Question: PC dead again a month after replacing the PSU?
Question: PC dead again a month after replacing the PSU?
Not long ago I arrived here because my computer wouldn’t power on, and there were loud sparking or buzzing noises near the power supply unit. I thought it was probably the PSU, especially since my other one was six years old and seemed to be in poor condition. I swapped it out for a Corsair RM750e and added a Belkin surge protector, thinking the previous cheap model might have failed. Everything worked smoothly until now.
When I turned on the PC, the buzzing returned. Even without pressing the power button, as long as the PSU was active, there was a noticeable electrical spark. After briefly disconnecting the extension cord and reconnecting it, the buzzing ceased. My surge protector stopped working, emitted a sparking noise, and the lights flickered. This marks the second time within a month that the Belkin extension cord failed.
Earlier, about a year ago, another surge protector broke and began spiking. I’m trying to figure out if the issue lies with the PSU itself or something else—like a faulty fan. I remember hearing the buzzing before turning on the PC, so I didn’t even power it up initially.
Could this be my problem? My usual procedure is to plug the cords into the surge protector and then turn it on for it. Could that be causing a surge? Should I switch the surge protector on before plugging in the cords? Or is there another electrical fault at play? If I return the PSU to Corsair, do they provide details about what might have caused this?
Update: I switched to a different extension cord and outlet, and there was no buzzing. My PC now powers on normally! Still, I remain concerned about those strange sounds. What does buzzing or sparking really indicate? I’m worried it could cause a sudden failure while in use.
When sharing a troubleshooting thread, it's important to provide complete system details. List the specifications as follows:
CPU:
CPU cooler:
Motherboard:
Ram:
SSD/HDD:
GPU:
PSU:
Chassis:
OS:
Monitor:
Include the age of the PSU along with its make and model. Also mention the current BIOS version for your motherboard.
This is the second time this belkin extension has failed within a month. I had another one a year or two ago that broke and began sparking.
You may also want to try moving it to a different wall outlet to check if the problem continues. + You should avoid extension chords... can you share a link to the one you've been using?
I added the specs to the original post. Here's the surge protector:
Belkin Surge Protector
. I've tried the surge protector with other outlets and it's still broken. I'm a bit scared to try it with my PC again. I don't want any of my harddrives or SSD to fail.
Update: I used a different extension cord and outlet and now it's turning on. I'm still a bit scared that it's going to explode, though. Seems like it might be an issue with my outlet, but I'm not sure. I've seen some thing saying faulty fans can cause buzzing sounds, but this was happening before the fans should even be powered.
Based on your location, in the USA outlets are usually connected to 8 per breaker. If you plug the extension cord into another outlet in the same room, I’d think the problem lies with that specific outlet and it should be replaced.
If you’re unsure about replacing it, it’s best to contact an electrician who can handle the change and test the circuit to confirm everything is fine.
But when you mention connecting it to another outlet, the problem disappeared, suggesting the issue might lie with the outlet itself.
How straightforward is it to insert an item into the socket? The interior contacts might be damaged, and the securing screw could have loosened over time due to repeated heat exposure, leading to a poor connection.