Your power supply unit has failed, what actions should you take?
Your power supply unit has failed, what actions should you take?
Hi, yesterday my dad and I were putting together my brand new PC:
Motherboard: MSI Tomahawk B650 MAG
GPU: Gigabyte RX 9079 XT OC
CPU: Ryzen 7 7800X3D
RAM: G.Skill 32GB [2 x16GB] 6000mhz cl30
SSD: 2TB SAMSUNG 990 Pro
PSU: Corsair RM850x 80+ Gold
I placed the motherboard on the box it came in, installed the CPU, tower cooler, RAM sticks in A2 and B2, then added the SSD. Next, I inserted the GPU into the PCIe slot without connecting it to the PSU. After that, I connected the CPU_PWR1 to the PSU and linked the CPU cooler fans to the CPU_FAN. Finally, I attached the ATX cable to the mini and PSU, then plugged in the power cord. For about 15 seconds the RAM came up, the PSU fan spun. I don’t think the GPU or fans started working properly. Then the PSU fan stopped, it popped, and it began smoking slightly, so I unplugged it from the power cord.
Sorry it took me a long time but I believe every little detail matters here.
What should I do now? Is my whole system damaged?
Will the warranty cover it?
Welcome to the forums, newcomer!
Have you verified that all connections from the devices to the PSU were placed in their correct ports/connectors? You mentioned breadboarding the system—could you share photos of its current setup? Regarding your breadboarded setup, I would have attempted it without the discrete GPU first. If the system started working smoothly, then adding the discrete GPU was a logical next step.
By any chance, is the RMx unit you listed above a used one?
Will the warranty apply to it?
If your issue occurred because you connected a harness in the wrong port, then no—your warranty would be voided due to user error. If the PSU was brand new, everything was placed correctly, so your warranty should cover it. It would be wise to also notify your seller about the parts during this time.
The ATX cable I connected the 24-pin port on the motherboard and the PSU to a split port labeled MOTHERBOARD. For the CPU, I connected the end to CPU_PWR1, then plugged in Type4 into one of the five ports named CPU/PCIe (all in a single CPU/PCIe slot). I didn’t use a cable for the GPU. Should my GPU be fine?
Also would firing up the system with no GPU work with ryzen 7 7800x3d?
The PSU blew up the first time out, I wouldn't use it any further...
I don’t think it has iGPU?
Yes it does.
You're using words here, as I've mentioned, you should pass on images of how you've hooked everything up in order to remove any doubts about your predicament. Host your images on a site akin to Imgur then pass on a link to them on this thread.
You can observe how it appeared during construction. The main change was the presence of a GPU in the PCIe slot (not connected via cable, just in the slot) and the PSU was connected (I removed all devices to prevent any fire risk, though I hope my color-coding helped clarify things).
All connections have been turned off (except the CPU cooler). It's unclear if anything was improperly connected. We can swap the PSU and attempt again. Please use only the original PSU cables. Modular PSU cables don't work with different PSU models. Incorrect cables may harm or destroy connected hardware.
It seems like you might have received an incorrect unit, and you won't know if anything else is affected until the faulty part is replaced. It's uncommon, but occasionally units pass quality checks that shouldn't. I recommend replacing it and retesting to confirm everything functions properly. Also, avoid connecting a GPU until you verify all systems are working correctly. The 7800X3D includes a GPU on the die, which can be used for early testing.
Everything seems to have been connected properly from the photos. RMx appears to be a solid unit; it shouldn’t have failed like this, though factory defects can occur with any device. It includes many protective features, which increases the likelihood that voltage spikes didn’t affect the output and your hardware is intact.
However, as others mentioned, you won’t be certain if any damage occurred until you test it with a fresh power supply.
There are whispers that Corsair sometimes covers repairs for hardware damaged by their own faulty products. I can’t verify this, and even then it would depend on the specific situation.