Power supply chord Smoking???

Hey, so over the past two weeks, the end of my power chord (not the metal tip but where it attaches to the chord) has started fraying. (i don't have any animals either.) I called into Apple and I was told if I didn't want to buy a new one (I don't exactly have 80 bucks to drop on a new power supply especially when my computer is not even a year old), to just cover it in electrical tape. It sounded a little dumb but I didn't want exposed wires and I am not exactly a genius. So then last week I noticed if I left it plugged in say overnight to charge it started smelling funny. I took of the tape and saw it was melting. I seriously wish I was kidding. Last night (thank god my roommate noticed) it started smoking. So. Does this normally happen to these power supplies?
Ah. I am so sick of my iBook having problems, I don't know if I will ever seriously invest in another Apple computer again. Seriously, between this and my computer turning brown/gray/orange (and being accused of being a cheeto eater when it was clearly an Apple manufacturing fault.) If I go to the Apple Store and show them the chord is it a possibility that I can get a new one or one at a lower cost? If my warranty is expired (I'm not sure if it is or isn't) then do I have to pony up for a brand new one? Has this happened to anyone else?

Hi LLamaLLama
Welcome to Discussions
That power cord is definitely too young to start smoking.
Depending on where you live, if your computer is less than a year old, your power supply will still be covered under warranty.
Take it in, with your receipt, and calmly explain its fault. Your warranty should cover poor workmanship, and besides it is dangerous.
Good luck.
regards roam

Similar Messages

T61 - Power supply wire melting and smoking

Do you guys have any problem with power supply. My wife just called me and she smelled something burning. And power supply wire is melting and smoking.
And I called Lenovo tech and he told me that my machine is just 13-month old and he can't do anything at all.
He just told me replace power supply. I used to have dell and IBM X41 and never have wire burning problem.
Is this normal? If my wife found out little late and buring the carpet still he is going to say this machine is out of warrenty and Lenovo has 0% responsibility.
I told him, I'm going to take picture and post to the internet and he told "I don't care".
Wow what a nice man. He supposed say "Sorry" first then say your machine is out of warrenty...
Anyway, I'll never going to buy Lenovo again.
Thanks
Message Edited by icul4u on 07-10-2008 01:28 PM
Message Edited by icul4u on 07-10-2008 07:13 PM
Solved!
Go to Solution.

icul4u wrote:
I think your computer system has my information.
I don't want to post my personal information here.
Mark didn't ask you to post your contact information in the public forum. He asked you to send him a PM (private message). To do that, click on the little envelope icon at the top of the forum and send the message to Mark_Lenovo Without the information he requested, it will be difficult for him to help you.
I edited your serial number out of your message as it doesn't need to be posted publicly.
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Jane
2015 X1 Carbon, ThinkPad Slate, T410s, X301, X200 Tablet, T60p, HP TouchPad, iPad Air 2, iPhone 5S, IdeaTab A2107A, Yoga Tablet, Yoga 3 Pro
I am not a Lenovo Employee.
I AM one of those crazy ThinkPad zealots!
If you find a post helpful and it answers your question, please mark it as an "Accepted Solution"!

6-month old Mac Pro has already had a new logic board and power supply

At a cost of $400 in shipping and a one-month wait, my 5-month old Mac Pro got a new power supply and logic board
Now I keep getting kernel panics, runaway kernel_task in Activity Monitor, and corrupted boot drives
External Firewire drives work some of the time, and occasionally my USB devices dont work either
This computer is a nightmare - how do I begin to figure out if this is OS (10.6.4) or hardware related?
The extended AHT test reports that all is OK - as does an extended memory test using Applejack
Should I do firmware updates and re-install the 10.6.4 combo pack, or am I just wasting more of my time?
I've got 4 macs and this is the only one that works badly - I think Apple's OS updates are getting as bad as Windows updates

My first question is why you spent $400 to get a 5 month old system fixed. That should have been covered under the warranty. So someone ripped you off, or you left out some key details.
And if you had both the logic board and PSU replaced, did you ever stop to think that maybe the problem lies with the power coming into your house? It's not really the big power spikes or blackouts you need to worry about, since those are pretty rare. What you need to worry about are the small fluctuations in voltage that happen several hundred times a day, if not an hour. Sometimes there's not quite enough power, other times there's a little too much, and all of this takes a steady toll on the PSU. It will do what it can to try and feed the rest of the computer a steady diet of electricity, but sometimes a jolt will get past it and start damaging other components. It could even cause data corruption on your HDD.
If the PSU and logic board already went, who knows what damage it may have caused to anything else. It may just be taking longer to show up.
It might also be that whomever ripped you off to the tune of $400 simply traded you one defective logic board for another. Or maybe they don't really know how to protect against ESD. I once saw a repair shop where the techs smoked in the same room they did the repairs. Sadly, for every one good tech out there, there's probably at least 3 complete idiots. Kind of like auto mechanics.
And I never have problems with Windows or Apple updates. Seems like on Windows the majority of people who have problems with updates are either running some program designed to change the way Windows looks or messes with low level system files, or they have a malware infestation they were unaware of/oblivious to. Most of the people who have problems with Apple updates seem to be the same way. They're running some truly bizarre programs that mess with the system in ways programs were not intended to mess with the system. There's generally a reason OS vendors provide an API for developers. You deviate from that at your own peril.

