Can a PSU with dust cause a PC to shut down?
Can a PSU with dust cause a PC to shut down?
Also I should have asked this earlier, but does the system actually turn off or just restart? If it restarts randomly, it could be anything, but it shuts down on its own and you need to power it back up. That would suggest a faulty PSU. An 80+ rating doesn't necessarily mean it's a good power supply—it's just an efficiency label or estimate. Power Kernel 41 is simply an error Windows generates when the system isn't shut down properly.
The brand and model of the PSU are unknown, and it may be overheating.
No, dust isn't conductive. It can still work as a thermal insulator, but you'd need a significant amount of dust buildup for that to become an issue. The power source might be faulty somehow.
It's an unknown national brand, a 600-watt 80+ bronze model that's about three years old. I believe the issue isn't overheating, since it remains cool to the touch even after prolonged use.
I mentioned the PSU in the initial reply, but the rest of my system components are listed below:
Motherboard: Gigabyte B450M-H
RAM: 2x8GB DDR4 3000MHZ
CPU: AMD Ryzen 5 1600
GPU: Asus TUF GTX 1650
SSD: Kingston 1TB NVMe2 SSD
I have completed stress tests on all of them, and everything appears to be functioning well.
Also I should have asked this earlier, but does the system actually turn off or just restart? If it restarts randomly, it could be anything, but if it shuts down on its own you need to power it back up. That would suggest a faulty PSU. 80+ only indicates efficiency, not necessarily a good power supply. Power Kernel 41 is just an error code from Windows when shutdown isn't done properly—like losing power or holding the power button until it stops.
If the brand is unknown, I’d say the PSU isn’t up to the job. Most reputable brands only add up the 12V rails for total output, not the full capacity. A PSU can sometimes behave unpredictably under certain loads, and some heavy loads might cause failure while others don’t. There’s really no reliable way for users to test a PSU properly. The best you can do is replace it with another one and replicate the issues.
Good Luck!
If the dust is making it overheat, that's true!
Here are some details from MS about your issue.
You should also consider using a tool named 'Who Crashed'. It analyzes your crash logs and explains them in simple language to assist with troubleshooting.
You can find it here.
It shuts off and I can't restart it unless I connect the PSU from behind again. Also, perhaps the dust issue is the cause? When I blow air into it, it stays on longer. Also, it isn't overheating and the PSU fan is running.