Corsair AX860 failure in process?

[Q-BZ]

Installed late 2013. Been running like a champ.

Today this symptom shows up out nowhere: Fire up game, play, get about 2 minute, black screen and the reset and the computer freezes on the prompt and tells me that Asus's anti surge protection kicked in for the mother board and essentially blames the PSU in the message. I've tested this across several different games.

I would have to think this virtually guarantees an issue with the PSU wouldn't it? I

I'm amazed that I can even turn the computer on and use it like I am right now but the confidence level is gone.

So should I get ready for a PSU replacement? Should I be perplexed to have this happen shy of the three mark is it just "one of those things?"

Anything or any other way I can check anything on this to be sure?


I've been happy with it and barring something ridiculous I'd probably just stick with what I know and get another one: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00A0HZMKG/ref=ox_sc_act_title_1?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER

What do you all think?

 

[Dreamerbydesign]

Are you using a UPS? Could be an issue with brown power. Do you have multiple other high draw electrical devices on the same breaker? Sounds like a power fluctation issue before the PSU. Although yes it may be the PSU.

Also, my AX850 came with a 10 year warranty back in the day, you may have a warranty left if you are the original owner. 3 years isnt much for a Corsair PSU.

 

[Q-BZ]

Are you using a UPS? Could be an issue with brown power. Do you have multiple other high draw electrical devices on the same breaker? Sounds like a power fluctation issue before the PSU. Although yes it may be the PSU.

Yes I'm using a UPS. It's not inconceivable this could be a UPS issue instead?

I'm using this: Amazon.com: APC BR1500G Back-UPS Pro 1500VA 10-outlet Uninterruptible Power Supply: Electronics


I checked it for alert messages and I don't see anything out of the ordinary but that may not tell the tale.

I've been seeing that brand has a lot of mixed feedback now compared to what once was. Is APC still a good brand or if I end up having to replace this... and I'd rather have to do that if I had to have a problem... what are good/better brands for a comparable UPS?



Best of my knowledge the breaker is not even being overtaxed.

Also, my AX850 came with a 10 year warranty bk in the day, you may have a warranty left if you are the original owner. 3 years isnt much for a Corsair PSU.

I am the original owner. Maingear built the machine for me and I am still under their warranty. I'm going to call them tomorrow morning.

 

[Q-BZ]

I took it off the UPS and it's the same thing. Any raise in demand whether it be high rez images in Adobe or a videogame and within 2 minutes, tops, it's this.

I guess it's off to chasing the ghost in the machine.

 

[Quix]

It sounds like what happens when you have a seriously underpowered power supply so that's the direction I'd lean.

 

[Q-BZ]

It sounds like what happens when you have a seriously underpowered power supply so that's the direction I'd lean.

Talked to Maingear and doing the troubleshooting steps.

Going to get a 3 pronged Circuit tester to see if there is an electrical issue at least on that specific outlet.

He did say that some people on Asus forums ran into this issue and turned off the Motherboard's antisurge warning system... at their own risk but there is a wildcard bugaboo issue out there. Not going to do that until we go through the other hoops. If it all checks out and I get a new PSU and still see this, then we do that.




EDIT ADD: Electrical checked out. No problems.


It seems that they are very hesitant to have me update the BIOS. It's at 0605 and the newest is 1603. I'm certainly very sympathetic and conserative about BIOS updrades myself.

So what happens next is I'm going to call them back, tell them this, and they will send me a new PSU under warranty. I have a crew of guys here that can help me install it because I'm a bit noobish when it comes to dealing with those. If this problem continues past that then we will disable that Asus motherboard feature and be on our way.

Anyone want to chime in on this?

 

[Fractal Design NA]

I had this error suddenly start happening on one of my machines a couple years back, and in my case replacing the PSU solved the problem. I did upgrade to a higher wattage while I was at it, but I doubt it was browning out since it seemed to happen more or less at random whether in-game or just idling on the desktop, and the frequency of the failures increased pretty quickly before it finally gave up the ghost.

 

[Q-BZ]

I had this error suddenly start happening on one of my machines a couple years back, and in my case replacing the PSU solved the problem. I did upgrade to a higher wattage while I was at it, but I doubt it was browning out since it seemed to happen more or less at random whether in-game or just idling on the desktop, and the frequency of the failures increased pretty quickly before it finally gave up the ghost.

Dumb and paranoid questions:

1.) If I were using a flycam tool in certain videogames like Dragon Age 3 and such and blowing it up to 8K for a few seconds to take screenshots.... would activity like that be "too risky/harmful" and overtax my machine? Would I be raising wattage and demand past what I should doing things like this?


I'm really trying to cover any and all bases including potential user error. My PSU replacement is on the way. I should have it by tomorrow.

In hindsight, the browning out and anamolies you all have described suggests to me that this issue may have been slow and burgenoning for the past few weeks. Not certain.


2.) Could the UPS have created this problem? (I doubt it but it's a longshot)

 

[Tsumi]

The AX 860 is fully modular, so if you get the same model PSU, you can just unplug it at the PSU side and swap it out. Piece of cake.

I don't see your system specs. What do you have?

 

[Q-BZ]

The AX 860 is fully modular, so if you get the same model PSU, you can just unplug it at the PSU side and swap it out. Piece of cake.

I don't see your system specs. What do you have?

Intel i7-4770K
16GB DDR3 1600
GTX 980Ti
PSU Corsair AX 860
Win7 60 Pro
Samsung 840Pro SSD as main drive
Western Digital Black Caviar as storage drive

 

[Tsumi]

You shouldn't be drawing more than 550 watts with that setup. Realistically 400 watts max at stock, and gaming overclocked under 500 watts.