How to tell if a PSU has degraded over time

[BugFreak]

I've been using the same Seasonic 1000w PSU for probably close to 15 years and while it works fine I'm starting to wonder about its lifespan. I'm in the process of a new build so before I get too far in and get the PSU all wired up I would like to test it for degradation. Is there a way to do this short of waiting for the pc to get unstable?

 

[JLK03F150]

I guess you could open it up & take a look at the capacitors to see if they are swollen or bulging. The caps & the fan are the only items I can think of that are easily checked without a jonnyguru test rig.

 

[stompah]

Sometimes in life it is better replace something that may be suspected to be near end of life. Even if it tests fine today, it may not like the new load you put on it after some time. You said it yourself, it is easier to do it now than after you complete the new build.