Recommend me a decent power supply please

[watercooled]

One thing to note is that when PSUs blow (the spark on yours indicates high voltage so this probably doesn't apply) more then one component is usually destroyed. For example, a cap on the secondary filtering might short out which might overload and short open a secondary rectifier, which might in turn blow something on the primary side and you get the picture. This is far more common with cheaper PSUs without good protection circuitry and is proved time and time again in load tests, my point being if a PSU blows and you think you've found the cause just think twice before attempting a repair as it will probably be more trouble than it's worth...

[pp05]

Seasonic s12 330w http://www.ebuyer.com/product/132062 / 380w will do the job.
Corsair 400w [rebadged seasonic I hear] http://www.ebuyer.com/product/150985 £41

[peterb]

One thing to note is that when PSUs blow (the spark on yours indicates high voltage so this probably doesn't apply) more then one component is usually destroyed. For example, a cap on the secondary filtering might short out which might overload and short open a secondary rectifier, which might in turn blow something on the primary side and you get the picture. This is far more common with cheaper PSUs without good protection circuitry and is proved time and time again in load tests, my point being if a PSU blows and you think you've found the cause just think twice before attempting a repair as it will probably be more trouble than it's worth...

I wasn't suggesting it is repairable now - but it might have been before "The big bang"

<pedant>

The spark was probably an arc (you need about 3,300V/mm to create a spark) the arc would be after contact and then the contact is broken - drawing an arc, which is a high current phenomenon (a spark is a high voltage). Lightening is a combination - a high voltage generates the initial spark - ie a conduction path - and the subsequent discharge is high current.

</pedant>

Any way - you are right - that discharge will have trashed a few other things as well - but all is not lost - cut the wires off and use it as a doorstop!

[jim]

<pedant>

The spark was probably an arc (you need about 3,300V/mm to create a spark) the arc would be after contact and then the contact is broken - drawing an arc, which is a high current phenomenon (a spark is a high voltage). Lightening is a combination - a high voltage generates the initial spark - ie a conduction path - and the subsequent discharge is high current.

</pedant>

<pedant>

Lightening is when you add some white to a colour, or when you get rid of heavy things.

</pedant>

[watercooled]

Yeah I should know the difference between an arc and a spark after college xD but it was late though It depends on what is connected to the heatsink exactly, if it's directly from the input then it wouldn't have done much more than trip the RCD but since the PFC circuit is usually connected directly to the input that's probably been fried if nothing else. I'm still a little surprised that a heatsink was live, the ones I've messed about with it's been either isolated or grounded.

Edit: has anyone else noticed that Ctrl+C fails to copy sometimes? It happens to me all the time but I didn't pay it much thought until it was mentioned on a podcast last week and MS has been informed apparently.

<pedant>

Lightening is when you add some white to a colour, or when you get rid of heavy things.

</pedant>

What have I started?

[shakerist]

yes i have noticed the ctrl-c thing but ive never heard of it failing i thought it was me click c before ctrl a bit random in a psu topic but never mind

[watercooled]

I just noticed it again when I tried to copy/paste that quote