That's one spicy PSU (what to do after killing PSU)

So in an embarassingly stupid move, I tried to overclock my R9 290x and my fx9590 at the same time. And if you know what I'm about to report, good on you, you should probrably use me as a warning to everyone else.

But just to be sure I'm not just imagining things. I may have burnt out my 850 watt bronze cert PSU.

Thing is, I've never had a PSU break on me before, so I didn't know what to look for:

but I did smell something burning and it gave off a really spicy smell. My computer is next to the kitchen and my roommate was cooking, so I naturally just thought he burned something on the stove. But when I realized he didn't burn anything, I realized I just might have killed my computer.

Sure enough, starting up my computer 1/2 the time it locks up on the ASUS splash screen, and 1/4 of the time it doesn't even produce a video graphic at all... and in the 1/4 time I make it all the way into my desktop, the computer runs like a dog with an amputated leg.

I sort of expected the computer not to work at all but it does power on, it just works like crap now.

So just to be sure. I broke my PSU right? even though it turns my computer on, the fact that it smelled like burnt chili powder and won't get past POST half the time, signifies that I have to toss that PSU and make sure I didn't burn my components, right?

I don't know what I should do to see if my components were damaged. I bought a new, better PSU but I'm not sure if there are other steps to take care of.

Well, you did the right thing by grabbing a new PSU. It was most likely the PSU if you can barely POST. Now you will have to troubleshoot one thing at a time. I suggest installing the new PSU and just try running it to see if that was the only problem.

If you PC still has problems try removing a single RAM stick at a time. Try different DIMM sockets for the RAM if that is indeed misbehaving. If the RAM works and you still have problems try removing your storage devices and check them one at a time on different SATA ports.

Off the top of my head that is the best you can do without buying new parts. Best of luck in your troubleshooting.

press the reset bios button on the mobo to clear the overclock before turning it on :)

So in an embarassingly stupid move, I tried to overclock my R9 290x and my fx9590 at the same time. And if you know what I'm about to report, good on you, you should probrably use me as a warning to everyone else.

 

But just to be sure I'm not just imagining things. I may have burnt out my 850 watt bronze cert PSU.

You don't burn the PSU because of the overclocking, your PSU has burned because he's old, now he's gone, he will be recycled by poor children.

Sure enough, starting up my computer 1/2 the time it locks up on the ASUS splash screen, and 1/4 of the time it doesn't even produce a video graphic at all... and in the 1/4 time I make it all the way into my desktop, the computer runs like a dog with an amputated leg.

 

I sort of expected the computer not to work at all but it does power on, it just works like crap now.

 

So just to be sure. I broke my PSU right? even though it turns my computer on, the fact that it smelled like burnt chili powder and won't get past POST half the time, signifies that I have to toss that PSU and make sure I didn't burn my components, right?

Try again with the old PSU and I can assure you that you will have more problems, notably the video card.

check the yellow wires coming from the PSU. the yellow wires are the 12v rail and provide the most amps. if the ones going to the mobo. cpu and gpu are okay (have not melted)

then you should be okay.

the melting should be the other side of the transformer (the mains side) or internal.

clear the bios and swap psu.

if you find melting on the inside of the case then you will know which wire pulled to many amps. and which hardware the wire is connected too.

the older atx 2.0 standard for psu had 4 12v rails and would not let you pull enough amps through one to overheat a wire. (max 20 amps)

but modern ones use one rail and pump all the amps through it if you ask for it.

70.8 amps max for a 850 watt supply at 12v.

so over 3 times what was once thought safe for such little wires..

of course the new ones are cheaper to manufacture..

Dog fake for food

the melting should be the other side of the transformer (the mains side) or internal.

Circuitry inside a PSU. There are two sides, primary side and secondary side.

70.8 amps max for a 850 watt supply at 12v. so over 3 times what was once thought safe for such little wires..

That depends on the length of the wires. Chassis wiring (shorter than 10 feet) can handle higher currents for the same wire size as would be used in structural power wiring.

YOu should inspect each and every part of your PC from each and ever angle to locate capacitors that are literally "not in shape" anymore. Some go bad and still allow you to boot and run to some extend.

If you find any cap that doesnt look normal, replace that part, do not take chances.

