Antec True 430...Blew up!!!

[khagan]

okay...so I went and paid the big bucks for a good p/s for a new computer....last night I came home, switched the bad boy on and after about 5 minutes I started to hear a noise like a fan wasn't spinning right. I leaned down to look in my case (has a window) and the bloody p/s gives this almightly BANG!! ...the smell of smoke was the next thing I notice after I changed my pants!

Now the irony of the situation is that becasue I bought the flash , souped-up p/s it didn't pulse through my entire system and nothing else seems to be damage. I checked everything with my cheap $12 p/s that is still taking one for the team.

Now my question would be should I replace the p/s with another Antec? Did I just get unlucky? Or should I look at another brand?

Any advice would be appreciated

thanks.

[Deathknight]

:eek: :eek: :eek: Probably just unlucky but I can see how you would want to try something else... Not sure what you paid for the true430 but a fotron 530 is in about the same price range if you decide to switch.

[MuEagle05]

It's rare you hear of that happening. Must just be a bad egg :-( Antec does make quality p/s. I love my 430w. I recommend just RMA-ing it.

[BrianS]

yes RMA it, don't waste your money, it was a fluke

[heavy1]

Khagan,

By any chance, did yours have the blue led on it?

The reason I ask is, if you look at the reviews at newegg for the 480 with LED, you'll see about 4 or 5 people who had them explode. And in their case, they werent so lucky. Some of them lost a motherbopard and cpu as well.

http://secure.newegg.com/app/CustratingReview.asp?item=17-103-914

I'm no PSU expert, and I'm sure the Antecs are excellent, but that reason right there is what steered me away from them. I'm currently waiting for my fortron 460 to be delivered.

[Steven4563]

:eek: i havent got my psu yet i was looking at the 430watt or the 480watt with the LED but now i think im gona get something else like a fortron or something

[Redstone]

Antec's do not have a reputation of blowing up. They would not be so popular around here if Antec had an inferior product line. You just got a lemon. You're more likely to win the lottery than have your replacement do the same thing.
Go with the suggested Fortron if you are nervous, they are really good as well.

[cbakey]

Stay with the antec i had a fortron 350w and it distoryed my system and i caled fortron about it and they never got back to me evan after i called multiple times and emailed.

[OSUmaxx]

Stick with Antec. I have a 430 and a 480 blue, and both are chugging away full load 24/7.

[khagan]

I don' t (didn't) have the blue LED antec, and I think I will run the guantlet again and get a replacement 430....wish me luck :)

[Redstone]

Stay with the antec i had a fortron 350w and it distoryed my system and i caled fortron about it and they never got back to me evan after i called multiple times and emailed.

Interesting about Fortron.
My experience with Antec so far has been great. I have only called for info or to buy individual parts on my case, but have been able to speak with an actual human almost every time. The one time I had to leave a message, they called back the same day.

[Deathknight]

Originally posted by khagan
I don' t (didn't) have the blue LED antec, and I think I will run the guantlet again and get a replacement 430....wish me luck :)

Hehe back on the saddle again. GL :D

[elec.tron]

Yup, same thing happened to me about 3 weeks ago, got up, booted the computer (4:30AM), and during post sequence my TP 550 went off, in the space of maybe 1.5 seconds 4/5 explosions, not pops, explosions, smoke, ect (I suspect for some reason the capacitors blew up). Took my A7N8X Deluxe with it, but Ram/Video card are fine (thank god). Ah well, good excuse to pick up Abit NF7-S. Also replaced TP 550 with TC 550, Antec's good stuff, last one was just a fluke of some sort i'm guessing. Am RMA'ing both, we'll see what Antec/Asus say.
elec.tron

[khagan]

...just an observation, but here seem to be quite a few "flukes" with these Antecs!

[heavy1]

Thats what I'm saying.

Far be it from me to start an argument but it sure seems like there are alot of unlucky "flukes"

Stories I've read about exploding Antecs = 7
Stories I've read about exploding Fortrons = 0

Thats all I know and as stated above, I'm no expert but this info was enough to make me think twice...

[Deathknight]

Heh I find it interesting that I have never seen a post regarding an exploding antec before but when one person does post about it it seems like people are coming out of the woodwork saying that theirs did too. Is there some kind of coverup going on here? :D

[Oklahoma Wolf]

Let's not forget how popular these Antecs have gotten... I figured we'd be seeing a few bad eggs with how many of them were out there ;)

[Deathknight]

Yeah its a given that some supplies will be bad apples. I just found it odd that either nobody was posting about them or I hadn't seen them and now it seems like people are coming out of the woodwork.

[Oklahoma Wolf]

True enough... it does seem to be a recent thing. I wonder if the QC over at Channel Well isn't dropping just a bit, but it's probably just as likely the amount of failures with these is acceptable to them.

[elec.tron]

Well the strange thing is there were bug parts in the bottom of the case, wing pieces, and leg pieces that weren't there the night before when the system was shut down (case cover was off for added cooling). This was one big bug judging from what was left of it. I'm wondering if it's possible it got sucked into the PSU cooling fan and somehow shorted something out??? There was no evidence of bug splatter on the SLK 800 when I pulled the fan off (how it may have gotten past the tornado I have no idea hehheh), but unfortunatly if I pull the PSU apart to confirm this, any possible warranty goes out the window. Anyone ever heard of anything like this before??? Anyhow just a thought.
elec.tron

[Deathknight]

Heh thats an expensive bug zapper.

