today my PSU started "episodes" where it will short out and turn off the computer for no particular reason. I saw the back of the PSU and there were some sparks. However, after a few moments of sitting, it will restart, only to short out again later. I'm afraid of it causing some nasty damage, so now it's sitting in stasis while I decide this:

Do I open up my PSU and see if I can determine the location of the short, or do I check and see if it's still under warranty? I don't want to be out a good solid PSU for a couple weeks, but I don't want to void a warranty if there's no hope of fixing it. It's an Antec TruePower 550w.

Anybody ever have a similar problem?

Thanks,
John

RMA it, unless your secretly an Antec tech, you probably don't know how to fix it, and could quite possibly hurt yourself. Use a generic PSU if you have to.

Do you have pets? (The puppy in the Avatar)

I have a fat bottomed little kitty that loved to sleep on my monitor cause it was warm...Kept wondering why I went through 3 monitors in 6 months... till I caught her one night on it when I walked by

Anyways..I saw sparks on one monitor from the back just before it died..I assume now it was cat hair, you may have something similar going on.

I'm in my dorm, no pets here.

I'll take an air can to it, clean it out and give it a go, though, just in case. I just don't want it blowing anything.

Edit:
Spec: I've taken a couple electronics classes, I could possibly see what is shorting and put some electrical tape between the shorting points assuming I can find a burn mark. I'm not a PSU tech, but I could probably at least find what was broken.

If you've got the warranty, it's guarenteed to be fixed correctly.

I'm sure that you can use a computer lab for a couple of weeks, no?

Here's another thought...see if someone in the neighborhood or even the computer lab manager has a psu you can bum for a couple of weeks.

Just remember, John, that if you open it and can't fix it, you've not only voided the warranty, but you're still out of a psu.

Rob

http://www.antec.com/ec/warranty.html
Madjester30's psu went out last month (antec true power 550). I'm not sure if he returned it yet or not (might want to PM him and see if he did).
IMO, why take chances with the rest of your equiptment? Retire the PSU.

Try hooking up the motherboard 20-pin (& 4-pin if applicable) connectors only. Disconnect everything else.
(Except your video card if it requires additional power) Boot to BIOS, wait and see if it still shorts.

If to no avail, definitely try booting outside the case. Sounds like
something is slowly being grounded out over a short period of time.

it takes a while for it to short out. I'll have to check the warranty date, but I'm not going to open it unless it's not under warranty.

well, crap. No reciept, no warranty. Looks like I'm in the market for a new PSU.

The new X-Connects are only about $10 cheaper than getting a replacement Antec 550... think the modular is worth the 50w drop?

I don't think you will miss it, I have seen some nice overclocks done with a 350-400 watt high quality power supply.

There was a great review of some of the new power supplies recently, they charted how "Clean" the power was, the X-CONNECT did about the same as the ANTEC.

One thing I noticed about my Antec is the 3.3 is a tad low (3.2) and the tests backed it up, I would say the X-CONNECT would be a great choice.

The other one I would consider (Only if you are massive overclocking though) would be the new ones by OCZ.
MACCI and OPPainter have been using them lately, with fantastic results

sweet.

I called Tiger Direct today (I bought the PSU from their outlet store), and they said they'd make me a new receipt next time I was in so I can send it in for warranty.

Joy is me.

Well, I just finished testing it, and I can safely say I found what is causing the short. If I take the power cord and push it up a little bit, sparks form inside the PSU. My theory is that one of the power mainlines is not well enough shielded and shorts against the inside of the PSU case when the bracket is wiggled. I can probably fix it with some electrical tape, now that I have an idea of what it is. The question is, now that I have a good idea of what it could be, should I still be without my main rig for a few weeks while Antec sends me a new PSU, or should I break open the box and attempt to fix it?

I myself would do it myself. but I would also try extremely hard to save the warrenty sticker.

But sending it to Antec is what you SHOULD do.

went to the Tiger Direct outlet today, and learned they have no record of me ever buying my PSU. So, no warranty.

I am John's depressed state.

However, I should be able to fix it. Wish me luck; my girlfriend is afraid my PSU is going to kill me when I open it up.

DOOD BE CAREFUL! id do the same unless it has been discharged for a long time, i have been there and done that and yah don't wanna feel the current running through you! its not something to be fuack with, just so yah know

I hope it's something very easy to fix.
This looks like a pretty good guide to going through the PSU in .pdf format.
http://www.nutsvolts.com/PDF_Files/PSRepair.pdf
I also found this interesting and amusing:
Safe discharging of capacitors in switchmode power supplies

A working SMPS may discharge its capacitors fairly quickly when it is shut off but DO NOT count on this. The main filter capacitors may have bleeder resistors to drain their charge relatively quickly - but resistors can fail and the term 'quickly' may be relative to the age of the universe. Don't depend on them.


The technique I recommend is to use a high wattage resistor of about 5 to 50 ohms/V of the working voltage of the capacitor. This isn't critical - a bit more or less will be fine but will affect the time it takes to fully discharge the capacitor. The use of a current limiting resistor will prevent the arc-welding associated with screwdriver discharge but will have a short enough time constant so that the capacitor will drop to a low voltage in at most a few seconds (dependent of course on the RC time constant and its original voltage).

Then check with a voltmeter to be double sure. Better yet, monitor while discharging.

Obviously, make sure that you are well insulated!

For the power supply filter capacitors which might be 400 uF at 200 V, a 2 K ohm 10 W resistor would be suitable. RC=.8 second. 5RC=4 seconds. A lower wattage resistor (compared to that calculated from V^^2 / R) can be used since the total energy stored in the capacitor is not that great (but still potentially lethal).

The discharge tool and circuit described in the next two sections can be used to provide a visual indication of polarity and charge for TV, monitor, SMPS, power supply filter capacitors and small electronic flash energy storage capacitors, and microwave oven high voltage capacitors.

Reasons to use a resistor and not a screwdriver to discharge capacitors:

• It will not destroy screwdrivers and capacitor terminals.
  
• It will not damage the capacitor (due to the current pulse).
  
• It will reduce your spouse's stress level in not having to hear those scary snaps and crackles.

And the link to that guide:
http://repairfaq.ece.drexel.edu/sam/....htm#smpssafdc

props to you, wordbiker. I'm working on it now.

Agreed! I have almost the same P/S and was a little unsure if I wanted to rip into it

I need to bookmark this thread and put it in the archives!

well, I think it's completely dead.

somehow, power was jumping to the heatsinks, and from there sparking over to the case of the PSU. left a little bit of Aluminiumon the case, and now it won't start up at all. I'll try more later.