HOW MANY POWER SUPPLY ON VS-C6509E-SUP2T-RF

Hai
I would like to clarify how many or any power supply coming with this cisco part number and any more things to order other than line cards .
VS-C6509E-SUP2T-RF (Cat Chassis+FanTray +Sup2T;IP Svcs ONLY incl VSS REFURBISHED)
There is option to add one power chord.
Thanks

Vijay,
If you plan to get Sup2T, you may want to ask about Sup6T supposedly coming in May/June 2015. This supervisor card will be supported in 6500E chassis.

Dead iMac G3 suddenly won't power on. PRAM battery or Power Supply?

iMac G3 350 slot load USB only running 10.4.11
i love this little guy.
it's been running almost non stop for a few years as a file server... only restarted maybe a dozen times during that period. i can't remember ever shutting it down.
i had to move it recently. might have been unplugged from a wall socket for a minute or so. plugged it back in but left it powered off for a few days.
went to turn it on recently and nothing. not a chime, not a light, not a click or hard drive spin-up. zero. pushed the PMU reset button once. still nothing. i've taken the PRAM battery out for now.
my question is this: is it possible the power supply is dead and a PRAM battery will not fix the iMac? is there any way to tell before spending money on a new battery i may not need?
thanks!

Hello Nicholas,
I recently retired my hard working 350 slot so I know how great the computer can be.
Unplugging for a moment should not have affected the battery.
I would respectfully suggest you start with the simple things such as:
1. - Make certain the power source is not on a switch and that it is good
2. - Be certain the power chord is fully seated in the back of the computer and wall socket.
3. - If trying to start from the keyboard button, try using the button on the face of the computer
perhaps the keyboard is not fully plugged into the usb port.
I always like to start with the simple things when I have a problem.
Now that the battery is removed it could cause a bit of a problem. I think I would install the battery
and check the above mentioned ideas. If still no power, then I would replace the battery.
It doesn;t seem logical that the power supply would just go as a result of the board.
I would try to get the computer up and running.
One last tip.......when my slot load was starting to go it acted odd. I would let the computer sit for a day or two and it would then start. It was irratic at best but the old computer allowed me a few last
boots so that I could back up to my external.
It is a great computer and sounds like it served you well it deserves a few chances.
I hope you replace the battery, plug and it re-starts. Keep it plugged in once the battery is replaced/returned .....Best of Luck Jim

Re: Power Supply Problems/ Bad Design

The moderator of this site seems to think that any external power supply can have the same problems as apple powerbook supply. "Not so", say I ! Most PC notebooks and yes, I do use them, have a fairly sturdy cord on both sides of the connection. Should one find oneself in a situation without a power supply for a pc notebook it is usually possible to get one from a local Radio Shack or international electrical store. Not so with apple powerbooks. the connections are specifically apple and although there ae a few generic replacement PSU they are not generally available only from mac speciality stores. Why apple decides to design what is obviously a flimsy (my electrical gaffer on my movie looked at it and just laughed)and possibly dangerous device is beyond me. It occurs to me that with all the innovative design apple has come up with in the past has gone to the designer's heads. Now we are faced with a 'magnetic' connector on the new powerbook pro line. Are you kidding apple ? Please just give us a simple, generic power supply and conmnector so that we travellers can rest in peace knowing we can replace the PSU anywhere in the world.
BTW my PSU was smoking and sparking when I awoke in my hotel room until it just gave up.
PBG4 1.25MHZ Mac OS X (10.3.7)

Two alternative power adapter manufacturers:
http://www.lindelectronics.com/cgi-bin/store/shop.cgi/!ORDERID!/ACAdapters/Apple/dbx_gen_mfg_ACAdapters?industry=
http://eshop.macsales.com/item/Newer%20Technology/APLN2M/
The most common issues people have with Apple's adapters that I've seen are (not that this applies to you, but perhaps one will refer to something you've done that you didn't realize could cause harm):
1. They pull by the cord and not the bulb.
2. They push in without looking.
3. They let the cord bend at the bulb or at the brick. Give it at least two inches of slack.
4. They don't remove the plastic wrapping that is clear from the brick when they first get it. This under the wrong conditions could create an overheating condition.
5. They rely on unreliable power sources. Some older houses have issues with giving reliable power to outlets. Using a backup battery surge protector like those from APC can help.
By the way, my father's Dell power adapter had to be replaced too. Non-Apple notebook power adapters are actually more flimsy than you give them credit for. Part of the problem is designing the transformer to be in such a compressed space that is lightweight too. Until people don't mind the extra weight of a full fledged desktop power supply inside a notebook, thus allowing standard power cables, or a room temperature superconductor is invented, this will be a persistent issue. Take good care of your cords, and don't let them bend so much that they fray.
I might add, I went to Radio Shack, and they had the parts for me to build a power adapter for my Powerbook. Unfortunately the transformer brick would have been 3 times as large and as heavy.

