Oh! No. Not again. PSU is busted

[adityasrinivasb]

HI

I invested $1200 till now on my new assembled desktop computer. It is been just 3 weeks since I got this computer. I have a very agonizing problem with the PSU in my computer which is a CoolerMaster thunder 500W. Model - RS-500-ACAB-M3

one week after I purchased the computer, the PC started giving me restart problem. When the main power goes off, the power source switches to UPS . While UPS is giving the power, if the main power is restored, the PC restarted. After some analysis, I felt that it could be the SMPS problem and took it to the vendor who sold the PC. He opened the PC and found some thick liquid that has fallen off from the SMPS. He told me that the capacitor in the SMPS busted due to voltage fluctuation. He initially told me that he has no business in replacing the SMPS as this is a problem with voltage fluctuation in my home and I need to go to cooler master service center. However, as the PC is just two weeks since it was built, he decided to give me a new SMPS of the same make and model and told me that he was not sure if cooler master would take the damaged SMPS and compensate him. He told me that if the problem repeats, I need to go to the cooler master service center. I argued that the capacitor in SMPS could be faulty. The reason I said this is on the UPS it is clearly written that the UPS has a AVR of 135-300 volts. So UPS will correct the voltage before giving to SMPS. He said the UPS is just a power back up and does not do any AVR. The UPS is a Microtek UPS 1000 VA twin guard plus.

I came back home with my PC. As the vendor told me that there is voltage fluctuation, I decided to check what is happening in my home with voltage before connected the PC again. My father checked the voltage in the socket with a multimeter and it was showing the voltage output from the socket in between 240 - 250 Volts. On the SMPS, it is written that the input voltage is 230 volts.

At this stage, I felt that a stabilizer would be required to regulate the voltage as I heard people saying that microtek UPS I am using does not do voltage correction. I got a voltage stabilizer. I connected voltage stabilizer to UPS and UPS to PC. We checked the stabilizer input and output. It is taking the input of 242/3 volts from the main socket and giving out the same amount of voltage 242/3 as output. We tried with two stabilzers of different makes. Both where doing the same thing when I was expecting them to give a steady output of 230 volts. The stabilizer is a 3 AMPS capacity with voltage correction range between 170 - 270 volts and voltage output between 200- 240 volts. Not sure to connect the PC or not. I called up cooler master support and the guy told me that it is safe to connect the PC and the intelligent chip inside the SMPS would give 230 volts of steady power and discard any additional power. With that assurance, I powered on the PC

Today I switched on the PC and forgot to shut it down and went away.The power went off for 3 hrs and I thought the UPS would have drained and PC would have been shut down. When I came back, the PC was in hibernation. Thought the UPS battery would have drained and because of low power windows might have put it on hibernation.

I woke up the PC and it came out of hibernation and the restart problem is back hitting me very hard. I immediately shutdown the PC and removed the case and found the same liquid leaked from SMPS.

Please help me . I feel dejected. I can't use this PC anymore.

Regards
Srinivas

 

[philipma1957]

HI

I invested $1200 till now on my new assembled desktop computer. It is been just 3 weeks since I got this computer. I have a very agonizing problem with the PSU in my computer which is a CoolerMaster thunder 500W. Model - RS-500-ACAB-M3

one week after I purchased the computer, the PC started giving me restart problem. When the main power goes off, the power source switches to UPS . While UPS is giving the power, if the main power is restored, the PC restarted. After some analysis, I felt that it could be the SMPS problem and took it to the vendor who sold the PC. He opened the PC and found some thick liquid that has fallen off from the SMPS. He told me that the capacitor in the SMPS busted due to voltage fluctuation. He initially told me that he has no business in replacing the SMPS as this is a problem with voltage fluctuation in my home and I need to go to cooler master service center. However, as the PC is just two weeks since it was built, he decided to give me a new SMPS of the same make and model and told me that he was not sure if cooler master would take the damaged SMPS and compensate him. He told me that if the problem repeats, I need to go to the cooler master service center. I argued that the capacitor in SMPS could be faulty. The reason I said this is on the UPS it is clearly written that the UPS has a AVR of 135-300 volts. So UPS will correct the voltage before giving to SMPS. He said the UPS is just a power back up and does not do any AVR. The UPS is a Microtek UPS 1000 VA twin guard plus.

