Power Supply?

Previously Andy <kanadaiy.TakeThisOut@telus.net> wrote:
> To All Cognoscenti, Greetings!

> My computer keeps shutting down as if the plug was yanked from the wall. The
> power cannot be turned back on for a few minutes, after which it can be
> powered up again. This has happened three times so far, with about a week or
> two of normal operation in between. The electrical outlet is fine. Am I
> right in suspecting an overloaded power supply? Could there be any other
> cause?

> Thanks for your suggestions in advance.

Might have lost capacity due to ageing resulting in overload. This
happens pretty often and if the load was high but acceptable before
it can become too large after some time.

Arno
 >> Stay informed about: Power Supply? 

Would suspect cooling capacity of the power supply itself. Probably
shutting down automatically to protect from overheat, and remains that way
until it cools down enough for a restart. If the power supply is the single
way for heat to leave the PC, then check for impeded air flow into the PC
and into and out of the power supply.

The electrical part of the power supply is not a suspect here, as you would
have problems starting the PC to begin with due to increased starting
current needed.

"Andy" <kanadaiy.TakeThisOut@telus.net> wrote in message
news:7jp1f.9423$yS6.8792@clgrps12...
> To All Cognoscenti, Greetings!
>
> My computer keeps shutting down as if the plug was yanked from the wall.
The
> power cannot be turned back on for a few minutes, after which it can be
> powered up again. This has happened three times so far, with about a week
or
> two of normal operation in between. The electrical outlet is fine. Am I
> right in suspecting an overloaded power supply? Could there be any other
> cause?
>
> Thanks for your suggestions in advance.
>
> Andy
>
>
 >> Stay informed about: Power Supply? 

Open the cover of the PSU (unplugged of course).
You will likely find years of dust cloggin the heat sinks.

"Andy" <kanadaiy RemoveThis @telus.net> wrote in message news:7jp1f.9423$yS6.8792@clgrps12...
> To All Cognoscenti, Greetings!
>
> My computer keeps shutting down as if the plug was yanked from the wall. The
> power cannot be turned back on for a few minutes, after which it can be
> powered up again. This has happened three times so far, with about a week or
> two of normal operation in between. The electrical outlet is fine. Am I
> right in suspecting an overloaded power supply? Could there be any other
> cause?
>
 >> Stay informed about: Power Supply? 

"Andy" <kanadaiy.TakeThisOut@telus.net> wrote in message
news:7jp1f.9423$yS6.8792@clgrps12...
> To All Cognoscenti, Greetings!
>
> My computer keeps shutting down as if the plug was yanked from the wall.
The
> power cannot be turned back on for a few minutes, after which it can be
> powered up again. This has happened three times so far, with about a week
or
> two of normal operation in between. The electrical outlet is fine. Am I
> right in suspecting an overloaded power supply? Could there be any other
> cause?

Check the CPU temperature reported by the BIOS after an hours use.

Check the CPU heatsink - on mine you need to use a torch because grey dust
looks much like aluminuim so it's hard to see if the heatsink is blocked
dust. If that's ok consider replacing the power supply.
 >> Stay informed about: Power Supply? 

Andy <kanadaiy RemoveThis @telus.net> wrote:

> To All Cognoscenti, Greetings!

> My computer keeps shutting down as if the plug was yanked from the wall. The
> power cannot be turned back on for a few minutes, after
> which it can be powered up again. This has happened three times so
> far, with about a week or two of normal operation in between. The
> electrical outlet is fine. Am I right in suspecting an overloaded power
> supply?

It shouldnt need to be off for minutes if it was that,

> Could there be any other cause?

Yes, a faulty power supply.

It can also be a bad motherboard, faulty caps on the motherboard.

Have a look at the usually blue or black plastic covered posts sticking
up vertically from the motherboard, check that the tops are flat and
that there is no visible leak. If you see either, those are the faulty caps.

Its obviously cheaper to try a new power supply than
motherboard if you cant see any visible problem.

> Thanks for your suggestions in advance.
 >> Stay informed about: Power Supply? 

Bob Willard <BobwBSGS.DeleteThis@TrashThis.comcast.net> wrote:
> Andy wrote:
>> To All Cognoscenti, Greetings!
>>
>> My computer keeps shutting down as if the plug was yanked from the
>> wall. The power cannot be turned back on for a few minutes, after
>> which it can be powered up again. This has happened three times so
>> far, with about a week or two of normal operation in between. The
>> electrical outlet is fine. Am I right in suspecting an overloaded
>> power supply? Could there be any other cause?
>>
>> Thanks for your suggestions in advance.

> Inadequate airflow is a possibility.

Nope, that wont usually produce that symptom, needing
to be off for minutes before it can be started again, and
you normally see problems with the cpu overheating first.

> Clogged filters, dirt-encrusted fan blades or heat sinks, something blocking
> air inlets or outlets, some fan not spinning, ...

Unlikely. Much more likely to be a power supply or motherboard fault.
 >> Stay informed about: Power Supply? 

