Psu Exploded!!!!

[shadowmaster]

Hi all

Well here’s my story, I recently bought an XBLADE Silver case along with some other components, to build a second pc (just for fun and a bit of experience). This morning the graphics card arrived and I fitted it.

Then the moment of truth came, I inserted the power cable into the computer and the other end into a belkin surge protector. I turned the psu on from the back, it sparked up , and then some thick white smoke rised from it.

After laughing about the sparks (I have to admit, it was kinda funny), I realised that the psu could have taken out my components.

Heres the spec of my pc-AMD 3500,
M2n4 sli
1 gig ram- kingston,
6600gt
80gb sata samsung

I dont think these parts need a psu of more then 450 watt. The specs of the psu are Ezcool 450WATT, ATX-JSP. The psu supposidly has 25amps of the 12Volt rail which I orginally thought was enough.

Anyone have any advise on what may have caused the psu to explode, I think it is the psu, but I have heard it could be a defective motherboard.

I am now off to test the ram and the graphics card, hopefully they will work.

Cheers all

[this_is_gav]

Anyone have any advise on what may have caused the psu to explode, I think it is the psu, but I have heard it could be a defective motherboard.

Using a £12 PSU?

Honestly, and I'm sorry if this sounds harsh because some don't know better, but there's a reason why some PSU's of the 'same wattage' cost 3 or 4 times as much. It's because they're 3 or 4+ times better.

At least Q-TEC have all-but died a death now.

[BEANFro Elite]

Theres a good chance that the PSU MAY have taken some components with it I'm afraid.

It being a cheapo brand of PSU makes this likely, I'm sure there'll be several, more knowledgeable people coming on here and telling you you shouldn't have skimped on your PSU, and they'd be right.

However, at this moment, theres no way of telling what the damage is to the other components on your PC until you either, buy a well known brand of PSU to replace the old one preferably, Seasonic, Enermax, Corsair to name a few.

Or you borrow a friend's PSU. Either way, good luck...oh just perfect, its raining

[BEANFro Elite]

Using a £12 PSU?

Honestly, and I'm sorry if this sounds harsh because some don't know better, but there's a reason why some PSU's of the 'same wattage' cost 3 or 4 times as much. It's because they're 3 or 4+ times better.

At least Q-TEC have all-but died a death now.

LOL, told you someone would say something like that

[shadowmaster]

Actually the psu came with an xblade case I bought.

If the parts survived I will buy a much better psu. I do know quite a bit about psu's, but I thought maybe I'll take the risk, NEVER AGAIN,

Anyhow thanks for the reply’s, I am now off to nick my brothers psu.

[roorooroo]

I had a PSU explode on me too once..back in the 386 days...made a noise like a gun going off..I was startled to say the least!

[vinnyT]

Like you say "Never again", it's a learning experience.

Good luck with the rest of your components.

[Clunk]

At least Q-TEC have all-but died a death now.

Thats what everyone said about Take That and The Spice Girls.

[shadowmaster]

I have some good and bad news. The good news is that my graphics card, ram, sound card have all survived. (I tested them in another pc)

The bad news is that the motherboard looks dead. I tried out a another psu and the little green light on the motherboard did not come on, I also tried to on the pc, and it would not turn on. The psu I tried was Antec True Power 330watt. I know it is a bit low on the watts, but the green light should still come on.

Also one more question, when I turned the antec psu from the back, it made a hissing/whining sound, similar to one that Ezcool psu made before it blew up, luckily this time the antec did not blow up! Could it be that there was originally something wrong with the motherboard?

Hopefully the processor survived, I need to test that yet, but I have a gut feeling that it did.

[this_is_gav]

If the board lights up with the Antec, but not the EZCool, then it indicates the PSU simply blew, and sounds like it took the mobo out too - I can't really see how the motherboard could kill the PSU, short of a short-circuit or something, and even then, you'd have expected the mains electric to spot it before the PSU just simply started smoking.

Think it's the PSU's fault, and your motherboard suffered as a result. A 330W Antec should certainly be able to power that system, especially at idle, though I wouldn't trust it for sustained use.

[Pob255]

It' could be a mother board fault in the first place, but more likely your PSU fried it.
a Cheap PSU has fried my motherboard before

That Antec should just be able to cope, RMA that mother board.

And Yes Ezcool is the new Qtec

[shadowmaster]

Cheers for all of your replies and wishes of good luck

It was probably the psu that caused the trouble. Well the first thing I am going to do is send back the case and psu, with a little surprise along with them , and get a refund.

The next step would be to buy a proper psu, anyone have any ideas? Preferably £40 and below.

I also need a case, come to think about it the xblade case was not that good, it had some seriously sharp metal edges inside it.

Once again, thanks for all of your help, and if anyone else is reading this (DO NOT BUY CHEAP PSUs), even though how tempting it may be.

[roorooroo]

I certainly learned the hard way regarding PSUs..its always the first thing on my shopping PC list now.

[Andy3536]

If you want to go for the same power rating your gonna need to up upyour budget, around £57 will get you a 480 watt tagan or the 485 watt enermax
Or if you can push it a little more around £68 will get you the corsair 520 watt modular.

[shadowmaster]

The Corsair HX520 is quite attractive to buy, plus I have read some good reviews about it. How about the Coolermaster iGreen Power 430W, it seems like a good psu and its only £37.

[this_is_gav]

Just get the 430w Seasonic. Easily enough for that system.