Cause and effect - Power

[shaithis]

My luck with electricity at the moment is shocking (no pun intended )

After having 1 PSU die and the replacement then causing my PC to occasionally trip, I finally got a spanky Seasonic M12-700 and everything was sweet, for a couple of weeks at least....

Last night I turned the PC on, started up my favourite game and within 10 minutes *BIG Spark from the PSU and BOOM*.....My UPS (1250Va - Liebert Powersure Personal) then started beeping as if it wasn't getting power, resetting the UPS killed it, I now have a 100% dead UPS While troubleshooting, I connected the UPS power-in cable to the PC power-out cable to check fuses......PC powered on. It then ran fine for 7 hours........

Could a power-drop caused by the UPS dying cause the PSU to spark and go bang WITHOUT damaging it? Or did the UPS die because of something that happened with the PSU?

Just a bit nervous atm....

[kalniel]

Sounds like the UPS was causing the other problems too

For the sake of 17 quid or whatever, I'd return the seasonic for testing, with a full description of the spark/bang.

[z80]

If you have had 3 PSUs with issues, my thoughts would be that the UPS had issues. Either that or you have something up with your electricity supply (spikes possibly?) or could be a dodgy component causing shorts.

If you havent already, may be worth checking the fuse on the plug for UPS and/or power lead for PC.

[peterb]

There may be a fuse on the input connector of the UPS - worth checking that too. Hopw old is the UPS? Has it had much use in UPS mode? It could be that the internal battery needs replacing, however that doesn't explain the bang and the spark. Did that definitely come from the seasonic PSU or could it have come from the UPS?

Either way, I wouldn't use the UPS again until it has been checked out.

[shaithis]

UPS was bought in July last year and has probably seen 10 minutes at most running from the battery.

I did have a look at the fuse but need to get my fuse tester out as the outside is coloured, so I cannot see the fuse core.

The spark most definitely came from the PSU, my case has a window and the spark was EXTREMELY visible......the PC has worked flawlessly since tho

Will be taking another look at the UPS over the weekend

[BEANFro Elite]

UPSs (Uninteruptable Power Supplies), are designed to eliminate fluctuations in the supply of electricity or if the power fails outright, then they are also designed to take over from the main power.

So as has been said, perhaps the UPS is at fault as maybe its convinced theres a power cut and so its cutting in when its not required to, causing a massive overcurrent that caused the PSU to isolate the supply to the PC with a loud bang and a spark?

Its anyone's guess at the moment, until you get it checked out by the manufacturer.

[DevilMayCry42]

What beanfro said sounds right to me.... lol same thing happened to me, but i didnt have a UPS... the PSU was fried and i had to replace it