I had an Intel-iMac fried by lightening. UPS, surge protectors but it happened as I was reaching to unplug. Cold now. Could it just be the power supply? Can I replace that myself?

This is the full question since I couldn't get it all in the box.
I have some complex questions regarding an iMac, a Time-Machine backup, and iTunes on an iPod.
I live about halfway up an extinct volcano about 12 miles north of San Jose Costa Rica. Some months ago, we had a thunderstorm and as I reached to unplug my computers lightening struck about 50 meters from my house. I had an iMac with a 3-Tb external backup drive, a PC laptop and a laser printer on the same power strip. There was a definite surge and the light brighten and then power was lost for a few minutes.
When power was restored, the PC and the laser printer seemed to work fine but the iMac was cold.
First questions: Is is possible that the power supply was fried and not other essential parts? Would it be worthwhile to replace the power supply? Can I, with limited experience and tools do it or need I take it to a technician? My concern is that if the hard-drive is good, there is personal information on it that I don't want to risk.
Next question: Do I need to replace the hard-drive before taking it for service? How hard is that, can I do it? I have seen videos of the drive replacement on-line.
Those are my iMac questions, now the questions about backup restoration.
If there is a saving grace with this it is that the Time-Machine backup seems fine although I have only accessed the data through Finder. I replaced the iMac with a Macbook Air with significantly less mass storage and I can't just move files to the Macbook. My problem is that I have an iTunes library of some 10,000 songs on the backup and until recently on a 160 Gb iPod which was old and it crashed. I have replaced the iPod but have not tried to restore the iTunes library to it because of my confusion about how to do that. Can anyone tell me how I might do that or give me any insight into the process?
Thanks for any help you can give.

Is is possible that the power supply was fried and not other essential parts? Would it be worthwhile to replace the power supply? Can I, with limited experience and tools do it or need I take it to a technician? My concern is that if the hard-drive is good, there is personal information on it that I don't want to risk
Quite possible, but working on iMacs is not easy, & PSU might be prohibitive.
Hopefully the Drive might have info on it, but even pulling that out can be a chore.
If you don't know the model, find the Serial# & use it on one of these sites, but don't post the Serial# here...
http://www.chipmunk.nl/klantenservice/applemodel.html
http://www.appleserialnumberinfo.com/Desktop/index.php
How to find the serial number of your Apple hardware product...
http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1349
I have replaced the iPod but have not tried to restore the iTunes library to it because of my confusion about how to do that. Can anyone tell me how I might do that or give me any insight into the process?
I'd get an external drive & restore the whole works to it, then boot from the External drive.