Here are some pics of bad caps...and really bad ones ;)

If they are not exactly 90° angled like a coke can but bulged, well...that is a bad cap already, it doesnt need the yellow foam to come out to ruin your day !

https://www.google.com/search?q=popped+caps,+mainboard&client=safari&rls=en&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwib0tDNpPzeAhVv_SoKHQdvBqgQ_AUIDygC&biw=1323&bih=724

Thanks for the advice. I replaced it with a 1200 w psu and checked the mb for those capacitors but while I didn't find any obiously blown ones, I did find 2 that seemed banged up.

This is a refurbished mb and I'm not sure if this is cosmetic or would actually effect the computer.

I opened up the old 850 psu and couldn't find any blown caps their either. So I'm wondering what happened. What caused that weird burning, spicy smell?

Powered it up and tried DCS again. Works perfectly fine, but it does seem to take more time to load up a game than normal. Will check my SSD.

Did you saw white smoke during the event? Yes, it's an electrolytic capacitor.

Spicy smell? It's a semiconductor.

What is the motherboard?

What is your new PSU?

What is the motherboard?

ASUS ROG Crosshair V Formula-Z AM3+ AMD 990FX + SB950 SATA 6Gb/s USB 3.0 ATX AMD Gaming Motherboard

Yes, this board https://www.asus.com/ca-en/Motherboards/CROSSHAIR_V_FORMULAZ/overview/

It looks like a splash, but from where? I see no surface-mount part missing/half missing at the location (between the screw and the empty 8 pin connector).

Thanks for the advice. I replaced it with a 1200 w psu and checked the mb for those capacitors but while I didn't find any obiously blown ones, I did find 2 that seemed banged up.

 

 

 

This is a refurbished mb and I'm not sure if this is cosmetic or would actually effect the computer.

 

I opened up the old 850 psu and couldn't find any blown caps their either. So I'm wondering what happened. What caused that weird burning, spicy smell?

 

Powered it up and tried DCS again. Works perfectly fine, but it does seem to take more time to load up a game than normal. Will check my SSD.

Bottom picture left of shot whats with the copper looking stain?

Years ago Sony had a bad problem with capacitors leaking, once this occured it was a matter of time and copper would be desolved the electrolyte was also conductive with bad consequences especially in SMPS and as for spicy smell more like tom cat pee smell.

Had a FX9570 heater cpu...had to be watercooled..lol...225 TDP...big draw...with a 1080...I burned through 2 corsair 750 psu. Beast of a cpu octacore..madness...but am3 is dying....

This Ryzen I have only draws 65 tdp tops out at 55 deg. On air cooled...During 4 k dcs

Bottom picture left of shot whats with the copper looking stain?

 

Years ago Sony had a bad problem with capacitors leaking, once this occured it was a matter of time and copper would be desolved the electrolyte was also conductive with bad consequences especially in SMPS and as for spicy smell more like tom cat pee smell.

Sorry, its just really shitty lighting.

Here is a better fit photo.

Mkay still looks like some stain marking to the left of that black screw, as per BM's post have you checked for signs of electrolyte leakage on the PCB, I'm just a little sus of the smell you associated with the system stopping.

There is nothing there, except the splash. Take a look on the left direction. Where was the video card? Did you check the video card? Electrolytic capacitor can blow by the bottom.

I don't know what to tell you guys, the reddish lighting my flourecent dining room lights reflect off the gloss on the board, giving it a copperish tint. I went over every inch of the board with an LED light and can't find any stains.

I'm going to check my CPU. Maybe that was what the smell was, fingers crossed. Will update if I find anything.

Maybe my roommate lied about burning something? I dunno. So odd.

Okay thats great then, no worries and yes lighting does that in photography. ;)

Okay thats great then, no worries and yes lighting does that in photography. ;)

Thanks!

Minor update, took the CPU out, checked it over, didn't find anything weird. I did have to clean off some thermal paste that got over the chip and got down into the pins... ugh...

rice-sized grain my ass... had to use a toothbrush and 91% isopropyl alcohol to clean out the holes in the seat. What a nightmare.

Got it back together and everything is running fine. Not sure what that was all about though. I might bring the old PSU to work and use the voltameter to see if the old PSU is still working.

Get your isopropylalcohol in a pharmacy where they sell 99.9% pure.

There are isopropyl's around, also for medical treatment, that contain 5-10% skin lotion to regrease the skin. XYou do not want to use that stuff for cleaning IT stuff or seating a CPU cooler ;)

Glad it still worked tho !

I'm speechless :noexpression: