500watt Allied PSU keeps resetting

[DownloadThis]

Here are my system specs:

Asus A7V8X-X Motherboard
Athlon XP 2600+ CPU
2x 512mb Crucial PC2700 RAM
ATI Radeaon 9200 128MB graphics card

1 - 60gb IBM Desktar HDD
1 - 40gb Seagate HDD
1 - 120gb WD HDD
1 - 200gb Maxtor HDD



I purchased a *brandnew* Allied 500 watt PSU from Newegg ( Product Link ) . I decided on this drive (over an Antec) based on the nine 5-star reviews on newegg, plus the good things i've read about the psu here.


I opened the PSU and properly installed it. I plugged it into the motherboard (without connecting any of the harddrives) just to make sure the thing turned on. Well it did. Then i turned it off and started connecting my harddrives.

Once I got everything installed I booted up my computer.
Here is where the problems begin

I hear my harddrives "clicking", and spinning up and down.

The power supply keeps resetting!!
Everytime I (lightly) tap my computer case, the powersupply resets. Even if I don't touch anything. My system gets about as far as the windows boot screen then the psu resets again.

<b>I unplug all the harddrives</b>.
At this point, the only things this PSU is sending power to is:
My motherboard, processor, video card.

Same thing.
Everytime i tap or move my case, the power supply resets.

I made sure the the main cable was plugged firmly into my motherboard and its fine. I've looked at the PSU cables with my naked eyes and don't notice anything being loose. I've lightly "shaked" the PSU (to see if i hear any rattling) and it seems fine.

I called Apex (The company who manufactures this PSU) and the guy on the other end of the line was completely stumped. He said he never heard of this before. This power supply was BRAND NEW from newegg. Sealed box and all.


Any ideas?

thanks.

 

[JustAnAverageGuy]

try a different one. If that solves your problem, RMA and exchange. No problems with my 400W.

 

[DownloadThis]

yea.. should have mentioned that I put my old 350watt PSU back in and it works fine.

 

[DownloadThis]

*follow up*

i've narrowed down the problem even further (in case anyone is interested).

I tried taking the PSU out of the case, and laying it on the floor while i powered up. Guess what? It worked. I put it back in the case, and it fails again. :\

I took the PSU out of the case again and placed it "on top" of my case. It worked! I put it back in the case and it fails yet again. :\

The PSU powers down when it is upside down.

That is, right side up??

There are 2 fans. One fan blowing air out, and the other fan underneath sucking it in. Well. you have to "flip" the PSU over (based on the picture on the front of the box) in order for it to suck air in from the case (That it then blows out). But in this position, the PSU resets everytime it moves. I can easily solve this problem by flipping it over, but the fan is then blocked by the top of my case.

very weird.. My cousin says it has to do with the thermal somthing or anohter...

anyway. its packed up and going back to newegg tomorrow.

 

[Harvey]

Sounds like it's thermally cycling. As is happening here, the problem would be worse when you're intaking warm air from the inside of the case instead of cooler air from the outside.

It also does not sound like a well designed cooling system, but I would have to know more before I made a final judgment. I would still be concerned about how it would work on a hot day.

Maybe it's just this unit. I'd at least exchange this unit for another. If the second one did the same thing, find another model.

 

[DownloadThis]

I called newegg today. The person said there was no record of others having this problem. I got an RMA number though and am sending it back today. I'm going with an Antec "True430" instead. Thanks for the responses

 

[NesuD]

Originally posted by: DownloadThis
I called newegg today. The person said there was no record of others having this problem. I got an RMA number though and am sending it back today. I'm going with an Antec "True430" instead. Thanks for the responses

good choice. any supply that acts like that out of the box is defective and should be returned.