Shock Therapy - An Athlon64 / FX Power Supply Guide

I used to make a hardware list of all the components I would like to incorporate in my next
computer build. Normally...at the bottom of that list would be the power supply, not that I
didn't think it was important, it's just that my other hardware was so interesting! Today, power supplys
seem to take a back seat to blazing-speed CPU's, Dual-Cored processors, glitz and glamour
video cards...not to mention supersonic, heat-sinked RAM and modular, gizmoe'd PSU's promising not
only over-achiever specifications, but eye-candy as well. The lowly PSU....tucked up somewhere inside
it's dark and lonely loft....effortlessly supplying us with the energy required for important 3D imaging
or just funning with the latest games.
What a power supply does is rather simple. It converts your office or home's socketed electricity to
usable 3.3v, 5.0v and 12.0v energy...that's all. A power supply that cannot efficiently do this will-
over time-cause computer crashes, continuous reboots and shutdowns, and worse...expensive component damage.
And now, with faster processors such as AMD's Athlon64 and FX line of CPU's, never has there been a time, when
choosing the right power supply is so important! This article is written for those using these high-powered CPU's!
Well...Do we have your attention!?
If you are experiencing these problems, or still scratching your head over that last RMA....could be
your PSU is trying to tell you something.
To begin with, a power supply's ratings refer to its maximum output under ideal conditions. No power
supply is 100% efficient. In high-quantity manufacturing, power supplys may not put out any more than 60% of
their advertised specifications. In any PSU, that rating can be further reduced by the effects of heat
and electro-magnetic radiation. That's where "switching" power supplys come in. A switching power supply draws
only as much current that is needed from the AC input. Buying a hefty PSU with this feature will guarantee
that you will be paying no more for electric service, than you would with a cheaper, less powerful unit.
One of the most common causes of power supply inefficiency, and ultimately failure is dirt. Dust and
foreign materials can cause the beginning of the end for a power supply, by attacking the fan first.
It begins by slowing the fan down...thus creating heat through friction, then ultimately burning it out.
PSU's with high-quality ball bearing fans are a must. They are far more durable, and not as likely to
become noisier as time goes by.
As a general rule...a failing PSU will usually emit abnormal sounds, followed by unstable voltage readings....
then the computer crashes or lock-ups, with random shutdowns, and sometimes...refusal to even power-up.
If you think your power supply is on its last leg...better to deal with it now, or face the more serious dilemmas later on.
APM (Advanced Power Management)
APM is a feature originally developed by partners, Microsoft and Intel. It relates to a systems ability
to utilize different states in regards to a systems utilization of power. On, Off, Standby and Suspend
are examples...these are BIOS features, not PSU functions. APM only requires of the power supply, the
function to turn power on or off through an electrical signal, and the presence of stand-by voltage.
All ATX power supplys are required to incorporate this feature. However, if some components in a computer
are not APM-compliant, your system may encounter errors or freezes when going into hibernate or stand-by
modes.
ACPI (Advanced Control Power Interface)
It's the latest power management control that was developed by a conglomeration of IT corporations. This interface
is O.S. derived, rather than BIOS, and all ATX power supplys should be ACPI-compliant. You should not have to be
concerned about this feature.
Line-Conditioning Circuitry
A power supply component that helps control power levels, spikes and surges in
the most unreliable of home sockets.
EMI Filter
This circuitry smooths the fluctuations of incoming AC currents, also known
as Electro-Magnetic Interference - EMI filters are usually found in higher-end power supplys.
PFCC
Power Factor Correction Circuitry...smooths out sudden, initial spikes in power
delivery - reducing amplitude and preventing circuit overloads.
Connectors
There are five main connectors found on the latest version ATX power supply.
1) ATX main power connector - 20-pin, 24-pin, and 20 to 24-pin adapter.
2) ATX 12v power connector (4-pin to CPU)
3) Molex peripheral power connector
4) Floppy power connector
5) Serial ATA power connector
On newer SLI-certified power supplys, you'll find two 6-pin video card connectors.
Know What You Need
When purchasing a power supply, make sure your parts list is all-inclusive...know ahead of time, what you expect to
install in your system. You should also visit the motherboard manufacturer's site, as well as the CPU's. Most of the
products will have specifics regarding power supply requirements needed for that specific component. Unfortunately, you
really won't know how well the PSU performs until it is installed and running your system (hopefully!) This is the main reason we
recommend the most popular brands - power supplys that have shown a duration of manufacturing quality over the years. Those are
as follows: Antec, Enermax, OCZ, PC Power and Cooling, Tagan, and a few newcomers such as SeaSonic and Silverstone are
worth looking into.
If you believe you have found the PSU of choice, remember this: AMD recommends a minimum 350 watt power supply to run
Athlon64 and FX CPU's. To that, add the 30% for power lost to heat, and the subsequent electro-magnetic radiation. Hold on with that
calculator...throw in an additional 40% to 60% for the "potential" inaccuracies of specifications inherent in mass-produced electronics.
Pay special attention to outputs on either single, or dual rail +12v lines. A motherboard, CPU, and graphics card can consume up to
150 watts alone - before hooking up your remaining components. If running an SLI configured board, look for a PSU that is certified
to run that configuration...there's only a few PSU's that lay claim to that!
Broken down, you can look at it this way: An Athlon64/FX processor can use up to 90 watts off the +12v rail. High performance RAM
can take in about 25 watts for each stick of 256MB system memory from the +3.3v line. PCI cards will use about 10 watts each, while
an AGP video card can consume about 50 precious watts alone from the +5v or +12v. Hard drives? A 7,200 RPM drive...about 15 watts
each, taken from the +5v and +12v rail. Finally, but not absolutely is the optical drives...robbing about 20 watts each, also from
the +5v and +12v lines. So you see....not only is the +12v amp ratings of concern, but also the +5v line!
In doing the math...on a system incorporating an Athlon64 (say a 4000+), 2 sticks of high-end RAM, 2 or 3 PCI cards, 1 mid-to-high
end AGP video card, 2 ~ 7,200 RPM hard drives, and a couple of CD/RW or DVD/RW opticals...you're looking at a "base" requirement of 270 to 325 watts. That's for a running system...now figure boot-up loads, 30% for heat and radiation bleed-off, then a 40% safety factor for manufacturing inconsistencies...you've got a power supply in the 450 to 520 watt range!
Modular Power Supplys:
The pins that are used for the modular plugs are not very good at passing current. It's basically electrical resistance between the male and female components, and voltage "drops" are likely. In real world events, they will become loose, dirty, corrosive, and eventually burn. You can figure about 10% less efficiency with a modular power supply.
Now you can understand how manufacturing "tolerances" that are inaccurate by 40% to 60%, can have such a devastating effect on
the performance of your new system. If you follow these simple guidelines, bearing in mind the hardware you will be using, and what
your intended use of the computer is for...then it will be one less dramatic incident when pushing the power button for the first time!
Here's a neat little tool....a bit out of date - that can give you a basic idea of what you'll need in a PSU.
You can apply the percentages above, for an even more accurate assesment of your PSU requirements!
http://www.jscustompcs.com/power_supply/Power_Supply_Calculator.php?cmd=AMD

Quote
In doing the math...on a system incorporating an Athlon64 (say a 4000+), 2 sticks of high-end RAM, 2 or 3 PCI cards, 1 mid-to-high
end AGP video card, 2 ~ 7,200 RPM hard drives, and a couple of CD/RW or DVD/RW opticals...you're looking at a "base" requirement of 270 to 325 watts. That's for a running system...now figure boot-up loads, 30% for heat and radiation bleed-off, then a 40% safety factor for manufacturing inconsistencies...you've got a power supply in the 450 to 520 watt range!
Well, except the CPU, my system has all that you mentioned there (I even have 3 optical drives). And my 350W PSU has been rock solid for more than a year (BeQuiet, = Tagan, IIRC). I don't think a 4000+ needs 100W more than my 3200+ . And that link you posted says that the minimum recommended PSU for my system is 506W xD. Come on.
Oh, and in the place I work there are 6 amd64 with GeForce 6800 GT and 2GB RAM with 380W Antec PSUs. All 100% stable, of course.
I would only go for >400W if I wanted to do extreme OC (with overvolting), or SLI. Otherwise, a good brand 350W PSU is more than enough.

