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  • Beware of Antec PSU's

    My computer was starting to have registry errors at startup recently. Interestingly it was a error I never saw before.

    Application popup: Windows - Registry Recovery : One of the files containing the system's Registry data had to be recovered by use of a log or alternate copy. The recovery was successful.

    As it turned out the Antec PSU was dying. Apparently one of the groundings failed. Which culminated in the computer suddenly shutting down. Luckily it didn't damage the Mobo.
    Check out my blog on Kona issues :
    The Kona Blog

  • #2
    Re: Beware of Antec PSU's

    Wow. When I considered building my own PC, a lot of people told me that Antec was the best. These PSU's seem like wild cards. Do you know of a more reliable brand?

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    • #3
      Re: Beware of Antec PSU's

      Originally posted by Konaguy View Post
      As it turned out the Antec PSU was dying. Apparently one of the groundings failed. Which culminated in the computer suddenly shutting down. Luckily it didn't damage the Mobo.
      I used to blow a power supply every year, including an Antec, when I discovered an interesting problem. You may want to make sure the computer's not fed through a GFCI breaker or at least has a high-end UPS between the two.

      Our electrical distribution panel used to feed all our familyroom receptacles through a single GFCI breaker (the familyroom used to be a lanai). The first two times I blew a P/S I replaced them while the kid was in school and I was the only user of familyroom electricity. Nothing was turned on except the computer's power strip.

      The third time I was replacing a P/S, it was a weekend and our kid was home watching TV. As soon as I plugged in the computer the GFCI breaker tripped. Much to the disgust of our kid, I verified this three or four times-- it was the breaker, but only when another load in the circuit was using current. When I plugged the computer in (before I even turned it on) the breaker must've detected a small fluctuation of current through the P/S ground and decided that someone was getting electrocuted. But when the TV was off (no other loads on the circuit) I could plug in the computer without any trouble.

      The GFCI only tripped under those conditions. I replaced it and haven't had a P/S problem in over two years. After last October's earthquake I added our first UPS so I don't know if there's any conflict between a GFCI breaker and an UPS.
      Youth may be wasted on the young, but retirement is wasted on the old.
      Live like you're dying, invest like you're immortal.
      We grow old if we stop playing, but it's never too late to have a happy childhood.
      Forget about who you were-- discover who you are.

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      • #4
        Re: Beware of Antec PSU's

        My parents house doesn't have GFCI plugs. If I understand correctly they have preventers so you don't get shocked ? I have APC UPS also.
        Check out my blog on Kona issues :
        The Kona Blog

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        • #5
          Re: Beware of Antec PSU's

          Originally posted by Vanguard View Post
          Wow. When I considered building my own PC, a lot of people told me that Antec was the best. These PSU's seem like wild cards. Do you know of a more reliable brand?
          I thought they were the best too. During the time I had it, it was damn quiet too.I really miss that aspect with the new replacement PSU I bought. As for another good brand, I'm not sure.
          Check out my blog on Kona issues :
          The Kona Blog

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          • #6
            Re: Beware of Antec PSU's

            How old is the computer? Maybe its age.
            How'd I get so white and nerdy?

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            • #7
              Re: Beware of Antec PSU's

              Originally posted by adrian View Post
              How old is the computer? Maybe its age.
              I had bought this PSU less than two months ago. The computer itself was built less than year ago.
              Check out my blog on Kona issues :
              The Kona Blog

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              • #8
                Re: Beware of Antec PSU's

                Sometimes registry errors can come from a hard drive that drags or has a hard time getting up to speed because of a physical problem. This is a prelude to a hard drive crashing. The dragging can cause the drive to kill a PSU.

                I had that happen to a computer just recently. It came in with boot up registry errors (different ones, never the same). As I kept troubleshooting the problem, I eventually nailed it down to a failing hard drive but by then the PSU had had enough with a hard drive drawing too much current and it popped the +5vdc supply voltage on it.

                Sometimes a failing drive unit (whether it be a hard drive or optical) can blow a PSU. The net effect is like removing the power connector on a drive while it's still plugged in. When you reinsert the plug you will invariably blow the PSU.
                Life is what you make of it...so please read the instructions carefully.

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                • #9
                  Re: Beware of Antec PSU's

                  Originally posted by craigwatanabe View Post
                  Sometimes registry errors can come from a hard drive that drags or has a hard time getting up to speed because of a physical problem. This is a prelude to a hard drive crashing. The dragging can cause the drive to kill a PSU.
                  I originally suspected one of my hard drives was failing. A hard drive checking software I'm using yellow lined a spin test as being something wrong on the 40GB drive.It wasn't off by much, maybe by 3 (100 versus 97).

