Possible power supply problem!

[AledJ]

Once a week for the last 3 weeks the power in my house has gone off (have had to switch the main switch in the fuse box back on) Now first I thought it was the phone charge adapters (nope), tv/sky box (nope), my xbox 360/tv (nope), but I think I have the culprit! I think it may be my pc or more specifically my power supply. For example, on Sunday all the power went so witched it back on for it to all go again 40 seconds later. The same situation happened two more times. So I switch my pc off (as it will restart when it get power back. Not a great thing if the power keeps going off) So put power back on and everything is ok.

Is there anyway I can check my power supply in my pc??? No idea what to look for. Or should I take it to a pc repair shop and ask them to have a look?

The other odd thing is that last Sunday my pc had been on all day. I really can't see what else it is.

Any help would be greatly appreciated!


edit: My power supply is about 6 years old and I ahve no idea what make, but think its around 600w mark.

[Phage]

May not be your PC at all. If it was, I would assume that only the circuit for the wall sockets would have tripped, not the whole house.
This sounds like an issue that an electrician should be looking at.

[AledJ]

Just remembered that a few weeks ago I could not find the power cord i used for my pc. So I dug another one out and have been using that. I have just found my old power cord and checked the fuse which the same as the temporary cord I had been using. Could that have caused any problems???

[AledJ]

May not be your PC at all. If it was, I would assume that only the circuit for the wall sockets would have tripped, not the whole house.
This sounds like an issue that an electrician should be looking at.

Thats what I have told my farther. But it still does not make sense why this has all started now!

[Phage]

Very unlikely. If the whole supply to the house is tripping, I would look elsewhere than your PC. I assume that the fuse in the power cord is still OK ?

To rule out the extension cable, swap in another one and see what happens. NB, mains power can be fatal, please do not start fiddling about with circuits, or the inside of your PSU.

[Phage]

Thats what I have told my farther. But it still does not make sense why this has all started now!

Correlation doesn't mean causation. Why do they suspect you and not dodgy bulb or wiring fixtures ?

[AledJ]

Very unlikely. If the whole supply to the house is tripping, I would look elsewhere than your PC. I assume that the fuse in the power cord is still OK ?

To rule out the extension cable, swap in another one and see what happens. NB, mains power can be fatal, please do not start fiddling about with circuits, or the inside of your PSU.

When you say extension cable do you mean power surge protector??? or the power cord for the psu?

And I would not be touching the inside of a psu, would like to live a little longer!!

[AledJ]

Correlation doesn't mean causation. Why do they suspect you and not dodgy bulb or wiring fixtures ?

Its not they suspect its my pc more the fact that when everything else is turned back on, and i then turn my pc on the power goes. Well that happens some of the time as it can go for a while with the power being ok.

[Phage]

Exactly - "some of the time". If it was a fault in the PC it would go everytime.
Get a pro to look at the house.

I said power cord, becuase you said you had changed it.

[AledJ]

Exactly - "some of the time". If it was a fault in the PC it would go everytime.
Get a pro to look at the house.

I said power cord, becuase you said you had changed it.

Pc has been on with other appliances since 10am, so seems to be ok. Seems it may be the kitchen but then it has a circuit breaker, which we have not had to turn on after the power goes.

Thanks for your help!