MSI KT3 Ultra-ARU power supply problem

Hello !
I am a lucky owner of MSI KT3 Ultra-ARU motherboard but have one problem. My power supply Fortron (FSP Group) 300-GT 300W seems to have some kind of incompatibility with this motherboard. In my case, the computer can't be shutted down by software. With BIOS version 2.5 it was impossible to shut it down with button too. With 2.6 it is possible to turn the computer off by button but software shutdown still don't work. PSU is working on ALL other boards I have tested so far normally. Somewhere in discussions (not in this forums) I discovered that also some kind of weird sounds occurs with Fortron supply on this board and that it is incompatible. Have anyone some clues to solve this PSU problem ? I am not able momentally to buy some other kind of PSU because Fortron is the only brand from higher category to obtain, so I would be like to solve this.....
Thanks for any info !

Voltage readings from sensors (current data):
w83697hf-isa-0290
Adapter: ISA adapter
Algorithm: ISA algorithm
VCore: +1.76 V (min = +0.00 V, max = +0.00 V)
+3.3V: +3.34 V (min = +2.97 V, max = +3.63 V)
+5V: +4.89 V (min = +4.50 V, max = +5.48 V)
+12V: +11.89 V (min = +10.79 V, max = +13.11 V)
-12V: -12.44 V (min = -13.21 V, max = -10.90 V)
-5V: -5.01 V (min = -5.51 V, max = -4.51 V)
V5SB: +5.51 V (min = +4.50 V, max = +5.48 V)
VBat: +3.42 V (min = +2.70 V, max = +3.29 V)
fan1: 4560 RPM (min = 1500 RPM, div = 4)
fan2: 2033 RPM (min = 1500 RPM, div = 4)
temp1: +40°C (limit = +60°C) sensor = thermistor
temp2: +44.5°C (limit = +60°C, hysteresis = +50°C) sensor = thermistor
PSU is powering Athlon XP 1700+ processor, the other big power consumer is GeForce4 Ti 4200 GPU. I am not able read currents for specific voltage outputs, so I am not able to measure whole power consumption. Computer is working normally, it is NOT overclocked (but it is stable overclocked too) and the only problem is PSU shutdown by software (win & linux, both of them has this problem). From BIOS v2.6 it is possible to shutdown the computer by power button. If it is tried by software, computer resets itself and three beeps occurs.

Power Supply and Graphics Card Question for HP Pavilion a6432p

Hello!
I have the HP Pavilion a6342p, and I'm wanting to install an NVIDIA Graphics Card either 512MB or 1GB. However, I'm not sure what is the power supply to this model (most graphics cards are saying 300-350W supply required).
Can anyone tell me what is the power supply to this model, and what would be a good graphics card model to look at to upgrade my graphics card to with this model? I believe the expansion slots are PCI-Express, but I'm not sure on the power supply so I can get the right graphics card.
Thanks!
Nathan

Quote
Originally posted by thegrommit
That 9100 doesn't even have a fan, correct? It should have no problem running on that motherboard with that PSU.
Also, the links in my sig may prove useful.
[edit] err, the 9100 is an integrated video chipset. Are you sure that's the correct number?
No the 9100 is not just an integrated video chipset and is available in both AGP & PCI form.
The Antec is a good PSU but I would recommend getting something better such as the OCZ or Enermax as they have a higher +12v rail amp.

MAC Pro 2.66 quad core Intel Xeon Power supply

Does any one perhaps know how many watts this MAC's power supply is ?
Can not find it anyware.
Thanks
Freddie

