, reseat the computers motherboard on the chassis,
> make sure that every mounting post is accounted for and that none are
> shorting out traces on the board, same for the screws.
>
> I've also seen power leads (for drives) without a cap over them short
> out on the metal parts of a case and blow a PSU.
>
> --
> --
> (E-Mail Removed)
> remove 999 in order to email me
>

In article <AFADA9D7-AC21-4ACF-B079-(E-Mail Removed)>,
(E-Mail Removed) says...
> im from UK and every power cable has to have a fuse in UK so suppose it
> depends where your from. if you use fuses it could well be a problem.

I agree then, not knowing where the OP was from, it's a good assumption
to guess at the fused power cord if his country requires such.


>
> "Leythos" wrote:
>
> > In article <10BC4506-70D3-4ED8-96C2-(E-Mail Removed)>,
> > (E-Mail Removed) says...
> > > Try another powercable it might have a faulty fuse.
> >
> > Power cables don't have fuses, at least not the ones I've seen connected
> > to computers in the US.
> >
> > If you are killing PSU's and you are SURE THE INCOMMING POWER IS
> > GOOD/Clean, then you've got a device inside the computer that's
> > overloading the PSU.
> >
> > You need to determine what part of the PSU is dead - is it a fuse on one
> > of the DC lines or one the AC of the PSU or something else.
> >
> > Your spec's don't seem to need more than 350W would provide, but you
> > could have a shorted/intermittent connection where the screws mounting
> > the motherboard connect to the chassis - many times the installer will
> > not use the proper screw size (screw heads) and will short a trace
> > without knowing it's been done.
> >
> > Disconnect everything, reseat the computers motherboard on the chassis,
> > make sure that every mounting post is accounted for and that none are
> > shorting out traces on the board, same for the screws.
> >
> > I've also seen power leads (for drives) without a cap over them short
> > out on the metal parts of a case and blow a PSU.
> >
> > --
> > --
> > (E-Mail Removed)
> > remove 999 in order to email me
> >
>

--
--
(E-Mail Removed)
remove 999 in order to email me

The "common" middle of the road surge protector can only handle ONE/TWO
surges. After this, the surge protection does not exist!

Your power in your room/office is definiately BAD! You are going to have
problems like this forever. The only true ways to fix this are:

1) Call an electrician and have them put in an "isolated" power circuit for
your PC. (Expensive!!!)

2) Buy an line conditioning power regulator, or a UPS. These type of units
will "filter" the power so that the out-bound power is with-in the "safe"
range of the power supplies.

And, always use a 'name-brand' power supply. Antec and Enermax always use
"good" components in their PSUs and the PSUs are mostly correctly rated for
their WATTAGE. Generic PSUs are not worth the monet when the power is
"dirty".

"RobW" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed)...
> Hi all,
> I have a P.C. that keeps blowing power supply's.
> It is P4 2.4, Gigabyte GA-8IG100MK Main Board in a "whitebox" of
> unknown make.
> Low spec AGP video card
> 2 x Optical drives
> 1 x 80gig Seagate Barracuda
> The last power supply it blew was a Unicase 400W Silent power supply.
>
>
> I has been plugged into a middle of the road surge protector the whole
> time (which seems to fine.)
> This has all happened in the same house; however there hasn't been any
> other power problems.
>
> I'm thinking maybe it's the case because the problems happend when the
> unit is being switched o every time.
> Anyone else seen something like this?
> TIA
>
> Rob
>

Fuses don't protect electronics. After something electronic
has failed, a fuse may blow. This so the hardware failure
does not result in harm to humans. Do you think a fuse blows
to protect electronics? Electricity. First it flows through
everything in a circuit. Only then does something blow after
everything has been exposed to the same current flow. A 13
amp fuse is going to blow because more than 3 amps flowed
through a component rated only for 2 amps? Only when the 2
amp component shorts and starts drawing more like 13 amps.

J-Dee wrote:
> im from UK and every power cable has to have a fuse in UK so suppose it
> depends where your from. if you use fuses it could well be a problem.
>
> "Leythos" wrote:
>
> > In article <10BC4506-70D3-4ED8-96C2-(E-Mail Removed)>,
> > (E-Mail Removed) says...
> > > Try another powercable it might have a faulty fuse.
> >
> > Power cables don't have fuses, at least not the ones I've seen connected
> > to computers in the US.
> >
> > If you are killing PSU's and you are SURE THE INCOMMING POWER IS
> > GOOD/Clean, then you've got a device inside the computer that's
> > overloading the PSU.
> >
> > You need to determine what part of the PSU is dead - is it a fuse on one
> > of the DC lines or one the AC of the PSU or something else.
> >
> > Your spec's don't seem to need more than 350W would provide, but you
> > could have a shorted/intermittent connection where the screws mounting
> > the motherboard connect to the chassis - many times the installer will
> > not use the proper screw size (screw heads) and will short a trace
> > without knowing it's been done.
> >
> > Disconnect everything, reseat the computers motherboard on the chassis,
> > make sure that every mounting post is accounted for and that none are
> > shorting out traces on the board, same for the screws.
> >
> > I've also seen power leads (for drives) without a cap over them short
> > out on the metal parts of a case and blow a PSU.
> >
> > --
> > --
> > (E-Mail Removed)
> > remove 999 in order to email me
> >

A properly designed power supply cannot be damaged by the
load. A properly designed power supply can have all output
wires shorted together. Still the power supply must work just
fine after those shorted wires are disconnected.

To dump power supplies into a market of computer assemblers,
some manufacturers 'forget' to include standard functions.
This means a less expensive power supply results in greater
profits. Yet many computer assemblers will just swap out
power supplies rather than first learn what has failed; or
why.

The best evidence is a dead body. What inside those power
supplies failed. Without that information, no one can tell you
why power supplies are failing - other than note discounted
supplies are routinely missing essential functions. Functions
that even mean power supply failure could damage motherboard
and disk drives.

A properly manufactured power supply will not damage other
computer components. Power supply that is missing essential
functions can damage motherboard and RAM. Just another reason
why it is foolish to buy power supplies only on price and
watts. First thing that power supply must provide is a long
list of written and numeric specs. If not, then you are only
putting other computer components at risk.

Will other electrical appliances damage a power supply?
No. Destructive spikes from washing machines or vacuum
cleaner is another myth - if the power supply contains
minimally essential functions. Will voltage dimming (a sag or
brownout) cause power supply failure? Again no if the power
supply is properly constructed.

If the supply does not retail list for at least $60, then
you know it is missing essential function. Such power
supplies must also forget to provide any numerical
specifications.

However do you know those power supplies are damaged. For
example, a power supply under too much load will shut off to
protect itself. Then others will declare the power supply as
defective rather than first learn why the power supply shuts
down. A computer assembler should verify power supply output
voltages with a multimeter when system is first constructed.

Just a few places to start fixing the problem. Again, best
evidence is inside the failed power supplies. Information
that could result in an immediate and concise answer.
Currently we can only post a long list of possible reasons for
failure.

RobW wrote:
> Generally speaking the power from the electrical company is good.
> No other electrical probs.
> No heavy draw or fluctuation of lights either.
> I haven't tried a name brand PSU as I have been too frightened it will
> get fried like the others. Also, up to this point the supplier has
> been replacing the PSU's under warranty.
> They will no longer do this, :-) lol.
> I'm really wondering if it is a problem with the case.
> Especially since the damage seems to be happening when switching on
> the machine.
>
> Cheers.
> Rob