Psu in Bad shape:(

N

neel14

Limp Gawd
Joined
Dec 11, 2011
Messages
151
I really dont know what to say,totally dissapointed.I have a SEASONIC S12 520 W psu(rig in my sig).Its a second one actually.My first one was also the same psu,but i had to replace it as its +5V line overvolting and my mobo triggered the asus anti surge protection.Got a new one & it ran flawlessly for around 9 months.And now THE SAME PROBLEM.Sometimes my 3.3 V line increases/decreases,reported to go to 0.000V as reported by Hwinfo. Sometimes the +5V line increases,reported to go to 7.68V by Hwinfo. But the events are not continuous.System runs properly.They happen randomly.What should i do??m totally confused.please help:confused:
 
Check it with a multimeter.
I doubt what you are reporting is really happening otherwise your system would be dying.
 
Thnx for your reply.
i will check and report back.
Also another question.Does low load on the psu can damage it?
i dont have a gpu at the moment.so can such use of the psu over a long time can damage it?
 
Low load is fine.
It might be slightly less efficient if quite low, but that will only equate to a few Watts difference.
The PSU wont have a problem.

Check your motherboards driver CD, it should have the manufacturers program to monitor voltages.
You may be using a util that reads the wrong sensors or sensors that dont exist.
 
I have the Asus AI suite II.but i have heard it to be buggy.

edit:
update:multimeter reports as +3.392,+5.080,+12.384.but how do i check them if the chnges in these values are
random without following any time definite time/procedure relation?
 
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neel14 said:
I have the Asus AI suite II.but i have heard it to be buggy.

edit:
update:multimeter reports as +3.392,+5.080,+12.384.but how do i check them if the chnges in these values are
random without following any time definite time/procedure relation?
Click to expand...
There are multimeters that can transmit their readings to a computer through a USB port or one of those new-fangled RS-232 serial ports, about $20 - $50. Harbor Freight, Sears, and MCM Electronics carry them. Also some meters can remember minimum and maximum values. However...

while meters can't tell you about rapid changes in voltages, it's far, far more likely that programs like Asus AI Suite, SpeedFan, HWmonitor, etc. just don't read the motherboard hardware correctly and sometimes return impossible values, like 0.00V for the +3.3V rail (modern ATX motherboards don't run without the +3.3V).

Asus Anti Surge seems like an idea that still needs work.
 
Didnt spot your voltage additions.
Your PSU looks fine, its well within ATX spec (+/-5%)

Monitor the voltage under idle and again under load.
When there is significant % change, the PSUs capacitors are probably aging.
 
while meters can't tell you about rapid changes in voltages, it's far, far more likely that programs like Asus AI Suite, SpeedFan, HWmonitor, etc. just don't read the motherboard hardware correctly and sometimes return impossible values, like 0.00V for the +3.3V rail (modern ATX motherboards don't run without the +3.3V).
Click to expand...

Besides the fact that the hw that reads the voltages and temperatures is not accurate at best the main problem is calibration. The hw monitor programs talk to known hw chips that return a value like 0 to 255 for each sensor it is monitoring (no standard ordering of sensors). This range of 0 to 255 can and does represent different voltages on different boards and even different revisions of the same board since there is no standard and the components vary a bit. Its really a mess.
 
Thanks to all of you for your suggestions!
My load and idle volts are the same.
I am out of budget for another multimeter now.
My main problem is that asus anti surge gets triggered and my system restarts
without any prior warnings.i lose all my work.But the triggering is random.if the psu had a
fault the triggering should be there as soon as I turn on my system.But that does not happen.
Its random.Dont know whats going on. Should i rma the board/psu?
 
i added a voltage stabilizer to the computer some days back.
outlet->stabilizer->ups->psu
i guess it started after that.could it be a reason?could there be surges
caused by a stabilizer?
 
neel14 said:
I emailed to asus about it.They asked me to rma the board. Should I?
Click to expand...

No, you should stop using anti-surge and garbage AI suite. I'm surprised it han't been telling you your CPU and chipset temps were -185*C like the last sabertooth board I tried to use that program with.
 
neel14 said:
I emailed to asus about it.They asked me to rma the board. Should I?
Click to expand...