Thank you
Freddie

Choosing the Right Power Supply

First things first. If you've got a poor-quality and/or faulty power supply, nothing else you do will work to solve your problems. Stick to the basics before you go further...The short answer is to buy a hi-powered, brand name supply, like the new ENERMAX line (430 W or higher) or ANTEC True550. Almost nothing else will do with today's computers. In over 30 years of electronic/computer service, I have found that 85% or more of problems were power-related.
If you want to know more, read on...
Choosing The Right Power Supply
If you’re reading this, there’s a good chance that one of my colleagues or I believe that you could be experiencing problems with your power supply, based upon the symptoms you mentioned in your post, and provided you with this link. Relax, you’re not alone. In 30 years of electronic and computer troubleshooting, I’d say that the majority of the electronic, mainframe, mini, and microcomputer problems I’ve diagnosed and repaired were with the basic power the problematic device was receiving. The symptoms often included random reboots, crashing, the BSOD, lockups, etc.
(As the national support technician for few major computer service companies, working US Defense contracts, I was often the person that had to fly in and correct the problem, or “walk through” the on-site technician as he closely followed my instructions. I achieved success in my career by carefully reading the manuals, knowing where to go for more information that was otherwise unavailable to me, and/or systematically troubleshooting until the problems were discovered and repaired. I never had the option of giving up.)
The most overlooked component when building or upgrading a PC is the power supply unit (PSU). Some people use their old case and PSU when they upgrade. Some use the PSU that came with their new case. Some people even buy a new PSU. And most inexperienced builders all make the same mistake: The PSU that they’re trying to use is simply inadequate for the job.
Suppose you’re upgrading to a new motherboard, CPU, ram, and video card, but still using the old case and PSU. It’s most likely that you’re upgrading in order to build a machine that is more powerful, faster, has a more colorful display, can number-crunch more quickly, play the latest games, etc. These gains in performance all have one thing in common: They require more raw power. However, have you thought about where that power comes from?
Suppose you’re building a new system with a new case and PSU. Has it occurred to you that the company that you bought the case/PSU from might make more money if they skimp on the supply, even if the supply has a large wattage rating? Most bulk power supply manufacturers don’t make good PSU’s. They use older, cheaper technology, and slap on labels that represent the PSU’s peak outputs, and not their continuous output rating. These companies are intentionally misleading you in order to sell you an inferior product. Brands I avoid when building/repairing my friends’ and family’s computers: Allied, Q-Tec, Chieftech, and many others.
For those of you who bought a power supply separately, did you know that you’re only supposed to run a power supply continuously at 30-70% (with 50% being optimal) of its continuous rating for maximum efficiency (which means less heat to you)? Most inexperienced builders either buy PSU’s that are matched to their equipment’s continuous power usage, or ones that are even less powerful than they need. Why? Because they’re trying to save money.
I mean, what’s the fun in a power supply? You don’t get any games with it, there’s no more storage, hardly ever any more bells and whistles, etc. A power supply is boring, and it’s supposed to be, because it’s supposed to provide a stable, reliable platform upon which the rest of the equipment can easily access the amount of power it needs, and when it’s needed. In almost EVERY review of powers supplies, the same point is stressed: Better safe than sorry.
But what does safe vs sorry mean? It can mean that you don’t have to waste money on the wrong PSU in the first place, but it can also mean that you don’t have to replace your expensive ram, CPU, video card, etc. NEEDLESSLY, or because your cheap PSU destroyed them. What? A cheap power supply can wreck your computer? YES IT CAN. A cheap power supply can cause thermal damage, not only from the heat it produces, but also the heat it can create in your components as well. RAM is especially sensitive to heat, and there’s RAM in your CPU, your video cards, and, well, your RAM too. A cheap switching power supply, run at its maximum, or peak, continuously can also destroy components by creating RF (Radio Frequency) signals on your power rails, signals which the components on your peripheral devices were not equipped to handle in the first place.
So this begs the question, how does one choose the right power supply? I’ll illustrate this using my own PC as the example. This is my setup that I use for video processing:
K7N2G-ILSR
Athlon 2500+ Barton @ 2125Mhz
AMD Retail Heatsink/Fan
2 - 512MB DDR333 w/Thermaltake Spreaders (slot 1&3)
MSI TV@nywhere Video Capture
ATI Radeon 9600
120GB Maxtor DiamondMax Plus 9 SATA
30GB Quantum IDE
TEAC DV-W50E DVD/CD-R/W
BTC DVD-ROM Drive
Artec CD-R/W
Using this Power Supply Calculator link:
http://www.jscustompcs.com/power_supply/
I plug in all my equipment values, but some of this can be a little tricky. For example, since I often run the CPU like an XP 3000, I choose the 3000 as my processor; it’s the same chip run at the faster rate. I also choose the ATI Radeon video card, and I select the RAM wattage for 2 sticks of DDR. I also choose every card I have, like my video capture card, but I also select the boxes for the separate cards that correspond to the functions that my ILSR provides as well (and that I use), like sound, USB, Firewire, NIC, etc. Although I use the onboard SATA controller, I don’t select the SCSI PCI card, because, in truth, I’ve probably made up for it by selecting all the other corresponding devices, including cards that the motherboard replaces. I check the boxes for the fans and drives I use, and I’m done, right?
Not yet.
I just remembered that I plan to upgrade soon, so I go back and change the values to reflect my impending changes. I mean, I want to make sure that I have enough power to begin with so that I don’t have to replace the power supply again, right?
Ok. Done. I look at the bottom and see that it tells me that I need a 468 watt PSU. So a 480 watt supply will do, right? Wrong.
Remember that, for efficiency, long-life, and less heat, you want your actual power consumption to fall between 30-70% of the PSU’s rating, so add 30% (minimum) to the 468, and you get 468 + (468*.30)= 608 Watts! Holy Cow!
However, I’d only need a 608-Watt supply if I was using all the devices at once, and I don’t. But, in truth, with video and audio processing, I often get close when I process, burn, and monitor at the same time. (Hardcore gamers also get close a lot, as they blast the sound and push that video to its limits.) So, let’s take off 10% (maximum) of 608, for a total of 541 Watts.
I need a 550 Watt supply, but not just ANY 550 watt PSU. I need a supply that can give me enough power on the critical 3.3, 5, and 12V rails combined. I also want a supply from a trusted, name-brand manufacturer, so I start hitting the many online reviews. Here are just two from Tom’s Hardware:
http://www6.tomshardware.com/howto/20030609/index.html
http://www6.tomshardware.com/howto/20021021/index.html
Read these in their entirety. I didn’t post them because they’re pretty links.
In the end, I chose Antec, because they’ve got the reputation, the recommendation, and because the Antec True550 has better specs than the rest of the 550 Watt competition. I also bought it from a reputable company I found on Pricegrabber.com, for the lowest price I could find, $95.00 shipped to my door. (In truth, I wanted two mini-redundant supplies, like the hospitals and military use, but they were too expensive.)
The result? Not only are the random reboots, crashing, the BSOD, lockups, etc., gone like magic, but I also now have “peace of mind” in that whatever might happen to my equipment in the future, I know almost for certain that the PSU is NOT the problem. I also bought an UPS, because the East Coast Blackout proved to me that even the Antec True550 isn’t going to provide me any power for emergency shutdown if it doesn’t get its power from somewhere.
Even if your problem doesn’t lie in the PSU completely, it gives you a GREAT platform for troubleshooting further. If you’re not reasonably certain that the supply is the cause, borrow one, or buy one that you can return once you’ve solved the problem. But, above all else, BUY THE RIGHT SUPPLY before you do anything else! Otherwise, you could be plugging and unplugging components, buying and blowing up expensive memory, and causing even further damage, until you give up or die.
I mean, I assume you built your own system to enjoy “more bang for your buck,” right? What’s the fun of a random reboot in the middle of Unreal Tournament 2003?
William Hopkins
Former Staff Sergeant, USAF
B.A., B.S., with Honors
The University of California, San Diego
[email protected]
P.S. It should be noted that while Enermax, ThermalTake, Zalman, Fortron, and others make great PSU’s, and I compared and considered them, the Antec still won out overall in my critical evaluation, like it did in so may others’ reviews. You’d probably be ok if you went with another reputable manufacturer as listed above, but pick a supply that gives you at least 230 watts on the 3.3 and 5V lines combined, and still meets the 30% criteria as stated above. Remember, if the manufacturers don’t give you maximum combined specs up front, they’re untrustworthy right off the bat. With power supplies, you definitely end up getting what you pay for. Don’t say nobody warned you.
P.P.S. Update! After recent developments, it looks like Enermax is the leader, but only the latest line of PSU's.