I came back home with my PC. As the vendor told me that there is voltage fluctuation, I decided to check what is happening in my home with voltage before connected the PC again. My father checked the voltage in the socket with a multimeter and it was showing the voltage output from the socket in between 240 - 250 Volts. On the SMPS, it is written that the input voltage is 230 volts.

At this stage, I felt that a stabilizer would be required to regulate the voltage as I heard people saying that microtek UPS I am using does not do voltage correction. I got a voltage stabilizer. I connected voltage stabilizer to UPS and UPS to PC. We checked the stabilizer input and output. It is taking the input of 242/3 volts from the main socket and giving out the same amount of voltage 242/3 as output. We tried with two stabilzers of different makes. Both where doing the same thing when I was expecting them to give a steady output of 230 volts. The stabilizer is a 3 AMPS capacity with voltage correction range between 170 - 270 volts and voltage output between 200- 240 volts. Not sure to connect the PC or not. I called up cooler master support and the guy told me that it is safe to connect the PC and the intelligent chip inside the SMPS would give 230 volts of steady power and discard any additional power. With that assurance, I powered on the PC

Today I switched on the PC and forgot to shut it down and went away.The power went off for 3 hrs and I thought the UPS would have drained and PC would have been shut down. When I came back, the PC was in hibernation. Thought the UPS battery would have drained and because of low power windows might have put it on hibernation.

I woke up the PC and it came out of hibernation and the restart problem is back hitting me very hard. I immediately shutdown the PC and removed the case and found the same liquid leaked from SMPS.

Please help me . I feel dejected. I can't use this PC anymore.

Regards
Srinivas

Fast opinion the psu is low quality and the ups is meh. do you have a lot of power outages? are you in India?
this may be a better ups.

http://www.amazon.in/APC-BR1100CI-IN-UPS/dp/B005Y8T0WW/ref=cm_cr_pr_product_top

I am USA my knowledge of India's power grid has limits. maybe some one can chime in?

 

[VirtualLarry]

I have a very agonizing problem with the PSU in my computer which is a CoolerMaster thunder 500W. Model - RS-500-ACAB-M3

I immediately shutdown the PC and removed the case and found the same liquid leaked from SMPS.

That's not a good sign. One bad SMPS can happen. But two, failing in an identical way, is a pattern.

Those aren't the highest-quality SMPSs on the market, that's for sure. It could be a bad batch, but if the store selling them hasn't heard of the same problem from multiple customers, then it's probably not a bad batch.

I would look long and hard at your UPS, or take another chance, and get a better SMPS, like a Seasonic or Corsair.

I will say this, UPSes that output stepped square-waves (non true sine wave), can be exceptionally hard on SMPSes when they are on battery, if the SMPS implements APFC, which most modern ones do.

 

[adityasrinivasb]

Hi

Thanks for the reply.

Yes I am from Hyderabad, India. I have voltage fluctuation problems here. I will call up the vendor and ask him to exchange the UPS for APC.

By the way this is my config

1. Intel Core i7 - 4790K CPU @ 4.00GHZ, 4001 MHZ, 4 cores, 8 Logical processors.
2. Motherboard - ASUS z97-A.
3. Memory - Two Kingston HyperX fury HX318C10F/8 1866 GHZ. Total 16 GB.
4. Harddisk - Seagate - ST500DM002-IBD142 ATA Device
5. Power Supply - CoolerMaster thunder 500W. Model - RS-500-ACAB-M3
6. CPU cooler - Cooler Master Hyper 212x
7. Monitor - Dell E2014H 19.5 inches
8. DVD Writer - SATA RW - LG. HL-DT-ST DVDRAM GH24NSCO ATA Device
9. Cabinet - Cooler Master force 500
10. Cabinet Fans - Cooler Master 120MM Fans - 2 numbers
11 . NetGear N300 WNA3100M Wireless Adapter
12. UPS - Microtek 1000VA twin guard +.

Any idea if there are complaints with the Cooler Master thunder 500w SMPS. Is it correct when the SMPS support personnel says that the SMPS has a chip that can withstand power fluctuations and supply only 230 volts and discard any additional voltage. With the change in UPS from 1000VA Microtek to 1100 VA APC, should I get my PSU changed from 500 watts to 650 watts?

Should I go for a SMPS which can take varying input voltages and give steady voltage? Will there be an SMPS like that?

Regards
Srinivas

Regards
Srinivas

 

[VirtualLarry]

Any idea if there are complaints with the Cooler Master thunder 500w SMPS. Is it correct when the SMPS support personnel says that the SMPS has a chip that can withstand power fluctuations and supply only 230 volts and discard any additional voltage. With the change in UPS from 1000VA Microtek to 1100 VA APC, should I get my PSU changed to 500 watts to 650 watts?

