Dead BFG ES 800?

Pyroja

Pyroja

Gawd
Joined
Jan 4, 2005
Messages
594
Hey folks. I have a tale of woe and despair.

My desktop of more than two years is dead :(

A few months ago, I had a power issue. My system just wouldn't turn on. No matter what I did, no power was coming to the motherboard. No lights lit up. Nothin'. I swapped my PSU to a different (much older) machine with the same result. So I swapped it back. Bam, it worked again.

Weird, yea? But after that, it never acted up. So I continued to use the system without a second thought. Fast forward to a couple weeks ago. My trusty GPU (XFX nVidia GTX260 Back Edition) begins acting up. Hard locking at high settings, like it's overheating, but without the overheating part. No artifacts, no wonky behavior, just.. Hard lock. I could run FurMark at 800x600 all day long, but at 1680x1050, it would crash in about 2 seconds. Contacted XFX support and an RMA is about to get rolling.

Fast forward to last night. Went to power up my rig, when disaster struck. As soon I pushed the power button, BANG! Something popped and the system went dark. Oh no...

I pulled everything apart. Removed all pieces, looking for scorching, smelling for magic smoke, hunting for damage.. I'm found nothing. No blown caps. No smoked processors. No blitzed RAM.

I turned my attention to the PSU. I put it in one of my spare P4 machines... No joy. Crappy Dell PSU works fine, but no such love from the BFG. Plugged Dell into mobo (well, as best as one can, anyhow. It doesn't have all of the connections necessary). Mobo lights up. I push power button. System doesn't start, but the PSU fan starts blowing. I hold power button to force shutdown. PSU fan stops blowing. That's more reaction than I get from the BFG. With the BFG in, mobo lights up, but there's no response to power buttons. No fan spinning, nothing.

So, I'm thinking I'm looking at a dead (And no longer lifetime warrantied) BFG PSU. I thought, maybe, perhaps, possibly I blew the CPU with 1.5v, but that seemed a little out there, and I pulled it an it looks fine to the untrained eye.

I wish I know if the PSU had a fuse, and if so, how to get to it...

TL;DR version: Computer done blow'd up. PSU don't give no power to my old box. Sound like a dead PSU to you guys?

I'm planning on buying some from the FS/FT forums to replace if this is the case. I just hope it didn't take the rest of the system down with it.
 
Your problem does sound like a blown PSU to me.

I wish I know if the PSU had a fuse, and if so, how to get to it...
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You can usually get inside PSUs relatively easilly, in my experience you just remove a couple of screws and the lid comes off. I doubt it's a blown fuse though at least not a fuse of the conventional easy to replace sort. The only place i'd expect to see one of those in a PSU is at the mains intake and if a fuse had blown there i'd expect standby power to be dead as well.
 
Yea, I opened it up and couldn't find anything. Next step: New PSU!
 
So I was thinking of replacing the ES800 with a 1000w Ultra X3. Sound decision, or are there better options out there? The X3 would cost me around $140. I know it's been out for awhile, and I haven't been on the up and up with PSUs, I just want something that's quiet and won't blow up on me.

I'd prefer it to serve me for years to come, much like my Corsair HX520 that has several years on it without any issue.
 
If you're gonna drop that much cash on a PSU, I would suggest a high wattage Corsair. Personal experience/opinion is that they just can't be beat with reliability and quality. I know there's users on this forum that would disagree, and I've heard good things about the X3's, but personally I'm just more comfortable with a corsair unit powering my hardware. Just my .02 cents.
 
Don't get the Ultra. It would be pointless considering the other options on the market. In fact, for your PC, I wouldn't get anything more than a ~500W PSU. Getting a 1kW unit would just be a pointless expenditure of money.
 
You may want to try a credit card "billing error" chargeback (mailed to the special address for billing problems) because you bought both a product and also a lifetime warranty, and at the time of purchase you had no way of knowing there would be no warranty. It's been done successfully.

