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Proper PSU Disposal

T

Takeda Kenshi

Limp Gawd
Joined
May 4, 2006
Messages
204
I recently had to deal with a PSU problem in a friend's computer, and was wondering what to do with the non-functional unit. Is there a specific place or procedure for getting rid of it or can I simply throw it away?
 
Check your local recycling facility. Ours takes pretty much any small electronic equipment with a PCB in it. You are not supposed to throw it in the garbage though. Our old community had an electronics recycling day once a year and I just saved up stuff for once a year disposal, but I can now take it with my other recycling as I create it.
 
Take it to the dump. They have a section for computer stuff, electronics, etc.
 
I used to box everything up and throw it away, but your township might do a computer recycling drive and that's how I get rid of most parts now.
 
Recycle it if you want to get rid of it. As said, there are recycling centers exactly for this purpose.

Personally I use old PSUs for parts :)
 
Yep, remove the fan and the switch on the back, throw it right in the garbage.
 
TheResidentEvil said:
^so do i. I generally take the fans out of each of them before i chuck them
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I use the fans, molex and other connectors, heatsinks and various other bits and pieces including the wiring. Saves a lot of $$ when doing electronics projects :)
 
Make sure you warn him though, opening a psu is dangerous. The thing will be charged for a couple weeks even after being plugged in, correct me if im wrong.:eek:
 
ShuttleLuv said:
Make sure you warn him though, opening a psu is dangerous. The thing will be charged for a couple weeks even after being plugged in, correct me if im wrong.:eek:
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Nah, caps won't store significant power for that long, plus if you use a resistor across the cap and ground or simply turn the PSU on without it being connected to an outlet, any remaining power will be drained. I have worked on the internals of PSUs quite a bit, even shortly after they had been powered on and I have been shocked only once or so, from the heatsinks (hot heatsinks are a terrible idea...).

As long as you know WTF you're doing, working on a PSU's internals isn't more dangerous than eating some icecream ;)
 
If your city has a place where you can take toxic shit like paint and other chemicals, they generally have a dumpster or some such reserved for old electronics.........:D

I also part out the fans and such, then take the guts to the toxic dump place.
 
Sell it on Ebay! "Up for auction today is a used PSU. Got it from a friend so don't know if it works or not. If you use the Buy It Now, I'll include free shipping!" w00t! Just kidding about Ebay. I gotta amuse myself sometimes. Just do like the rest said...pull out the good stuff...toss the rest or recycle it if you so feel inclined. I just toss them with the rest of the trash.
 
Please don't toss it in the trash, as they contain toxic things like heavy metals that can leach into the water supply and the ground and can hurt animal and human life and harm the environment .... just recycle them as designate (and after you get whatever you want out of it like fans etc.)
 
How does anything in a sanitary landfill leach into the water supply? Even hamburgers have been known to look new, years after burial.
 
I really doubt there will be any ill effects on the environment, humans or animals due to heavy metal contamination from a PSU. To be honest...there are plenty of other materials that are disposed of in landfills that would be MORE harmful. This type of thinkin is about the same as BELIEVING humans CAUSE global warming. Humans=insignificant in GW....PSU=insignificant in hazardous contamination. Srry, but my opinion.
 
SpeedBump613 said:
I really doubt there will be any ill effects on the environment, humans or animals due to heavy metal contamination from a PSU. To be honest...there are plenty of other materials that are disposed of in landfills that would be MORE harmful. This type of thinkin is about the same as BELIEVING humans CAUSE global warming. Humans=insignificant in GW....PSU=insignificant in hazardous contamination. Srry, but my opinion.
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Electronics should be and in many places are required to be recycled, though.

Oh, and humans are a far more significant force than you seem to realize. All 7 billion of us have a more significant effect on things like the weather than a vulcano eruption or two. Or ten. Heck, a few decades ago we were on the edge of destroying the entire ozone layer. I wouldn't call that insignificant, even when referring to global warming ;)
 
SpeedBump613 said:
I really doubt there will be any ill effects on the environment, humans or animals due to heavy metal contamination from a PSU. To be honest...there are plenty of other materials that are disposed of in landfills that would be MORE harmful. This type of thinkin is about the same as BELIEVING humans CAUSE global warming. Humans=insignificant in GW....PSU=insignificant in hazardous contamination. Srry, but my opinion.
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instead of looking at is as an environmental thing.. look at it in an economical way.. since the recycled hardware is taken by the state run recycling centers.. re-sold to companies that melt down the parts.. thus the money taken from them being sold now goes back in as tax dollars.. thus the endless cycle of the government making money off us in every way possible..

me personally.. i just save everything.. then go up in the hills and shoot the hell out of it with my 30/30 or .22 rifle.. or if they are motherboards or expansion cards.. i pull out my 12 gauge.. and well you get the picture..
 
SpeedBump613 said:
I really doubt there will be any ill effects on the environment, humans or animals due to heavy metal contamination from a PSU. To be honest...there are plenty of other materials that are disposed of in landfills that would be MORE harmful. This type of thinkin is about the same as BELIEVING humans CAUSE global warming. Humans=insignificant in GW....PSU=insignificant in hazardous contamination. Srry, but my opinion.
Click to expand...
Those are your opinions, but what are the facts? :D
 
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