weird issues with power supplies burning out..

[ViviTheMage]

I don't really know how to access this problem, but here at my work we are having power supplies burn out in PCs. Dell optiplex GX260's GX270's are which are burning out.

mainly it was just in the accounting office, but they all have APC 300watt battery backups.

does anyone have any idea what would cause these power supplies to just fail? they are 250watt (to me that seems like enough watts, but the 12v rail is about 14 and the 5v is about 11).

our local electrician thinks it could be the APCs don't have enough power to handle the surges we get. Would getting a higher wattage APC help out? Are they burning out?

 

[ch33zw1z]

Sounds pretty weird. Have you check Dells site for PSU issues on those models? Do you have any software monitoring currents through that area, if so then check it out for any spikes that would be to big for the APC's to handle.

 

[ViviTheMage]

There are no PSU issues, becuase we have gone through 6 in those PCs now, so I think it comes down to a current issue, volts, amps, watts, the such.

AFAIK we dont have software monitoring the curents. We had everything 'fixed' becuase we have a decent amount of surges here, for whatever reason.

Is there an APC under 100$ that you would recommend from office depot that can handle higher surges? For just one PC + LCD?

 

[pkme2]

Just checking, does your APC have built-in AVR?

 

[ViviTheMage]

Originally posted by: pkme2
Just checking, does your APC have built-in AVR?

this is the current ones being used :

http://www.officedepot.com/ddSKU.do?lev...=APC&y=0&uniqueSearchFlag=true&An=text

 

[pkme2]

Originally posted by: ViviTheMage

Originally posted by: pkme2
Just checking, does your APC have built-in AVR?

this is the current ones being used :

http://www.officedepot.com/ddSKU.do?lev...=APC&y=0&uniqueSearchFlag=true&An=text

Checked it, no AVR (automatic voltage regulator)
I've always used AVR with my UPS, either separately or built-in.
We have a lot of brownouts, some burnouts and a occasional earthquake, so backups with AVRs are the only safe way to go.
I recommend an online AVR to your rigs. I've relied on AVRs for a longtime. They haven't failed me yet.

 

[ViviTheMage]

optiplex GX270s and older optiplex GX400's.

These are the two types of PCs in that room. I found out only one is on a APC, so this isnt the issue. I think the issue may lay with bad power supplies. I called dell and they told me that there is no other PSU for these computers, so I am baffled...what could it be.

Here in minnesota we dont usually get brownouts, burnouse, or earthquakes..so I think it must lay with the model of PC.

If anyone knows anything about it, do share, I am baffled!!!!

 

[spittledip]

I thought 1200 joules was the minimum recommended- the APC only has 300.

 

[ViviTheMage]

Originally posted by: spittledip
I thought 1200 joules was the minimum recommended- the APC only has 300.

joule rating 365 joules

I see that now too, but whats its purpose?

 

[pkme2]

Dell GX270
Is this what you're using? Maybe it better to replace than trying to find a PSU replacement.
you can try here if a psu replacement is needed. http://www.pcpower.com/products/power_supplies/dell/

 

[Zepper]

Take a look around inside the PSUs - if you can't (or dare not) open their cases look in thru the cooling slots with a flashlight. What you're looking for are blown caps (see http://www.badcaps.com ) for pix of blown caps so you'll know what you are looking for. If there are blown caps in there and the PCs are between 2 and 3 years old (sometimes newer), then Dell should be replacing those PSUs for free. Caused by extreme price pressure by box pushers like Dell or big middlemen like Antec so their OEMs cut corners - they just make sure they're good enough to get past the warranty period... If you get stuck for paying for the PSUs, don't buy Dell replacements as they charge too much - you can always find good 3rd party replacements if you're up to looking for them.

.bh.

Joules are a measure of energy - the amount the surge components can absorb or shift safely. I like to have over 1000 joules on mine too. But I don't think that's the problem if you haven't had other devices or appliances dying prematurely as well - it's something in the PSUs (normally good for 5 to 7 years on consumer grade units and 7 to 10 on server-grade units). Normal surge suppressors just shift the surge current to ground - there is a surge suppressor that doesn't shift to ground but actually absorbs with large caps and heavy coils called the Zero Surge. Have your local electric company put a power analyzer/recorder on the power feeding those computers for a week or so to see what's actually going on (they usually do that for free).

 

[pkme2]

http://www.pcpower.com/products/viewproduct.php?show=S47ATX
Replacement PSU for $99.00

 

[Jesta]

It's bad PSU's. We have approximately 300 GX240, GX260's and we have replaced nearly 40 power supplies this year.

 

[pkme2]

Originally posted by: Jesta
It's bad PSU's. We have approximately 300 GX240, GX260's and we have replaced nearly 40 power supplies this year.

http://www.pcpower.com/products/power_supplies/selector/dell.htm

Maybe you should buy in gross to get a better deal.
You know that you're getting a 15% failure rate, so why don't you plan for the future IMO.

 

[goobernoodles]

Are you sure its the power supply? At my work... a TON of the motherboards have gone bad on the gx270's, sx270's and the sx260's.. i believe... it may be the other way around...

Dell sent a guy from a 3rd party company to come replace the board he and said that there is essentially a silent recall on these, and that bad capacitors are popping up like wildfires.

I would check for blown or puffed up capacitors.

 

[pkme2]

Originally posted by: goobernoodles
Are you sure its the power supply? At my work... a TON of the motherboards have gone bad on the gx270's, sx270's and the sx260's.. i believe... it may be the other way around...

Dell sent a guy from a 3rd party company to come replace the board he and said that there is essentially a silent recall on these, and that bad capacitors are popping up like wildfires.

I would check for blown or puffed up capacitors.

The original PSU for GX270s was a 250W (non-descript unit)
Under those situations, I would believe that the PSUs were suspect.
The desktop versions were 210W PSUs, worse yet.

 

[ViviTheMage]

Originally posted by: pkme2
http://www.pcpower.com/products/viewproduct.php?show=S47ATX
Replacement PSU for $99.00

okay, first off...that wont fit in the cases unless I do some cutting of some sort.

secondly, that is way more over priced then what dells selling there's for. That fit in the cases nicely (25$ shipped).

Also, I asked if they had a higher wattage PSU , no luck though.

also, nice link on replacements for GX270's
http://www.pcpower.com/products/viewproduct.php?show=S47D

but WOW 150$?!?!