Ok, as an electrical engineer...I have to step in here! LOL
First, these amp rating are for 2 +12 rails. That is why you see a protection of around 15-18A on the +12 rail. That means each Rail is allowed up to 18A lets say for the new Enermax 1.2 version like the one I have.
Now, Lets say 18A for 12V....well as you know the Abit NF7-S uses the 12V for powering the CPU.
Lets say you have a Barton like me and you want it stable at around 2.4-2.5Ghz. You will have to put lets say around 2V to the cpu to get it stable at that kinda speed, specially if you have high FSB like I do. So 12V * 18Amps = 216W ....well the converter on the NFS-7 is really bad, its loss on the step down convertion is probably around 25% along with the PSU lost cuz its not running at 25oC (another 15%)....you will actually only get around 100-120W for the CPU.
Now, if you go into Sandra and see how much a Barton eats up at 2.4Ghz you will see its around 110Watts.
So, if you wanna push more, dont even think about it! Prime Power test fails and your +12 rail will drop as low as 11.60 Volts.
Now, lets say you got yourself a AMD 64 bit chip and you wanna overclock it....I bet it will need more than 110Watts.
So, what im saying is, dont buy nothing less than a 500 Watt PSU!
You really need around 20-22 A on the main +12 along with really really good cooling on the case and PSU so it is running at a 100%.
http://forums.amdmb.com/showindex.php?s=&threadid=287828
i found this quite interesting especially the bit re the power loss turning the 12v into 1.6v or what ever cpu needs

Power supply dead? Can I get at the Hard drive?

I recently had a storm which blew one of my external firewire drives (it goes on but won't mount) and when I tried using my older G4 (Quicksilver, with OS10.3.9, and Classic) to boot up in OS9 and try my Norton Utilities, the G4 froze. It did it several times. I eventually pulled the power cord. When I plugged it back it, there was a spark (at the plug in point on the G4, not the wall outlet. Since then, it won't power up.
I tried booting it up in firewire disk mode and using my Intel MacPro, but no dice.
I did a search and have seen discussion on what sounds like my same problem. I hold the power button and the light goes on, but goes right off as soon as I let go.
I tried pressing the PMU; I saw a lot of discussion about the CUDA button but it seems these are one and the same thing. I removed the small battery and tried to get a replacement but have not succeeded as yet. Though I don't think that's the problem. It might be the power supply.
Anyway, here's my question: can I use the power supply and/or battery from an even older Mac, a PPC 8600?
And, whether or not that works, can I yank the hard drive from my G4, along with a second internal drive I put in (slave) in order to get data of it? (I'll give up trying to fix the G$ itself if I can just get my files off it.
*While I'm at it, can I take apart the external firewire drive that won't mount, and get at the files on that in some way. I tried Data Rescue ll but the drive still would not mount so that was useless.
Any help on any of these will be greatly appreciated. (Yes, I do have a nice big powerful UPS but the G4 and the external were no plugged in to it).
Thanks
noodle--head grrum...PY

