• Welcome to Overclockers Forums! Join us to reply in threads, receive reduced ads, and to customize your site experience!

How hard or dangerous is rebuilding a PSU? Scrap the AX1200i or rebuild?

Overclockers is supported by our readers. When you click a link to make a purchase, we may earn a commission. Learn More.

BuRgLaR

Member
Joined
Nov 10, 2014
Location
Mobile,Alabama
So my AX1200i at the bare minimum popped a cap and I saw an obvious flash of spark or fire shoot out one of the empty modular plug outlets.

I'd hate to scrap this things as it still I believe it is still around a $300 PSU but what dangers or complications exist in something as desoldering a cap and replacing it and what else could it have killed?

I'm damn good with working on electronics but a pc power supply would be my first attempt.
 
As long as you don't bridge any solder you should be fine.. But as the others said, no need to bother, just RMA it.
 
You don't need to be doing such things...RMA the PSU.

Buy an evga g3 850 (appropriately sized, not a 1.2Kw monster... 850 is plenty going off your build thread) and sell the rma unit.
 
Last edited:
What dangers exist? Well if you're as comfortable with electronics as you claim then you know that failing to ground out one of those caps prior to replacing them can take your life. To my reasoning, even if an RMA is out of the question, my life and limb are worth more than the cost of a PSU.
 
So my AX1200i at the bare minimum popped a cap and I saw an obvious flash of spark or fire shoot out one of the empty modular plug outlets.

I'd hate to scrap this things as it still I believe it is still around a $300 PSU but what dangers or complications exist in something as desoldering a cap and replacing it and what else could it have killed?

I'm damn good with working on electronics but a pc power supply would be my first attempt.

Good advice posted here and my reasoning is also "If you have to ask perhaps you shouldn't try it." Too many don't realize that there is enough dormant power in them to stop your heart.
 
Last edited:
Problem is that I got a sweetheart deal or what I thought from a 3rd party reseller on Newegg and little did I know or read that from them it only has a 1 year warranty.

I got the thing back in 2016 because I was planning a tri/ quad titan build but funds went to hell due to children,medical emergencies and other things.


Thinking I was doing good saving $100+ on a top of the line PSU ended up costing me a lot more money as when this thing went it also took one of my 970's with it.

I'm assuming that warranty doesn't transfer from the original had I paid attention to the warranty specs on Newegg I wouldn't have gotten screwed


I simply don't need anything that massive for my current build as under heavy heavy load it only pulls around 650-700ish watts and it'll be overkill for my upcoming.
 
Last edited:
We're still pretty early in 2017, can you try getting the seller to take care of it? If you bought it before 2/4/16 contact them. You might get lucky!
 
As other have said, if under warranty, send it back for repairs. If you wish to DIY, then repairing blown caps is not hard (but you must ensure that the primary caps are discharged; use a light-bulb). However, these days power supplies are a bit more complicated with DC-DC converters etc, so there are no guarantees that a capacitor replacement alone will fix all problems. Check my sig for re-capping links. I would however, recommend an RMA if under warranty.
 
Problem is that I got a sweetheart deal or what I thought from a 3rd party reseller on Newegg and little did I know or read that from them it only has a 1 year warranty.

I got the thing back in 2016 because I was planning a tri/ quad titan build but funds went to hell due to children,medical emergencies and other things.


Thinking I was doing good saving $100+ on a top of the line PSU ended up costing me a lot more money as when this thing went it also took one of my 970's with it.

I'm assuming that warranty doesn't transfer from the original had I paid attention to the warranty specs on Newegg I wouldn't have gotten screwed


I simply don't need anything that massive for my current build as under heavy heavy load it only pulls around 650-700ish watts and it'll be overkill for my upcoming.

I believe it is a manufacturer warranty, never mind where you bought it from as soon as the invoice is less than 10 years old.
 
last time I had to rma a corsair unit they didnt ask for invoice just the s/n and checked them self .
 
Yeah Corsair support has been totally useless in this matter.

I thought the 10 year warranty was exactly that regardless of reseller but from what Corsair is telling me it's all bull****.

I'm pissed off because I've spent hundreds maybe thousands on Corsair parts over the years and this is how I'm being treated

Corsair.png




Total garbage......
 
Manufacture warranty is manufacture warranty...

I'd open up an email thread with a customer rep rather than a chat. That way you can have some history and they can't "lose" your ticket or whatever. You should remind them that this is a defect of their product and does not void warranty. In fact, this is the very reason they have 10yr factory warranty. Caps are not suppose to pop in PSUs... ever.
 
Manufacture warranty is manufacture warranty...

I'd open up an email thread with a customer rep rather than a chat. That way you can have some history and they can't "lose" your ticket or whatever. You should remind them that this is a defect of their product and does not void warranty. In fact, this is the very reason they have 10yr factory warranty. Caps are not suppose to pop in PSUs... ever.

Yeah because I've opened up one support ticket and another live chat session and BOTH times they have denied their responsibility to replace the unit OR EVEN REPAIR the unit

I can't believe Corsair customer support is this bad considering how much their products cost.


Sad


I'm only guessing it was popped cap as that's the only time I've ever heard that noise and seen sparks/flames shoot from a PSU.

A ****ty Ultra LSP PSU I had years ago did the same thing and was 1/5 as much
 
It sounds like you bought a refurb unit and Corsair has already stricken that S/N.

If this is the case I don't really see how this is Corsairs problem.
 
Another possible reason could be if this was a review sample. They may not cover their warranty for that too. Not saying this is the case here but it's a possibility.
 
It sounds like you bought a refurb unit and Corsair has already stricken that S/N.

If this is the case I don't really see how this is Corsairs problem.

Problem is that I got a sweetheart deal or what I thought from a 3rd party reseller on Newegg and little did I know or read that from them it only has a 1 year warranty.

I got the thing back in 2016 because I was planning a tri/ quad titan build but funds went to hell due to children,medical emergencies and other things.


Thinking I was doing good saving $100+ on a top of the line PSU ended up costing me a lot more money as when this thing went it also took one of my 970's with it.

I'm assuming that warranty doesn't transfer from the original had I paid attention to the warranty specs on Newegg I wouldn't have gotten screwed


I simply don't need anything that massive for my current build as under heavy heavy load it only pulls around 650-700ish watts and it'll be overkill for my upcoming.

I have had the distinct feeling that the whole story is not included but refrained from commenting until more "facts" were posted. The first line in your quote is what is confusing to me where I highlighted it.

BuRgLaR, was your power supply bought new from retail? Do you have that receipt?
 
I have had the distinct feeling that the whole story is not included but refrained from commenting until more "facts" were posted. The first line in your quote is what is confusing to me where I highlighted it.

BuRgLaR, was your power supply bought new from retail? Do you have that receipt?

So what you're telling me is once Corsair rebuilds a unit it totally voids out the 10 year manufacturer's warranty against defects?

I didn't get that far along in the "fine print"

I always...perhaps incorrectly assumed that manufacturer's warranties for PSU's started from the original date of manufacture so if a unit was made in say July 2008 and had a 10 year warranty that it would expire July 2018.
 
Back