Should I go for a SMPS which can take varying input voltages and give steady voltage? Will there be an SMPS like that?

Most SMPS have specifications on what input voltages that they support. Ones with APFC feature are "full range", meaning they can auto-adjust, even between US 120V and Euro 240V, assuming that the appropriate power cord for the operating region is used.

If you do get one with APFC, then you need to get a UPS that properly supports APFC SMPS too. Not all of them do, especially the cheaper ones. Get one that supports "true sine wave", rather than "stepped sine wave".

 

[silicon]

HI

I invested $1200 till now on my new assembled desktop computer. It is been just 3 weeks since I got this computer. I have a very agonizing problem with the PSU in my computer which is a CoolerMaster thunder 500W. Model - RS-500-ACAB-M3

one week after I purchased the computer, the PC started giving me restart problem. When the main power goes off, the power source switches to UPS . While UPS is giving the power, if the main power is restored, the PC restarted. After some analysis, I felt that it could be the SMPS problem and took it to the vendor who sold the PC. He opened the PC and found some thick liquid that has fallen off from the SMPS. He told me that the capacitor in the SMPS busted due to voltage fluctuation. He initially told me that he has no business in replacing the SMPS as this is a problem with voltage fluctuation in my home and I need to go to cooler master service center. However, as the PC is just two weeks since it was built, he decided to give me a new SMPS of the same make and model and told me that he was not sure if cooler master would take the damaged SMPS and compensate him. He told me that if the problem repeats, I need to go to the cooler master service center. I argued that the capacitor in SMPS could be faulty. The reason I said this is on the UPS it is clearly written that the UPS has a AVR of 135-300 volts. So UPS will correct the voltage before giving to SMPS. He said the UPS is just a power back up and does not do any AVR. The UPS is a Microtek UPS 1000 VA twin guard plus.

I came back home with my PC. As the vendor told me that there is voltage fluctuation, I decided to check what is happening in my home with voltage before connected the PC again. My father checked the voltage in the socket with a multimeter and it was showing the voltage output from the socket in between 240 - 250 Volts. On the SMPS, it is written that the input voltage is 230 volts.

At this stage, I felt that a stabilizer would be required to regulate the voltage as I heard people saying that microtek UPS I am using does not do voltage correction. I got a voltage stabilizer. I connected voltage stabilizer to UPS and UPS to PC. We checked the stabilizer input and output. It is taking the input of 242/3 volts from the main socket and giving out the same amount of voltage 242/3 as output. We tried with two stabilzers of different makes. Both where doing the same thing when I was expecting them to give a steady output of 230 volts. The stabilizer is a 3 AMPS capacity with voltage correction range between 170 - 270 volts and voltage output between 200- 240 volts. Not sure to connect the PC or not. I called up cooler master support and the guy told me that it is safe to connect the PC and the intelligent chip inside the SMPS would give 230 volts of steady power and discard any additional power. With that assurance, I powered on the PC

Today I switched on the PC and forgot to shut it down and went away.The power went off for 3 hrs and I thought the UPS would have drained and PC would have been shut down. When I came back, the PC was in hibernation. Thought the UPS battery would have drained and because of low power windows might have put it on hibernation.

I woke up the PC and it came out of hibernation and the restart problem is back hitting me very hard. I immediately shutdown the PC and removed the case and found the same liquid leaked from SMPS.

Please help me . I feel dejected. I can't use this PC anymore.

Regards
Srinivas

That supply has an input voltage range of 180~264Vac. Possibly the line voltage is exceeding those numbers. You may need a voltage regulation unit for the UPS and computer to avoid this problem.

 

[schmuckley]

I had an AsRock board vrm fail and it killed my PSU..and cpu..
You may want to check the motherboard..
Check the circuit your comp is plugged into...
Get better PSU..

 

[adityasrinivasb]

Hi

I suspect what silicon says. The line voltage might be exceeding 264 volts. After getting the SMPS replaced from the vendor , I got voltage stabilizer which has an AVR between 170-270V and gives a voltage between 200 - 240 volts. I plugged in the stabilizer to the power socket. Connected UPS to stabilizer and SMPS to the UPS. It is like Stabilizer -> UPS -> SMPS. I don't know how the voltage broke trough the defenses of stabilizer and UPS and spoiled the SMPS. I was expecting stabilizer to correct the voltage or the stabilizer should have burned out and cut off the supply had power exceeded. But why SMPS?

