fryed psu?

[creepy]

I just got my powmax 500w psu in the mail today. I messed with it on my new system etc which turned out to not work. I flipped the red switch on the thing and after about 5 seconds there was a big flash inside and I smelled alittle burning and smoke it now doesnt work. Did I fry it or what? I think its really messed up how that happend because it should be able to take that much power or whatever I changed correct.

[larva]

Electronic components are reliant on the magic smoke contained within for their function. Once you let the magic smoke out, they no longer work. Often releasing the magic smoke will be accompanied by the emission of a stink and occasionally a bright light (as you have seen) as to make the occurance of the event obvious.

I assume you bought the Powmax because it was cheap and it had big numbers pasted all over it. I hope you can see this for the mistake it was now. Buy a quality power supply if you value your PC's function or the expensive components you hook to the power supply. You may have already damaged something else, but you won't know until you get a working power supply and try to fire it up (no pun intended... I think).

There is an exceedingly short list of power supplies that are both affordable and are of high quality with output adequate for a PC of modern porportions. For AXP's at 2.5GHz or less, with less than 2V Vcore, or P4s at 3.2GHz or less, I recommend the Forton 350W model. Granted 350 is not as large a number as 500, but the Fortron units have especially good magic smoke-retention properties. This is vastly more important than the number pasted on the side.

For more ambitious rigs, you need to move to the Fotron 530, or the Antec True Power 430 or larger. Both Fortron and Antec can be purchased from newegg, although directron has better prices on the True Powers.

[sandman001]

Is it just me, or did he turn the switch which would make it 220Volts instead of the standard american 110volts.

Or it's something like that.

[creepy]

yes,i switched that little red switch that made it go from 110 to 230 (well 230 on my current psu anyway) i didnt think it would make a difference considering i have this one set at 230 right now.

[larva]

Originally posted by sandman001
Is it just me, or did he turn the switch which would make it 220Volts instead of the standard american 110volts.

Or it's something like that.

oO, good call... but Powmax is still junk to be avoided.

[creepy]

yup,i never will buy that junk again. I still dont see why they would put that switch on there if it couldnt support it....bunch of homos thats all i have to say

[larva]

Originally posted by creepy
yes,i switched that little red switch that made it go from 110 to 230 (well 230 on my current psu anyway) i didnt think it would make a difference considering i have this one set at 230 right now.

That switch is there to set the supply for the electrical system you are powering it with. Just because you selected 220V does not magically convert the output of your wall socket from 110 to 220V. It can indeed fry the supply to have the switch set incorrectly. The switch is there for good reason though. There are 220V electrical systems both here and abroad. Not having the switch would restrict its use to 110V systems, which is a needlessly limiting situation.

My advice is still the same thoug. Don't buy Powmax. I don't care what they claim, it won't make anything lile 500W of electrical power. 500W of heat maybe, but not power.

[sandman001]

While i agree with larva that it's best to buy namebrand supplies that you know are good quality. Some of the "not as good" power supplies will still do fine as long as you don't push them to thier limits.

Like me, I have a 450watt foxconn/allied/not as good power supply. However, I haven't pushed it all the way to it's limits, so it's still doing fine.

But, I am going to replace it after I buy the last of my watercooling stuff. I'm eyeing the 530watt fortron at the moment.

[pummer]

Originally posted by creepy
yup,i never will buy that junk again. I still dont see why they would put that switch on there if it couldnt support it....bunch of homos thats all i have to say

yes, the 220 (or 230) is there so that the computer can be plugged into 220v outlets, mostly overseas. I have no idea how your current PSU is functioning set at 220.

[creepy]

Originally posted by pummer


yes, the 220 (or 230) is there so that the computer can be plugged into 220v outlets, mostly overseas. I have no idea how your current PSU is functioning set at 220.


Nor do I. I found it pretty weird ill even give you guys pics if you want. Thats the reason I figured it would be ok to flip the switch on the powmax I figured ok this one can handle it why coulnd the other. But anyway I called tigerdirect and let them know what happend etc adn they said they would give me a replacement.