Corsair HX520W...voltage fluctuation?

2008-05-18 23:38:04

#1

kylef: Gone; +1,352|6696|N. Ireland

My computing has been quite strange these past few days. One day my PC turned on randomly in the middle of the night. The power key feels a bit strange. And now this morning, it wouldn't do anything at all. So, having been up for a grand total of 10 minutes and with quite wet hair, I opened my PC cautiously and found all cables absolutely fine.

When I switched the PSU back on the motherboard LED started to flick repeatedly but still the computer wouldn't turn on. As I searched through Google, I found that someone has the same problem - they also have a video to help explain.

An RMA is an absolute last resort for me, as this is the only power supply I have and I need my computer right now. Anyone have any thoughts?

Thanks

2008-05-19 00:43:11

#2

GC_PaNzerFIN: Work and study @ Technical Uni; +528|6617|Finland

Could you post your other specs as well? I seem to have forgotten them...

I did have this same issue with one Antec PSU and older Asus mobo. The PSU voltages were really unstable. I also had problems booting up. Randomly it wouldn't even start up.

Also I'm very surprised you got the flickering mobo "stand by power LED" . I had the exactly same thing couple times!

Last edited by GC_PaNzerFIN (2008-05-19 00:44:00)

3930K | H100i | RIVF | 16GB DDR3 | GTX 480 | AX750 | 800D | 512GB SSD | 3TB HDD | Xonar DX | W8

2008-05-19 01:01:00

#3

CrazeD: Member; +368|6875|Maine

Multi-meter.

2008-05-19 01:13:31

#4

.Sup: be nice; +2,646|6656|The Twilight Zone

Can you check if the power/reset cables of the case are plugged in well?

https://www.shrani.si/f/3H/7h/45GTw71U/untitled-1.png

2008-05-19 04:00:30

#5

kylef: Gone; +1,352|6696|N. Ireland

.Sup wrote:
Can you check if the power/reset cables of the case are plugged in well?

Yep - checked earlier. They are all firmly connected into a Q-Connector which is then connected into the motherboard. It isn't the Q-Connector causing the problem.

GC_PaNzerFIN wrote:
Could you post your other specs as well? I seem to have forgotten them...

I did have this same issue with one Antec PSU and older Asus mobo. The PSU voltages were really unstable. I also had problems booting up. Randomly it wouldn't even start up.

Also I'm very surprised you got the flickering mobo "stand by power LED" . I had the exactly same thing couple times!

Scary...anyway, here are my specs - I think it's only the PSU that really "matters" to be honest:

E6400 @ Stock (2.13GHz)
Asus P5W DH Deluxe Motherboard
2GB Corsair XMS2 800MHz
X1900XT 512MB Radeon
Audigy 2 ZS
2 x 250GB WD in RAID 0 + 1 x 300GB Samsung
Antec P180 + HX520W

CrazeD wrote:
Multi-meter.

Slave down to that geekiness!? My dad should have one...I'll 'borrow' it.

Last edited by kylef (2008-05-19 04:00:50)

2008-05-19 04:05:06

#6

ghettoperson: Member; +1,943|6852

That's odd. By and large, they're excellent PSU's; very stable voltages. Does sound like an RMA issue TBH.

2008-05-19 05:16:47

#7

kylef: Gone; +1,352|6696|N. Ireland

Going to leave it for now. I'll see it is tomorrow etc and post back with an update Thanks for the help all..

2008-05-19 11:24:31

#8

Shadow893: lel; +75|6895|England

I have the same PSU and I've had no problems. I hope I don't get this strange problem

Last edited by Shadow893 (2008-05-19 11:24:51)

2008-05-19 11:31:23

#9

kylef: Gone; +1,352|6696|N. Ireland

Shadow893 wrote:
I have the same PSU and I've had no problems. I hope I don't get this strange problem

I've had this power supply for 13 months now.

2008-05-19 11:34:05

#10

DUnlimited: got any popo lolo intersting?; +1,160|6666|cuntshitlake

I have never heard anything bad about Corsair HX-series. Must be a rare deflect one

main battle tank karthus medikopter 117 megamegapowershot gg

2008-05-19 12:03:05

#11

CrazeD: Member; +368|6875|Maine

kylef wrote:
CrazeD wrote:
Multi-meter.
Slave down to that geekiness!? My dad should have one...I'll 'borrow' it.

I dunno if you know what to measure, etc. So here's a run-down:

You probably know, but, yellow=12v, red=5v, and orange=3.3v. This true for every connection with these colors. Black is always ground (negative).

So, just grab a molex and put the positive probe into the yellow pin, and the negative probe into one of the black pins. Start the PSU, and check the readings. I think a safe value is within 20% of the specified voltage, this case being 12V. However, I'm not positive on the 20%.

Do the same for 5v (red wire on molex) and for 3.3v (orange wire on 24-pin ATX connector, or SATA).

You may want to check voltages with and without loads, and check different plugs as to measure different rails.

Good luck.

2008-05-19 12:27:15

#12

Scorpion0x17: can detect anyone's visible post count...; +691|6968|Cambridge (UK)

CrazeD wrote:
kylef wrote:
CrazeD wrote:
Multi-meter.
Slave down to that geekiness!? My dad should have one...I'll 'borrow' it.
I dunno if you know what to measure, etc. So here's a run-down:

You probably know, but, yellow=12v, red=5v, and orange=3.3v. This true for every connection with these colors. Black is always ground (negative).