The PSU has at least one fuse. Trace out the AC power lines until you come to something that's not a disk capacitor, boxy capacitor, or coil. If you don't see a glass tube with two chrome ends, it's probably inside some charcoal grey shrink wrap tubing. HardwareSecrets.com has detailed photos of PSU innards that may be of help. However if a fuse popped, there's a good chance a high voltage transistor (power factor correction or oscillator circuit) has shorted and needs replacement. OTOH an intact fuse usually points to a problem on the low voltage side, like a transistor or diode on the heatsink closest to all the cables that go to the mobo, disk drives, and graphics card. You probably won't see any defects and will need to inspect components with a multimeter's ohms or diode check function (never apply AC when the cover is removed). The easiest way to access the big transistors and diodes is by unsoldering all of them and removing their heatsink. Be sure to install the right electrical insulation on any replacement diode or transistor, especially high voltage ones, because it varies by the type of packaging (nothing, insulator sheet, or insulator sheet plus nylon flanged washer). Don't operate the PSU except with its cover installed, including all the screws.

The biggest cost of a DIY repair will probably be the shipping charge for the parts. Mouser, Digi-Key, and B&D Enterprises are good sources.
 
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Zero82z said:
Don't get the Ultra. It would be pointless considering the other options on the market. In fact, for your PC, I wouldn't get anything more than a ~500W PSU. Getting a 1kW unit would just be a pointless expenditure of money.
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This, the pc in your sig will not pull over 400w with everything maxed.
 
caniba said:
This, the pc in your sig will not pull over 400w with everything maxed.
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Woah, advocating against overkill? I must be mistaken, I thought this was [H]ardOCP.

Really though, the idea here is to get something that will last me. Why would I step down from what I (used to) have?
 
Pyroja said:
Woah, advocating against overkill? I must be mistaken, I thought this was [H]ardOCP.

Really though, the idea here is to get something that will last me. Why would I step down from what I (used to) have?
Click to expand...

A PSU supplies electricity to your components. It does nothing for performance. I have a very similar setup as your in one of my builds and it is running a corsair 450. All you need is a reliable PSU (Corsair, Seasonic) that meets the needs of your system. There is no point in spending an extra 100 bucks on a psu when you will get no benefit at all.

Now if you are looking to upgrade your system in the near future and want to use the same psu, you will need to think about the power needs of that system.

BTW, optimizing a pc for best performance is good. Overkill is bad = pissing money down the toilet. However, in the end it is your money and your choice.
 
I know full well what a PSU does, and yes, the plan is to have the PSU last me an upgrade or two. I was planning on a major upgrade by the end of the year, actually. I've had my old Corsair for several years now, and that was the plan with the BFG. But it had to go die on me. Personally, I'd rather demand 400w from an 800w PSU than a 500w one.

So the Ultra isn't the best buy, ok. I can see that. Corsair AX850 looks like the current favorite in that class, yea?
 
Zero82z said:
Because there's absolutely no point in not doing so.
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That would kinda make sense to me if I was only ever to use the PSU with my current setup, but that's not the plan. I want this thing to last me years. I don't want to upgrade (which I'll be doing within the year) and go "Oh, I need a new PSU now. That darn 500w won't be enough." I don't want to lose overclock potential because I didn't have the most solid PSU I could afford (which was my situation before I had the Corsair).

I bought a unit in a certain class for these reasons. I thought I had a part that would last me years, but it didn't. Sucks to be me. But I had a (what I thought was) solid 800w PSU before, I want a solid 800ish watt PSU to replace it. If that means going down to 750, ok, I can deal with that. If there's a good deal on something with higher output, I'll jump on it. That's why I was looking at that Ultra. It was a 1000w unit from a reputable brand for a decent price. Clearly, not the best choice in that range, though. That's why I asked.

If if takes a few more bucks to get something like an AX850, I'm down for that. I'm not looking for a 500w or 600w PSU. I'm not looking for something specifically and only for the rig in my sig. I'm looking for something that will perform well now, and perform well a couple upgrades from now, too.

Besides the horror of spending a few extra bucks, how can I possibly go wrong with an ~800w unit?
 
larrymoencurly said:
You may want to try a credit card "billing error" chargeback (mailed to the special address for billing problems) because you bought both a product and also a lifetime warranty, and at the time of purchase you had no way of knowing there would be no warranty. It's been done successfully.

