I have a mysterious connection with my PC, I felt like I need to check the PSU for some reason. Well I decided to clean it out and check stuff out. Today I order a new PSU and a GPU for Skyrim. However, when I started to clean out the PSU, because I still care about it. I see the capacitors are bloated and leaking. If a PSU goes, will it take out the rest of the computer? Motherboard, damage GPU, sound card..etc.. It's a Antec 2.0 Truepower I bought in early 2006. I've since upgrade some components such as the motherboard earlier this year and a GT240 which is getting replaced and added in triple channel memory instead of dual channel. Currently at 6GB @1600mhz. I've also added a AMD BE 955 Quad core CPU. Should I shut my computer off until the parts arrive to replace the PSU? Or let it eat and the PSU will just not start up one day? I ordered the parts around 2:30pm US AZ time, so I am hoping to see them by Thursday or Friday.

What do you suggest?

Also for the last few months-this is a 6month old build but reused the HD, and optical drives. The GT240 has crashed 3 times. However, I think this is a driver issue as it hasn't crashed since the update on it yesterday or was it the 23rd? The most recent one anyways.

I wouldn't risk it, but I think PSUs have safety measures in them to prevent collateral damage. Still, if the PSU is that bad off shut it down, wait for the parts.

Yes, a faulty PSU can damage other components. Not always, but often enough to make it a gamble I wouldn't be keen on.

FYI, a component killing another component is not isolated to PSU alone. My PSU once exploded, and thought I was lucky that everything else survived, bought a new PSU, and it died again. Changed my GPU, and my third PSU lives ever since.

so is this trial and error when trying to find a isolated issue? Throw parts at it? Or are there test to perform? I have a Fluke 88V I paid 600 for awhile back, came with all the goodies. Anyone know a good leak to test PSU output? Also, I was thinking once pulling this PSU...going to radio shack or something and finding replacement capacitors? Can this be done. I would like to "try" and save it. Or would I be wasting my time.

Yes, a PSU in its death throws can damage other components, and even wipe out everything in the system. It's not worth the risk if you know the unit is damaged and still functioning.

For my case, I consulted two separate persons who understand computer hardwares better than I do, both said that it was PSU, though I myself have suspected it could be the GPU from self research.

Anyway, my point is that PSU is not the only component which kamikaze along with other components.

Did you check your card's power consumption against your PSU's 12v output?

Wow...never heard of PSUs exploding and/or leaking before. Makes me feel lucky.

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Mine started smelling like burnt rubber last November and eventually smoked up. So glad nothing else was damaged.

I've had a power supply burn up (smoke coming from it). Fortunately nothing else was damaged. I've also had some that just stopped working with no ill effects to other hardware. Right now I have a PC Power and Cooling 750W and its about three years old. I recently bought a GTX 580 (previous card was a GTX 460). The increase demand on the PS caused it to squeal and buzz while gaming and produce copious amounts of heat. I sent the GTX 580 back - it just ran too hot to suit me. With the lower powered GTX 460 back in place the power supply is cool and quiet again. I don't think I'll RMA it (I'd have to buy another to tide me over during the process so what's the point?), but I'm not going to replace it yet either. Not until it shows other signs of age.

A faulty PSU can definitely damage your other components. If you suspect something is wrong with it don't ignore it, and when building a PC don't skimp on the PSU.

Oh I changed it as soon as I figured out it was done for (the smoke was a really, really good hint)

I appreciate the responses guys. Parts should be here tomorrow. I going to try and repair it after I pull it completely apart. Today I grabbed a handful of capacitors or various packs from radioshack, there super cheap. Also while trying to see if I could match numbers on the old capacitors I notice some burned resistors..I am going to perform surgery this weekend and see if I can save it, however..it will be plugged into a wall and not be through the computer for testing a successful recovery. Then ill just do various checks with the DVM at the pins with some back probes. :laugh: (not in that order)Some of the material though from the leaking capacitors are on the actually pcb and looks like its caked on there pretty thick. Will see, if I can save it, I will use it in another build. Cheaper parts of course, but at least it will be a good learning experiment.

Is this repair even possible? It looks simple, i've been looking at it close and it seems like I could just snip the legs off the capacitors and resistors and replace it with the correct ones by carefully soldering them back together. That is why I went as far as just grabbing some packs of 5 from RS today. I am going to take before and after pictures of this.

Wait for the new one. My old PSU did http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XLeZxPkW_9A&feature=related randomly, and it kept doing it for about five or ten seconds until it tripped the breaker. :shocking:

THIS! So far it hasn't happened to me.

O.K. MacGyver, but you do know it probably isn't a good idea for the sake of your other hardware, not to mention electrical fire danger, etc... :flame: Power supplies aren't too expensive.