So, just grab a molex and put the positive probe into the yellow pin, and the negative probe into one of the black pins. Start the PSU, and check the readings. I think a safe value is within 20% of the specified voltage, this case being 12V. However, I'm not positive on the 20%.

Do the same for 5v (red wire on molex) and for 3.3v (orange wire on 24-pin ATX connector, or SATA).

You may want to check voltages with and without loads, and check different plugs as to measure different rails.

Good luck.

NO NO NO! NOT 20%

>5% bad, <5% ok, <3% ideal.

But otherwise, everything else is spot on.

Though, something leads me to suspect kyle knows all this.

Last edited by Scorpion0x17 (2008-05-19 12:33:05)

2008-05-19 12:35:56

#13

CrazeD: Member; +368|6875|Maine

Scorpion0x17 wrote:
CrazeD wrote:
kylef wrote:
Slave down to that geekiness!? My dad should have one...I'll 'borrow' it.
I dunno if you know what to measure, etc. So here's a run-down:

You probably know, but, yellow=12v, red=5v, and orange=3.3v. This true for every connection with these colors. Black is always ground (negative).

So, just grab a molex and put the positive probe into the yellow pin, and the negative probe into one of the black pins. Start the PSU, and check the readings. I think a safe value is within 20% of the specified voltage, this case being 12V. However, I'm not positive on the 20%.

Do the same for 5v (red wire on molex) and for 3.3v (orange wire on 24-pin ATX connector, or SATA).

You may want to check voltages with and without loads, and check different plugs as to measure different rails.

Good luck.
NO NO NO! NOT 20%

>5% bad, <5% ok, <3% ideal.

But otherwise, everything else is spot on.

Though, something leads me to suspect kyle knows all this.

LOL! Okay, like I said, I wasn't certain.

EDIT: And you're right, I'm sure Kyle does know this. However, since he didn't mention he checked it (which should be obvious, since he thinks he's getting voltage fluctuations) I figured I'd just throw it out there.

Last edited by CrazeD (2008-05-19 12:37:25)

2008-05-19 14:00:16

#14

kylef: Gone; +1,352|6696|N. Ireland

Thanks for the replies...running out of karma!

Yeah I'll test the voltages when I get a chance. Would it be worth my while checking voltage differences between a molex and say...24 pin power + 4 pin power? I fear that is what could be the issue (an over voltage, or under for that matter, to those cables)

Thanks

2008-05-19 14:03:45

#15

CrazeD: Member; +368|6875|Maine

They'll be on different rails most likely, so yes it is good to check both.

2008-05-20 02:22:50

#16

Scorpion0x17: can detect anyone's visible post count...; +691|6968|Cambridge (UK)

kyle: Unfortunately your suspicions are probably correct. As the Crazey one sayeth - yep, check each and every rail.

Now, to try and answer the implied question in your op - that is 'any ideas on how to get it more stable without replacing PSU?' - hmm... you might be able to squeeze more stability out of it by down-grading some components, if you've got suitable stand-in's - at the very least, take some RAM out, disconnect any non-essentials (lights, card readers, extra optical drives, usb dongles, etc etc) and run your keyboard and mouse off ps2 if you can.

2008-05-20 03:00:16

#17

GC_PaNzerFIN: Work and study @ Technical Uni; +528|6617|Finland

I would RMA the PSU. It is very likely to cause troubles in future.
There is two possible reasons for voltage fluctuations.

1. The PSU. Most likely.

2. Mobo PWM being ghey. I had this one. I changed my PSU but voltages were still fluctuating horribly. In the end the board PWM fried the NB core

If PSU RMA doesn't help, you are in some serious trouble.

3930K | H100i | RIVF | 16GB DDR3 | GTX 480 | AX750 | 800D | 512GB SSD | 3TB HDD | Xonar DX | W8

2008-05-21 03:39:39

#18

kylef: Gone; +1,352|6696|N. Ireland

Update: computer has been turned on and off multiple times, been left idle both on and off for both upwards of 8 hours and no issues. I'll post here the next it happens, as for now I really don't want to RMA it.

2008-05-21 05:56:27

#19

Freezer7Pro: I don't come here a lot anymore.; +1,447|6400|Winland

When was the last time you undusted the PSU? If you've had it for 13 months and you've never blown it out with some canned air, that could very well be the reason.

The idea of any hi-fi system is to reproduce the source material as faithfully as possible, and to deliberately add distortion to everything you hear (due to amplifier deficiencies) because it sounds 'nice' is simply not high fidelity. If that is what you want to hear then there is no problem with that, but by adding so much additional material (by way of harmonics and intermodulation) you have a tailored sound system, not a hi-fi. - Rod Elliot, ESP

BF2S Forums Corsair HX520W...voltage fluctuation?

.Sup wrote:

GC_PaNzerFIN wrote:

CrazeD wrote:

Shadow893 wrote:

kylef wrote:

CrazeD wrote:

CrazeD wrote:

kylef wrote:

CrazeD wrote:

Scorpion0x17 wrote:

CrazeD wrote:

kylef wrote:

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