Should I have my PSU checked following a GPU capacitor failure?
Should I have my PSU checked following a GPU capacitor failure?
This week while starting up my PC, sparks came from the GPU and the system shut down. Immediately I took it out. I wasn't sure if it was wise, but I decided to run the PC without the GPU installed. Even though there was no display, everything seemed to work fine. No other components were overheating or making unusual sounds. I didn’t notice any burn marks and the PC didn’t stop completely. I’m not sure what happened to my GPU—it was functioning well the night before and I haven’t played intense games lately. It might be an electrical problem like a blown fuse or capacitor. I’m thinking it could be age-related, but I’m also worried about the power supply struggling to provide enough power. How should I test for this?
Welcome to the forums, newcomer!
If you're unsure about my GPU being an RTX 2060 Super with 8GB VRAM, it might be helpful to share a link to your GPU or its make and model.
My PSU is a Corsair Gold RM 750.
Could you tell me how old the PSU is? Was it bought used? Also, Corsair offers several PSUs in the RM series—do you know which one you have?
How would you go about testing something like this?
You may want to reach out to Corsair and get their advice on the situation.
The thread was moved from the Components section to the Power Supplies section.
Yes, it's always good (as long as you get it right) to check your PSU under load using a digital multimeter; there are many guides available online and on YouTube explaining how to use one effectively. Just be very careful when doing so and avoid purchasing a low-quality or faulty digital multimeter.
When capacitors die, they often make a noise and spray their contents all over the place. Equally likely a semiconductor (MOSFET, diode, chip) has failed. Only way to tell is pass the GPU over to a repair shop if you're not an expert.
As a matter of interest, does your CPU contain an iGPU to test the PC. If not, do you have a spare GPU card?
I was feeling particularly lax and the rig wasn't of major importance, I'd carry on using the PSU. I say this as an electronics design engineer with experience of designing PSUs in MilSpec systems.
Alternatively I'd transfer the PSU to one of my spare (sacrificial) systems and run stress tests for a few hours. With any luck, the OCP (Over Current Protection) in the the Corsair will have saved it from damage.
With mains supply completely isolated, "sniff" the PSU. If there are any unusual "burnt" smells, discard the unit.
If you want to check the RM750 "properly" and you don't have a programmable electronic load costing thousands of dollars, rig up a bunch of car headlight bulbs.
Ten 60W Tungsten bulbs wired in parallel across the +12V supply rail should be enough to stress the PSU, especially considering the low resistance of Tungsten filaments before they heat up.
I'd start with fewer than ten 60W bulbs on the +12V rail. You can use the bulbs on the +5V and +3.3V rails too, but at lower wattage.
I think the working voltage for nominal 12V vehicle bulbs is 13.9V to 14.3V or thereabouts when the alternator is running, so at 12V from an ATX PSU (+/- 0.6V), main beam filaments might dissipate less than 60W.
It's a crude test at best, but better than nothing. I'd dig out a bunch of power rheostats from my collection. Just don't blind yourself or burn your fingers on the bulbs. The voltages are all well below SELV so you should be OK.
Although I've used very expensive calibrated meters at work, I've not had any problems with cheap multi meters at home. None of them have exploded when making measurements (yet) but I wouldn't trust the supposed accuracy to the nearest milliVolt.
Still, if you want a reasonable multi meter, try a Fluke.
https://www.amazon.com/Fluke-Application...B01IH41CUW
Please be aware that cheap ATX PSU testers (see below) do
not
place a representative load on the DC supply rails and should not be regarded as anything more than a "quick and dirty" test. If any of the rails are out of spec, bin the PSU or RMA.
https://www.amazon.com/Computer-PC-Teste...B076CLNPPK
Basic testers are ineffective. They only verify a failed power supply unit.
The setup isn't functioning correctly.
You're facing a tough choice.
If you swap the GPU and the PSU appears to be the issue, you risk harming the new device.
For guidance, reach out to Corsair support if your PSU is still covered under warranty.
If the PSU is beyond its warranty period, think about purchasing a replacement that can manage a much more powerful GPU upgrade.