The PSU has at least one fuse. Trace out the AC power lines until you come to something that's not a disk capacitor, boxy capacitor, or coil. If you don't see a glass tube with two chrome ends, it's probably inside some charcoal grey shrink wrap tubing. HardwareSecrets.com has detailed photos of PSU innards that may be of help. However if a fuse popped, there's a good chance a high voltage transistor (power factor correction or oscillator circuit) has shorted and needs replacement. OTOH an intact fuse usually points to a problem on the low voltage side, like a transistor or diode on the heatsink closest to all the cables that go to the mobo, disk drives, and graphics card. You probably won't see any defects and will need to inspect components with a multimeter's ohms or diode check function (never apply AC when the cover is removed). The easiest way to access the big transistors and diodes is by unsoldering all of them and removing their heatsink. Be sure to install the right electrical insulation on any replacement diode or transistor, especially high voltage ones, because it varies by the type of packaging (nothing, insulator sheet, or insulator sheet plus nylon flanged washer). Don't operate the PSU except with its cover installed, including all the screws.

The biggest cost of a DIY repair will probably be the shipping charge for the parts. Mouser, Digi-Key, and B&D Enterprises are good sources.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the info. I won't be putting the BFG back into my system, but I may take up the challenge of investigating/replacing parts just for kicks. I figure... I want to get an EE degree, so this should be something I should be able to learn.
 
Pyroja said:
That would kinda make sense to me if I was only ever to use the PSU with my current setup, but that's not the plan. I want this thing to last me years. I don't want to upgrade (which I'll be doing within the year) and go "Oh, I need a new PSU now. That darn 500w won't be enough." I don't want to lose overclock potential because I didn't have the most solid PSU I could afford (which was my situation before I had the Corsair).

I bought a unit in a certain class for these reasons. I thought I had a part that would last me years, but it didn't. Sucks to be me. But I had a (what I thought was) solid 800w PSU before, I want a solid 800ish watt PSU to replace it. If that means going down to 750, ok, I can deal with that. If there's a good deal on something with higher output, I'll jump on it. That's why I was looking at that Ultra. It was a 1000w unit from a reputable brand for a decent price. Clearly, not the best choice in that range, though. That's why I asked.

If if takes a few more bucks to get something like an AX850, I'm down for that. I'm not looking for a 500w or 600w PSU. I'm not looking for something specifically and only for the rig in my sig. I'm looking for something that will perform well now, and perform well a couple upgrades from now, too.

Besides the horror of spending a few extra bucks, how can I possibly go wrong with an ~800w unit?
Click to expand...
There's nothing wrong with getting an 800W PSU, but I dislike the idea of getting a PSU for "future upgrades" without any definite plans. Keep in mind that if you buy a lower-wattage unit now, you'll be able to sell your current PC along with that PSU once you upgrade, and by that time there may be better units on the market, or at the very least, the existing ones will probably be less expensive.
 
Depending on what you plan to upgrade to, I would probably recommend the Seasonic X750 for an SLI/crossfire system, X650 for a non-SLI/crossfire system. There simply is no need for a larger than 650 watt power supply for any non-SLI system (unless you plan to run Peltier cooling, have 50 fans or more, run more than 20 hard drives, etc). Yes, dual graphics cards (like the upcoming GTX 590 and HD6990) count as an SLI system.
 
Zero82z said:
There's nothing wrong with getting an 800W PSU, but I dislike the idea of getting a PSU for "future upgrades" without any definite plans. Keep in mind that if you buy a lower-wattage unit now, you'll be able to sell your current PC along with that PSU once you upgrade, and by that time there may be better units on the market, or at the very least, the existing ones will probably be less expensive.
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Tsumi said:
Depending on what you plan to upgrade to, I would probably recommend the Seasonic X750 for an SLI/crossfire system, X650 for a non-SLI/crossfire system. There simply is no need for a larger than 650 watt power supply for any non-SLI system (unless you plan to run Peltier cooling, have 50 fans or more, run more than 20 hard drives, etc). Yes, dual graphics cards (like the upcoming GTX 590 and HD6990) count as an SLI system.
Click to expand...