RMA's at ASUS can be a crap shoot. You're not going to get a brand new board to replace what you sent in, your going to get either the one you sent in back or someone elses that they tested (to some degree) and may or may not have problems. There is a lot of stuff about ASUS RMA problems if you google it. I would try to work this out by disabling Anti-surge like the others mentioned first, RMA would be last resort.
 
pc doesn't boot up any more.only the green light on the mobo stays on. When the power button is pushed, the cpu led and fan only turns on for a millisecond maybe and then off.
Took out the psu and did the paper clip test with a case fan as load.
As in the previous case the psu fan and the case fan only spins for a millisecond and then shuts down. If I take out one end of the wire from the connector and reinsert it the fans spins again but only for a moment. Should I assume that the psu is damaged?
 
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I wouldn't assume anything until you have a chance to swap parts around to see what part is causing the problems.
 
I dont have any spare parts atm. Sold my old parts.
Have to order a cheap psu for checking.
Should the fan run continuously or is it normal to just stop?
 
Eh, some PSUs don't like to run with no load, but that's the exception. If you short the PW_ON signal, it should just turn on.
 
Agreed, if the PSU wont power on and stay running with nothing connected, it has a fault.
 
Really having a bad time with seasonic psus.
I am fed up with the s12ii model.But my dealer only
deals in seasonic psus. What model should I ask for
if I pay the extra money?I am interested in the x-560 model?
what do guys recommended?
 
Really having a bad time with seasonic psus.
I am fed up with the s12ii model.But my dealer only
deals in seasonic psus. I have warranty.What model should I ask for
if I pay the extra money?I am interested in the x-560 model?
what do guys recommended?
 
Ok so I have ordered the Seasonic X -560. Let's see what happens with this one.
 
update:
I will be receiving the x560 within this week.
I want to add a ups to the system as my previous cheap ups sometimes
gives me problems. which I should I look at? my rig is in the sig.
I dont have any gpu at the moment, but I would factor that as well.
I dont want high end, just to give back of aroud 10 mins to turn off the system
properly in case of blackout. also I would like to add that only the case will be
connected to the ups(no monitor, speaker).how is this one?

http://www.apc.com/resource/include/techspec_index.cfm?base_sku=BR600CI-IN
 
yes previously, there were some ground problems.the
ground wire was burnt at a place while leading to the ground.
that may be a cause for ruining my 1st psu, but it was repaired after that.
the second psu was damaged within this month, dont know the cause for it.
but I think its my cheap ups.all those sq wave, stepped sq wave talk.
what else could it be? can a do anything more?
 
I use a automatic voltage regulator. Its output is 200-240 ± 5 volts.
The input range is 100- 290 volts. I use it because of low volts during
during peak hours at which the voltage falls to around 130-140v . Can
there be any problem using it?
 
neel14 said:
I use a automatic voltage regulator. Its output is 200-240 ± 5 volts.
The input range is 100- 290 volts. I use it because of low volts during
during peak hours at which the voltage falls to around 130-140v . Can
there be any problem using it?
Click to expand...

You just now telling us this part?

So you live in a part of the world with dodgy AC power delivery and you run your gear off a boost regulator. I would say yes, the quality of that equipment probably could have an effect. Most modern PSUs have active power factor correction built in and will operate directly off a wide range of input voltages out of the box. I don't really know what the pitfalls of stacking one behind a regulator might be but this is certainly a subject for further inquiry.

what exact regulator are you using and what other gear in your household are connected through it?
 
I know that the psu works from 100-240 v input. But the problem is during peak
hours the voltage goes down and the ups starts to work on battery since
ups has a range of about 140-240.so I had to use the regulator. Also they
regulator I use its considered one of the best in my country.
Vertex VR-41. In my country its calIed a voltage stabilizer. Its an automatic one. I
dont doubt its quality. No other equipment is connected to the stabilizer. Only the pc.
Does nt psus have upper input volts limit of 264v? I ask this because the output of stabilizer is
240±5. So I am worried about it.
 
Dont get one that is rated 240V +/- something because 240V is the max.
 
My concern is the actual waveform coming out of the stabilizer and how this looks to the PFC circuit of the PSU.

I don't know for sure in this case, but I have experienced odd behavior in the past feeding smart inputs with inverter outputs.
 
Ok so I will stop using the regulator from now on. My ups may also be the culprit.
please recommend me a ups as I dont want to use the old one. please have a look at the
link I provided above. I just want the ups for shutting down during power outages.
 
Agreed, nasty waveforms can cause damage too.

Basic info for the op to correct my last post:
The UK is 230V +10% -6%, so can max at 253V.
Any higher and failure rates will rise.
 
Thank you to all of you! thank a lot.This forum is really the best.

On a side note please recommend me a ups.
I have read about the waveform causing problems, more so about the wave form of ups.
but no idea about stabilizer .I feel it may be a sine wave since the source is the sine wave.
 
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