[Oklahoma Wolf]

Originally posted by elec.tron
Anyone ever heard of anything like this before???

See this thread: http://forum.oc-forums.com/vb/showthread.php?s=&threadid=210349

[Maddog69]

My Antec 430W is running just fine, I would not trade it , just replace it --But ask for it to be tested just prior to shipping!

[elec.tron]

Originally posted by Oklahoma Wolf


See this thread: http://forum.oc-forums.com/vb/showthread.php?s=&threadid=210349

Yuck.....but at least his MB survived!!! Like I said though, great excuse to pick up a NF7-S, hehheh.
elec.tron

[cbakey]

Originally posted by heavy1
Thats what I'm saying.

Far be it from me to start an argument but it sure seems like there are alot of unlucky "flukes"

Stories I've read about exploding Antecs = 7
Stories I've read about exploding Fortrons = 0

Thats all I know and as stated above, I'm no expert but this info was enough to make me think twice...

Did you not read my post? there should be at least ONE Fortron, it runined Two of my mother boards A7N8X and a GA-7dx it also took my GF2 out, and 2 sticks of kingston value ram pc-2100 and cost me total OUT of my pocket about $400 that i didnt and still dont have, i had to boarrow that money to get replecment parts becouse i need this computer for school work and i talked to a person at fortron about this and they said that the proper person would contcat me and he never did, i fallowed up by emailing him and calling his extion and never got a responce! So Fortrons also have there problems. :mad:

[elec.tron]

and i talked to a person at fortron about this and they said that the proper person would contcat me and he never did, i fallowed up by emailing him and calling his extion and never got a responce!

I talked to the Antec RMA rep (510-770-1200ext330), earlier today and he indicated to me that if for some reason Asus refused to replace my MB, Antec would do so gladly. This assumes of course its a PSU defect/problem. If it was a bug that killed it who knows what they'll do???
elec.tron

[nikhsub1]

Hmm, I have had this happen to me with a different PSU and the cause was an empty molex touching the bare case. A screw-end somehow found it's way into the molex and blew the PSU.

[Deathknight]

Originally posted by nikhsub1
Hmm, I have had this happen to me with a different PSU and the cause was an empty molex touching the bare case. A screw-end somehow found it's way into the molex and blew the PSU.

My PC Power & Cooling PSU came with caps for some of the molexes to cover them if they were not in use. IMHO all PSUs should come with these...

[khagan]

wow...looks like I opened a can of worms :) I am still getting the 430 as a replacement...this time.

[elec.tron]

Originally posted by khagan
wow...looks like I opened a can of worms :) I am still getting the 430 as a replacement...this time.

Yeah, you did stir the pot a bit hehheh, but making informed buying decisions is one of the reasons O/C forums exist. Had a dozen other peeps chimed in with exploding Antec PSU stories I might possibly regret immediately purchasing another one. But I still believe Antec puts out a great product, especially since they offered to replace my MB.:p I don't think it matters what you manufacture, some are gonna slip through the cracks.
elec.tron

[emericanchaos]

i'll chime in on this. i've had my TP 550 for over a year with absolutely no problems. my neighbor (cbakey) was in the market for a new PSU so i mentioned the fortron as a cheap replacement that is supposed to be reliable. it ended up damaging the $400 worth of hardware he lost plus his back up hardware plus my memory that was in it when it decided to blow. that's almost $1000 worth of hardware. for the money you're better off spending the extra $30 for a true power. you really do get what you pay for.

[stereo555]

Originally posted by elec.tron


Yeah, you did stir the pot a bit hehheh, but making informed buying decisions is one of the reasons O/C forums exist. Had a dozen other peeps chimed in with exploding Antec PSU stories I might possibly regret immediately purchasing another one. But I still believe Antec puts out a great product, especially since they offered to replace my MB.:p I don't think it matters what you manufacture, some are gonna slip through the cracks.
elec.tron

I gotta add ..... I sold a buddy of mine my brand new TP430 out of my 1080/AMG case as I went with a TP550 for my system ( TP550 still running strong for the last year by the way:D) ; well my buddy blew up the the TP430 a few weeks back (not sure how , but hes not that brite on computers , but I fiqured out he used one the fan molexes for the floppy drive :rolleyes: ) so since the original receipt/purchase was in my name and address , I was asked by my buddy to call Antec for a replacement .


I had NO problems at all with getting an RMA number from Antec and received a BRAND NEW ( not a refurb ) TP430 with in only 3 days after my RMA was received !!! Pretty good customer service from Antec if you ask me .

*edit*
(by the way NO damage at all to any other part of my buddies system , except the floppy drive , lol )

My .02

[Deathknight]

Originally posted by emericanchaos
for the money you're better off spending the extra $30 for a true power. you really do get what you pay for.

No offense but a sample size of 1 of each brand is hardly a fair comparison...