I don't tend to sell my old systems (the one time I did, it was to my employer, and it's the one I use everyday at work, which has that Corsair HX520 in it), but I do understand the consideration. I usually just build another box from whatever spares I have.

If I were to do my upgrade now, I'd probably for an OC'd 2600k and a 6950 2GB. But I'll probably wait awhile (I like to upgrade around Black Friday/Cyber Monday) as my system now isn't exactly sluggish.

I've been thinking about giving dual GPUs a try this time around, but it's just a thought. I know, as it stands, I don't need a beefy PSU for my system. I just always like to get more than I absolutely need. Also, c'mon, even the AX850 comes in at under $200. It's not like I'm asking about $500+ GPUs for my 1680x1050 monitor :D

So then, it would could be said that a Seasonic X 750 would do me as well as a Corsair AX850? Even should I consider CF/SLI in the future? It's not much more than that Ultra X3, so that's a plus.

So long as it doesn't blow up on me like that BFG :mad:

EDIT: Dumb typo by me :p
 
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You mean Seasonic X-750. The AX850 is a rebranded version of Seasonic's X-850, which uses the newer version of their X-series platform.
 
Well, JonnyGuru and [H] both gave the Seasonic fantastic marks so, unless something drastic has changed, I guess that's the target unit for me now. Thanks for the help, folks!
 
I thought BFG is out O' bidness.... what's the deal with warranty through them now? Did another co. take over their warranties or no?
 
Dylan80 said:
I thought BFG is out O' bidness.... what's the deal with warranty through them now? Did another co. take over their warranties or no?
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They're out of business and there is no warranty on their products. That has been well-known for a long time.
 
Dylan80 said:
I thought BFG is out O' bidness.... what's the deal with warranty through them now? Did another co. take over their warranties or no?
Click to expand...

Zero82z said:
They're out of business and there is no warranty on their products. That has been well-known for a long time.
Click to expand...

Indeed. If it weren't for that, I wouldn't have a dilemma. I'd just RMA the thing.
 
The Seasonic X series and the Corsair AX series will both be much better than any Ultra PSU while not costing much more. Heck, even the Seasonic M12D and the Corsair HX series will be better than the Ultra PSU.

Brands I trust for high power systems:
Seasonic
Corsair
Antec (certain series only)
XFX (basically rebranded Seasonic)
Silverstone (certain series only)

Brands for budget, low power systems that are still reliable
Antec (other series)
Silverstone (some other series)
OCZ (most series)
 
XFX PSU's are rebranded Seasonic power supplies. I believe the current XFX lineup uses the Seasonic M12D lineup. I have an M12D 750 watt, and it's been very reliable powering SLI GTX 275 and Phenom II 1090T.
 
Yea, I just saw in the HotDeals section the XFX 850w Black Edition for $90 after MIR.

That's a huge price difference and justifies the likely unnoticeable (to me) extra noise the fan in the XFX may make.
 
Pyroja said:
Yea, I just saw in the HotDeals section the XFX 850w Black Edition for $90 after MIR.

That's a huge price difference and justifies the likely unnoticeable (to me) extra noise the fan in the XFX may make.
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Do you have plans for SLI/XFire down the road? The 850w XFX seems a little overkill for the parts you have.
 
For the price of the XFX unit it's worth it and will leave him with room if he wants to upgrade to higher end cards.
 
JaYp146 said:
Do you have plans for SLI/XFire down the road? The 850w XFX seems a little overkill for the parts you have.
Click to expand...

AdvanSuper said:
For the price of the XFX unit it's worth it and will leave him with room if he wants to upgrade to higher end cards.
Click to expand...

I'll be upgrading my system near the end of this year (I tend to go one three year cycles). I was thinking 6950 CF could be a good way to go, but obviously, there's a lot of time between now and then.

I tend towards overkill anyway. My previous PSU was 800w and was s'posed to last me awhile. Just trying to get back to where I was :)

EDIT: Aaaaand ordered.
 
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