What could be burning out this computer's power supply?

Randy-GRandy-G
edited December 2003 in Hardware
It's an eMachines rig I got back running for someone a while back. Originally, the stock power supply went bad, so I had them buy a case with a PSU (since it was way cheaper than the only PSU replacement that fit the eMachines case). Well I swapped everything out to the new case, and all was well. They took the computer home on a Friday. It went well, then on Tuesday 4 days later I was informed it died again, pressing the power button did nothing. Well I bring it home and put my own computer's power supply in their machine, and it powers up fine. I then tried their PSU on my machine, and it wouldn't start up. So obviously they have had two PSUs die on them, the original one, and the new one (which has more wattage). Could there be something in their home wiring that is frying the PSUs? They say they had some strip the rig connected to, but I don't remember if it was a simple power strip or a surge protector. Maybe a fridge or something is generating a spike? I'll find out exactly what their setup is, but if anyone has any ideas in solving this mystery, they'd be appreciated.

Comments

  • kryystkryyst Ontario, Canada
    edited December 2003
    could be power problems in their house could also just have been bad luck and the PSU you got wasn't good. Perhaps the strip they have it connected to is bad. I'd probably recomend getting a decent surge protector that has a grounding sensor and making sure that it's on an issolated outlet with nothing plugged into the other outlet.
  • ZuntarZuntar North Carolina Icrontian
    edited December 2003
    Maybe the mobo has issues as well, look in both directions.

    Any spike on the house side "should" pop the surge protector if it is a good one.
  • timinatortiminator PA
    edited December 2003
    probably just cheap power supplies, try using a decent one in it for a week or so and see how it runs
  • antthisantthis Bowling Green ky
    edited December 2003
    I have a problem that after 8 or so month my ps make too much noice and then the fans start to die out. Their name brand ps antec-\power magic and i keep them clean , I have a power line fitter and what not this happen to just about every comp i build or ever worked with. I Never turn my computer off it goes off when it travel to and from the lan partys
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