Hi-
To recover your hard drives and data (including the external) get yourself a housing, and insert a drive, and move data to a different computer.
You'll want a firewire external housing with the Oxford chipset. I can recommend any of the FW or FW combo housings by OWC on the following page:
http://eshop.macsales.com/shop/firewire/add-ons-and-hubs/enclosure-kits
You will need a QS power supply-others won't work.
If you end up wanting a power supply for the QS, check eBay, or the following:
http://www.mac-resource.com/store.php?item=6612513.PART
http://hardcoremac.stores.yahoo.net/pog4quposu34.html
As for the battery, as long as it is the same 3.6v and form factor, any will do:
http://eshop.macsales.com/item/Newer%20Technology/BAA36VPRAM/
The Radio Shack P/N is 23-026.
G4AGP(450)Sawtooth, 2ghz PowerLogix, 2gbRAM, 300gbSATA+160gbATA, ATI Radeon 9800 Mac OS X (10.4.8) Pioneer DVR-109, ExtHD 160gb x2, 23"Cinema Display, Ratoc USB2.0, Nikon Coolscan

Do I need to replace video graphic card or power supply unit on hp compaq presario sr2180nx

hello all
i saw a similar post over 4 years ago, however it doesn't address my issue.
my pc started stalling when i attempt to turn it on. It wouldn't come on. Then after several tries every now and then it would come on. I was told through searching that it could be the video graphic card or the power supply. Therefore once i had the computer back on. I never shut it off. However, i could reboot and it would come on.
Now it won't come on again. So i don't know what to replace. The video graphic card or the power supply. If it is the graphic card, do i replace the one previously installed or add a new one. And if adding a new one, what is recommended to be compatible with my 300 watt supply unit? I'm lost as what route to take and how.Below are the details of my unit.
HP/Compaq Presario SR2180NX desktop PC with a P5LP-LE motherboard with an Integrated graphics using Intel GMA 950.
*Integrated video is not available if a graphics card is installed.
Also supports PCI Express x16 graphics cards
300 watt supply.
thank you in advance for any help you can give me.

Is there an add-in video card in the slot? If so, remove it and try to turn on. If the problem is the video card it will turn on. If not it is the power supply.

Power supply vs. logic board? turns off in sleep mode.

My imac g5 (2004 - 1st generation?) is either turning completely off or going into some un-wake-up-able mode after it's put to sleep. (I have to switch off/on the power strip and turn the computer on all over again.) And sometimes if it's sleeping (power light pulsing on front) it may or may not wake from sleep by pushing the power button. Often touching a key in that circumstance will cause it to crash, so I've quit using that altogether as a method of waking it up. I've reset the SMU a number of times throughout the past few months and it has not cleared up this problem.
Last night after I put it to sleep it switched in to the un-wake-up-able mode. I could still hear something running (not a fan, just an electrical hum) where it seems like it's crashed and can't shut itself off. I had to turn off the power and try to turn the computer back on. It wouldn't respond the first couple times. Then the power light glowed for a while but it still didn't turn on completely. After a few more minutes I tried again. Maybe I held the power button for too long, but I heard a long single beep, the fans whirred, and then everything started up as usual.
I've read a number of threads seemingly related to these issues, but am now not clear about whether this is a power supply issue or a logic board issue. I have yet to open the back and check for bulging capacitors. Just thought I'd ask here first.

I am having a very close issue too (posted also in a more recent thread about power button not functioning). My old iMac G5 20 inches got a power supply that went bad two years ago. I had it replaced and all went fine until two weeks ago.
My wife was using it, while I was away: machine shut down with a 'pop!' sound.
She tried to start it up again, but after pressing the button a couple of times - the last one longer - she had a long strong peep. The machine went on for a while and then off again. Scared, she left it off.
After checking, no reported issue seems to fit to the problems shown: power supply is working; logic board too. The machine is working fine, but on sleep, it dies out. While doing tasks, at undetermined times, it shuts down with a 'pop!'. Sometimes you can restart it immediately. Sometimes you can't and have to wait one or more hours. No evidently bad caps on board, led check returns 1 (no 2 flashing or attempting to turn on) with dead computer, otherwise all working fine. Hardware test also passed. Console messages have nothing relevant or clearly understandable to offer.
Still can't figure out a solution. Many user are pretty fast in suggesting to bringing the machine to Apple. Unfortunately not all around the world we have/need cars. And getting the 20 kg of iMac by feet/metro to the shop it ain't such a nice walk. When I fried the power supply, there was no sufficiently large box on sale to pack the computer and have it send to the shop. I had to wait for the technician - on a convenient day - do drop by and take it (and he knew he was going to repair it)!
Will post, if I have further developments.

Power supply chord Smoking???

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