How to Tell When Computer Power Supply Is Failing

Much like hard drives in computers, power supply units or PSU for short, just eventually fail. Also like hard drives, it isn't a matter of if, it is a matter of when and why they fail. Hopefully, in this hub, you will learn how they fail, what some of the common symptoms are, and how they may act, along with the rest of the computer.

Inside of computers, they are the device that converts alternate electricy (the power from your outlet normally at 110v) to direct current for all the components inside the case.  Laptops work much the same,  except the power supply is normally the block that you attached to the back that plugs into the wall.  Every power supply is different however.  Some may have a low output of 65 watts (typically laptops) to 1,000 watts or more.  Some power supplys may only have 10amps, while others output 65 amps. 

Well, power supplies just fail. Failures can be instigated, and other times they simply give up. Below is a list of common factors that lead a power supply to it's grave.

• Age
• Electric Interference (Lightning, Power Spikes, Etc.)
• Dirt/Foreign Substance (Cigarette Smoke, House Dust, Etc.)
• Brown Outs
• Overheating and/or Ventilation Failures

From the list above, the most common of all them is overheating and lightning. If you are a cigarette smoker or the computer is in a dusty environment, rest assure you will be replacing your PSU sooner than not.

Note: A power supply can be easily tested with one of the testers below from Amazon.com.

Was a client's house to have a look at her computer. She said it wouldn't start up. I had already assumed the power supply was bad, but I didn't expect to find all the more when I got there. Come to find out the power supply had zapped every single component in the computer except a single DVD ROM drive at the very top of the case. None of the components (motherboard, CPU, hard drive, etc.) had any signs of a power surge such as burnt chips or even the smell of them being burnt.

In the end the only other devices that powered up with the computer with a working power supply was the system case fans. I wasn't there when the power supply blew, but I would have to imagine that it had to of released some sort of electromagnetic pulse through the whole system.

This was a weird case, and an educated guess as to what happened, however there really isn't any other explanation. The hard drive wouldn't even spin up, however the devices that produce a natural electromagnetic (fans) and the DVD drive that was higher than the power supply survived.

Lesson to be learned: BACKUP YOUR DATA!

If you have fell victim of losing your data, don't panic just yet, give Drive Savers a call at 1-800-440-1904 with DS16416 for a discount on the services.

Power Supplies more often than not, just don't give any warnings that they are going to quit on you, however sometimes before they kick the bucket they may do one or more of the following:

• Noises: Strange noises may emit from the back of the computer case where the computer power cord is located.

• When the computer is turned on, nothing happens. Sometimes this may co-inside with a flashing light on the front of the computer, or an indicator on the back of the PSU (if equipped.)

• Computer turns on for a couple of seconds and then turns right back off. While this can be a power supply issue, often it can be easily confused with motherboard failures.

• Computer is on for a while, but maybe while playing a game or other application, the computer will just randomly turn off without warning, or possibly a blue screen of death.

When gaming is involved, one must realize that video cards these days require a lot of power and amperes to run correctly. When purchasing a power supply, be sure you have or supercede the wattage and amps needed for your equipment inside of your computer, especially the video cards.

Yes, there are a few things that will help you get the most out of a power supply. Just remember, that it isn't going to last forever, but you should get past the manufacturer's warranty.

• Make sure you are not maxing out the wattage with the installed equipment. The power supply should supersede the systems requirements by a minimum of 20%.

• Don't cheapout on purchasing a junky power supply. A nice power supply will cost a little more, but will go a long ways.
• Keep it as dust free as possible.

• Keep it, along with the rest of the computer under 80 degrees room temperature.

Keeping the air quality clean may be difficult in some scenarios, so getting an air filter would be useful and occasionally cleaning the system out will prolong its life. The computer needs to breath or it will overheat and die.

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