Eric Gisin <ericgisin DeleteThis @hotmail.com> wrote

> Open the cover of the PSU (unplugged of course).
> You will likely find years of dust cloggin the heat sinks.

Doesnt normally produce that effect of needing to be off for minutes.


> "Andy" <kanadaiy DeleteThis @telus.net> wrote in message
> news:7jp1f.9423$yS6.8792@clgrps12...
>> To All Cognoscenti, Greetings!
>>
>> My computer keeps shutting down as if the plug was yanked from the
>> wall. The power cannot be turned back on for a few minutes, after
>> which it can be powered up again. This has happened three times so
>> far, with about a week or two of normal operation in between. The
>> electrical outlet is fine. Am I right in suspecting an overloaded
>> power supply? Could there be any other cause?
 >> Stay informed about: Power Supply? 

"Rod Speed" <rod_speed.TakeThisOut@yahoo.com> wrote in message news:3qo295Fg0ip1U1@individual.net...
> Eric Gisin <ericgisin.TakeThisOut@hotmail.com> wrote
>
> > Open the cover of the PSU (unplugged of course).
> > You will likely find years of dust cloggin the heat sinks.
>
> Doesnt normally produce that effect of needing to be off for minutes.
>
>
Yes, it does. That's how thermal protection works.
 >> Stay informed about: Power Supply? 

CWatters wrote:
> "Andy" <kanadaiy DeleteThis @telus.net> wrote in message
> news:7jp1f.9423$yS6.8792@clgrps12...
>
>>To All Cognoscenti, Greetings!
>>
>>My computer keeps shutting down as if the plug was yanked from the wall.
>
> The
>
>>power cannot be turned back on for a few minutes, after which it can be
>>powered up again. This has happened three times so far, with about a week
>
> or
>
>>two of normal operation in between. The electrical outlet is fine. Am I
>>right in suspecting an overloaded power supply? Could there be any other
>>cause?
>
>
> Check the CPU temperature reported by the BIOS after an hours use.
>
> Check the CPU heatsink - on mine you need to use a torch because grey dust
> looks much like aluminuim so it's hard to see if the heatsink is blocked
> dust. If that's ok consider replacing the power supply.
>
>

Uh, CWatters is using the UK definition of torch = flashlight, not the
US definition of torch = welding apparatus.
--
Cheers, Bob
 >> Stay informed about: Power Supply? 

CWatters wrote:

> "Andy" <kanadaiy.TakeThisOut@telus.net> wrote in message
> news:7jp1f.9423$yS6.8792@clgrps12...
>
>>To All Cognoscenti, Greetings!
>>
>>My computer keeps shutting down as if the plug was yanked from the wall.
>
> The
>
>>power cannot be turned back on for a few minutes, after which it can be
>>powered up again. This has happened three times so far, with about a week
>
> or
>
>>two of normal operation in between. The electrical outlet is fine. Am I
>>right in suspecting an overloaded power supply? Could there be any other
>>cause?
>
>
> Check the CPU temperature reported by the BIOS after an hours use.
>
> Check the CPU heatsink - on mine you need to use a torch because grey dust
> looks much like aluminuim so it's hard to see if the heatsink is blocked
> dust. If that's ok consider replacing the power supply.
>
>

Uh, CWatters is using the UK definition of torch = flashlight, not the
US def. of torch = welding apparatus.
--
Cheers, Bob
 >> Stay informed about: Power Supply? 

Eric Gisin <ericgisin DeleteThis @hotmail.com> wrote
> Rod Speed <rod_speed DeleteThis @yahoo.com> wrote
>> Eric Gisin <ericgisin DeleteThis @hotmail.com> wrote

>>> Open the cover of the PSU (unplugged of course).
>>> You will likely find years of dust cloggin the heat sinks.

>> Doesnt normally produce that effect of needing to be off for minutes.

> Yes, it does.

No it doesnt.

> That's how thermal protection works.

That dust doesnt produce a thermal shutdown of the power supply.

Few power supplys have thermal shutdown anyway.
 >> Stay informed about: Power Supply? 

"Rod Speed" <rod_speed.TakeThisOut@yahoo.com> wrote in
news:3qo295Fg0ip1U1@individual.net:

> Eric Gisin <ericgisin.TakeThisOut@hotmail.com> wrote
>
>> Open the cover of the PSU (unplugged of course).
>> You will likely find years of dust cloggin the heat sinks.
>
> Doesnt normally produce that effect of needing to be off for
> minutes.
>

I disagree.

Thermal sensors are usually designed to have hysteresis in their
behaviour, to avoid switching 'chatter' problems. The result is that
there is often a significant difference between the cut-out trigger
temperature and the reset temperature, hence the time delay while the
system cools.

If a thermal cut-out is triggering shutdown, it could be in the PSU,
the motherboard or the CPU chip.
 >> Stay informed about: Power Supply? 

"Rod Speed" <rod_speed.TakeThisOut@yahoo.com> wrote in news:3qochqFfoih8U1
@individual.net:

> Much more likely in fact.

Evidence?
 >> Stay informed about: Power Supply?