I have more questions. Can somebody please answer.
I was using a ordinary (old) power cord for connection from UPS to SMPS and not the one given in the cooler master SMPS box as the plug does not fit in to the UPS socket. I have a old HP Compaq Presario PC whose power cord I used. Could it create problems like this? The PC ran on this power cord without any problems for a while.

I can see tiny drops of the liquid on the Mobo that has fallen off from the busted SMPS. They have almost dried up today. Will that leaked solution affect the Mobo?

Is the Mobo and CPU protected incase something like this happens to the SMPS?

Can you guys suggest a best SMPS that works perfectly in my conditions? Do we have SMPS that can withstand voltage surges > 264 volts. Is the SMPS that burned is not a good one? What device would give me a steady voltage of 230 volts even though there is a spike in voltage? Is the APC UPS the answer to this problem?

Regards
Srinivas

 

[silicon]

Hi

I suspect what silicon says. The line voltage might be exceeding 264 volts. After getting the SMPS replaced from the vendor , I got voltage stabilizer which has an AVR between 170-270V and gives a voltage between 200 - 240 volts. I plugged in the stabilizer to the power socket. Connected UPS to stabilizer and SMPS to the UPS. It is like Stabilizer -> UPS -> SMPS. I don't know how the voltage broke trough the defenses of stabilizer and UPS and spoiled the SMPS. I was expecting stabilizer to correct the voltage or the stabilizer should have burned out and cut off the supply had power exceeded. But why SMPS?

I have more questions. Can somebody please answer.
I was using a ordinary (old) power cord for connection from UPS to SMPS and not the one given in the cooler master SMPS box as the plug does not fit in to the UPS socket. I have a old HP Compaq Presario PC whose power cord I used. Could it create problems like this? The PC ran on this power cord without any problems for a while.

I can see tiny drops of the liquid on the Mobo that has fallen off from the busted SMPS. They have almost dried up today. Will that leaked solution affect the Mobo?

Is the Mobo and CPU protected incase something like this happens to the SMPS?

Can you guys suggest a best SMPS that works perfectly in my conditions? Do we have SMPS that can withstand voltage surges > 264 volts. Is the SMPS that burned is not a good one? What device would give me a steady voltage of 230 volts even though there is a spike in voltage? Is the APC UPS the answer to this problem?

Regards
Srinivas

Are you saying that you are not using the grounding pin on the power cord?

If you have a grounding strap and some isapropanol and some clean tissue then you can carefully wipe away the electrolyte that has splashed on the MB.


Very unlikely the MB and cpu will tolerate voltages being out of spec. The output of most PS is very tightly controlled for load and line regulation.

What does your computer store suggest for your power conditions. Maybe try a different brand and see what happens.

It sounds like the power is very unstable where you live. You need to correct this problem so that your computer is getting stable power. Are there any other computer enthusiasts around that could help?

 

[Valantar]

Am I completely wrong in thinking the voltage stabilizer should be in between the UPS and the PC? Considering the PC is what needs protection from voltage fluctuations (and not the UPS)?

Also, as I don't see a graphics card listed in your specifications, I would strongly advise against getting a more powerful power supply. 500W is already far beyond what your system needs, and the only thing that will change if you move to a more powerful one is that you will lose quite a bit of efficiency. For your build (unless there is a GPU missing from your list) a good quality 350W unit would be more than enough.

I'm no electrical engieneer, but I would guess that the leaked liquid is an electrolyte -which means it's conductive, and could damage your motherboard by short circuiting whatever it lands on. I'm not sure if drying it out would help. To be safe, I would (carefully!) clean it off with isopropyl alcohol and some kind of ESD safe cloth/swab. But someone more qualified than me should probably verify this.

 

[adityasrinivasb]

Hi

Are you saying that you are not using the grounding pin on the power cord? - I am using a three pin power cord which I plucked out of my old unused HP Compaq desktop computer and used it to connect the SMPS to UPS.

Shall I try Corsair SMPS CX500 500 Watts PSU and APC UPS BR1000G-IN | 1 KVA |1000VA |? Can somebody please let me know?

I will get my line voltage in my apartment corrected before connecting the PC. What other safeguards I need to take? Is there any other thing that can offer solid defense against power surges and give the SMPS the power it needs?

Regards
Srinivas