Help! Power supply is dead?

[frankie827]

hey guys,
i have a SILVERSTONE ST75ZF 750W power supply that i bought back in august of 2007. when i plug the power supply into the wall, the light on the back of the unit is orange. this is what normally happens when i plug the unit into the wall without turning the computer on(when i turn the pc on, the light changes to green). but, when it is plugged into my mother board, both the light on the mother board and the orange light on the back of the power supply flash in unison. i leave my computer on pretty much all the time, so i think it may have just come to the end of it's life naturally, but i'm not sure!

btw, my system specs are in the system specs drop down under my username on the left.

thanks in advance!

 

[JATownes]

I would plug another PSU into your rig, and see if it is the PSU or the MB, before I grabbed a new PSU. I replaced a PSU unit last year because I "knew" it was the problem, only to replace it and 2 days later the MB go out. Lesson learned. Always test to see what is failing before purchasing new replacement equipment.

 

[frankie827]

I would plug another PSU into your rig, and see if it is the PSU or the MB...

unfortunately, i don't have another psu that would work with my mobo. but i'll try to see if i can borrow one from a friend. any other suggestions?

 

[JATownes]

Do you have another MB to test your PSU with...that would be the other option. If the PSU works on another board it would eliminate the PSU as the problem.

 

[frankie827]

Do you have another MB to test your PSU with...that would be the other option. If the PSU works on another board it would eliminate the PSU as the problem.

yeah, i think i do. i'll try that when i get home.

but do you think it makes sense for the psu to have just died naturally?

 

[DannibusX]

Hardware is a manmade object, and therefore is prone to failure. Everything breaks. Is the PSU still under warranty?

 

[frankie827]

Hardware is a manmade object, and therefore is prone to failure. Everything breaks. Is the PSU still under warranty?

yes, it is. i already emailed silverstone's tech support, so hopefully i'll hear back from them soon.

 

[JATownes]

Hardware is a manmade object, and therefore is prone to failure. Everything breaks. Is the PSU still under warranty?

This is the truest (<--is that a word?) statement ever made. No matter how good quality control is, some things just fail. Luckily the warranty from SS is pretty good.

 

[frankie827]

i'll try a different power supply when i get home, and i'll get back to you all then. hopefully it's just the power supply that is broken and not the motherboard.

 

[twicksisted]

try jumpstart the power supply... see if it switches on... (green wire to any black wire)

heres where those pics come from with explaination on how to shoprt the psu to see if it works:
http://www.overclock.net/faqs/96712-how-jump-start-power-supply-psu.html

The amber light on the psu could be some sort of short circuit protection... possibly something in your case is shorting it out?

 

[frankie827]

The amber light on the psu could be some sort of short circuit protection... possibly something in your case is shorting it out?

that light is always there when the computer is off and the power supply is switched on and plugged into the wall.

 

[frankie827]

well this is interesting...
i plugged in my friend's psu and my computer booted up just fine. i plugged my psu in and it gave me the same problem as before. i decided that for shits and giggles i would plug my psu into my friend's mobo. when i did that, his computer started up just fine as well! any ideas of what is actually going on here? what parts should rma? just the psu? just the mobo? or should i do both the psu and the mobo?

 

[Easy Rhino]

judging from what you said, it is your motherboard

 

[frankie827]

judging from what you said, it is your motherboard

even though it boots up with my friend's psu?

 

[Easy Rhino]

i think i got it backwards. sounds like it's your PSU as you first suspected.

 

[frankie827]

should i just rma both my psu and my motherboard?

 

[DannibusX]

Start with the PSU, if your friends boots your machine fine then it's likely just the PSU.

 

[frankie827]

Start with the PSU, if your friends boots your machine fine then it's likely just the PSU.

i get that.....but does any one know why my psu will boot up his computer? i get what you're saying, but i'm just stumped as to how that is happening.

 

[DannibusX]

Well, if his system requires less power than yours, could be that it will power his just fine.

 

[frankie827]

but if his weaker power supply powers up my computer.....

 

[DannibusX]

lol, I don't know what to tell ya. If you feel you need to RMA both of them, then do it.

 

[ZenZimZaliben]

There are a lot of unknowns here.

Did your friends Motherboard require the exact same voltages?
24 or 24+2
4 pin or 6 pin cpu power.

I guess what I am asking is does his motherboard use the exact same cable setup that your system uses.

If not the PS is the problem. You may need to use the 24+2 pin and he needed just 24...Or you need the 6pin CPU and he needed the 4pin.

Or it could even have been the PCIe cables..maybe he didn't need them or only 1.

If they aren't using exactly the same cables then a rail on your PS is bad, or the entire PS is failing.

 

[JATownes]

There are a lot of unknowns here.

Did your friends Motherboard require the exact same voltages?
24 or 24+2
4 pin or 6 pin cpu power.

I guess what I am asking is does his motherboard use the exact same cable setup that your system uses.

If not the PS is the problem. You may need to use the 24+2 pin and he needed just 24...Or you need the 6pin CPU and he needed the 4pin.

Or it could even have been the PCIe cables..maybe he didn't need them or only 1.

If they aren't using exactly the same cables then a rail on your PS is bad, or the entire PS is failing.

After catching up on this thread, I completely agree with the above statement. Sounds like the PSU. It is clearly not a short, or a MB issue. So only your PSU is left. Be glad it is under warranty and RMA that puppy. Good Luck.

 

[frankie827]

that does make sense. i was using a 24 pin in the 26 pin and a 4pin in the 8 pin, that's how it booted up. with my power supply in his mobo, i used a 26 pin in a 26 pin, and an 8 pin in a 4 pin.

 

[frankie827]

hate to bring up an old thread but i have some new development. i sent the psu back to silverstone to be repaired and a month later they finally shipped it back. unfortunately, my problem was not fixed. so i ordered a new motherboard (asus 750i sli), and hopefully that will solve my problem. a quick question though. i have an oem copy of vista home premium...is the change of the motherboard going to unvalidate the copy?