                  I even went so far to remove the slave drive (It was only 40GB, I have a 120GB master drive). After I did that, boom the PSU failed. I figure since both drives are not too old, that I bought a bum PSU,
                  Check out my blog on Kona issues :
                  The Kona Blog

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                  • #10
                    Re: Beware of Antec PSU's

                    Originally posted by Konaguy View Post
                    I even went so far to remove the slave drive (It was only 40GB, I have a 120GB master drive). After I did that, boom the PSU failed. I figure since both drives are not too old, that I bought a bum PSU,
                    When you removed the power connector from the hard drive you did unplug the PSU from the electrical outlet right?

                    Just because the computer is off, power is still running throughout the mobo. Removing a power connector to a hard drive while the computer is off but plugged in will definately blow the +5vdc supply.

                    Buy one of those $20 PSU checkers from Radio Shack. Plug the +12vdc rail into it and plug the PSU into an outlet and check to see which supply voltage is failing. I'll bet even money that your +5vdc supply will be dead.
                    Life is what you make of it...so please read the instructions carefully.

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      Re: Beware of Antec PSU's

                      Originally posted by craigwatanabe View Post
                      When you removed the power connector from the hard drive you did unplug the PSU from the electrical outlet right?

                      Just because the computer is off, power is still running throughout the mobo. Removing a power connector to a hard drive while the computer is off but plugged in will definately blow the +5vdc supply.

                      Buy one of those $20 PSU checkers from Radio Shack. Plug the +12vdc rail into it and plug the PSU into an outlet and check to see which supply voltage is failing. I'll bet even money that your +5vdc supply will be dead.

                      By George I think you got it. That was what blew on the PSU- exactly. I didn't pull the power cord when I pulled the hard drive. I had a tech at a place where I took the computer to had one of those PSU testing devices.He told me the same exact thing.

                      It is possible if I fried my PSU that way, the slave drive was the likely culprit for the registry error I was getting. As it has not reoccurred.
                      Check out my blog on Kona issues :
                      The Kona Blog

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                      • #12
                        Re: Beware of Antec PSU's

                        Originally posted by Konaguy View Post
                        My parents house doesn't have GFCI plugs. If I understand correctly they have preventers so you don't get shocked ? I have APC UPS also.
                        The breaker's sensors check that the same amount of current is returning to the breaker as is going out. If there's a mismatch then the breaker assumes the "missing" current is grounded somewhere (like a human body being electrocuted) and pops.

                        So "off" doesn't mean "de-energized" until it's been unplugged? I've been around computers for 20+ years and still I've been blissfully ignorant about the +5VDC unplugging issue. I've always had the machine unplugged, but apparently by habit or necessity more than by knowledge. Great freakin' design, eh?
                        Youth may be wasted on the young, but retirement is wasted on the old.
                        Live like you're dying, invest like you're immortal.
                        We grow old if we stop playing, but it's never too late to have a happy childhood.
                        Forget about who you were-- discover who you are.

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          Re: Beware of Antec PSU's

                          Originally posted by Nords View Post
                          The breaker's sensors check that the same amount of current is returning to the breaker as is going out. If there's a mismatch then the breaker assumes the "missing" current is grounded somewhere (like a human body being electrocuted) and pops.
                          Yes there are CFI outlets and CFI breakers. Both work the same way.

                          There are also arc-fault breakers that are mandated for new construction. They listen for the noise characteristics of an electrical fault and trigger.

                          However, neither one should be causing issues with early power supply failure.

                          Originally posted by Nords View Post
                          So "off" doesn't mean "de-energized" until it's been unplugged? I've been around computers for 20+ years and still I've been blissfully ignorant about the +5VDC unplugging issue.
                          Yes. You may have noticed the trend away from normal power switches to light weight push buttons that can't possibly handle the current demands of a power supply. There is a small amount of power that is always on. Parts of the mother board are always on, waiting for a command to "wake up". You may see the link light on you NIC card still on after you've shut things off. Even after you unplug the power supply, it can take a good 30 seconds for the power to finally drain away. Some mobos have a LED you can see this with.

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                          • #14
                            Re: Beware of Antec PSU's

                            Interesting...

                            I'ver been using and building PC's with Antec Power supplies for the past 5 years...maybe 200 PC's or more, and have had 2 failures out of the box, and none reported from any of my builds.(knock on wood)

                            What I have found is that a defective UPS can also take out your PC's power supply. If the voltage inverter inside the UPS fails...maybe dead shorts...it may take your PSU, with the potential of damaging motherboard components.

                            If you've had your UPS for more that 3 years, its probably time for a new Battery. I've learned not to rely on the unit's internal diagnostics to "test" the battery. However, if you have already replaced the battery in your UPS at least once already, I would suggest a new UPS, to be on the "safer" side.
                            Also, had an APC engineer once tell me that UPS units should never be plugged into a power strip or GFCI outlets...
                            jock

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                            • #15
                              Re: Beware of Antec PSU's

                              I haven't had any bad experiences with Antec's TruePower power supplies, but some HORRIBLE experiences with their bargain units. You get what you pay for, I guess.

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