HELP!!!! Computer eats PSUs!

[GNinja]

Here's the problem: My friend built a computer for a friend, and it just melted a 700 watt power supply. They then put in another 700 watt power supply and that died too. Then my friend got a new case and trusted me to rebuild the computer, into the new case, change a few other various things around, but nothing serious. Again, during the rebuild, it ate up his new 750 watter. He had an old junky 600 watt power supply that we threw back in there and turned off a bunch of things, that should be running. I mean, look at the stat list below, there is nothing in there that should be eating power supplies like that, is there? I'm not sure of the wattage on this stuff, but I know it's not much different than my personal custom machine, and my brothers, and niether of us need more than 500 watts.

So my question is, does anybody know what could possibly be the cause for such an over load of power? It's running now, but he's missing his cool lights, and a bunch of fans that would be keeping the CPU cooler right now. Also not running 1 of his HDDs and 1 of his DVDs. So, anyone got any idea what I should check, or any thoughts that might be of some help? Maybe something isn't grounded right? Other than that, I have no clue.

Here's the stats:
-- ABit Motherboard
-- LGA 775 Prescott 3.4 Ghz w/ stock cooling
-- 2x Western Digital 250GB 7500RPM
-- ATI Radeon 9800XT
-- 2x DVD Burners
-- Sound Blaster Audigy 2 ZS
-- 2x Geil Ram 512mb
-- 4x 80mm LED fans
-- 1x 120mm LED fan
-- 2x cold cathodes

 

[HAVOC]

What brand were these 700 & 750 watt PSU's? For that system there would be no need for anything higher than 500watts. When you say, "Melted the PSU." what do you mean by melted? Did the internal components of the PSU melt? Or did it just simply stop working? Explain this more.

What do you have the voltage selecter on? Make sure that it's on 110 US or 220 EURO. 220 in US could melt the PSU and destroy most of the components.

Did you try installing one of these 700watt PSU's in another PC to see if they worked?

If all else fails, tell your friend to visit www.pcpowerandcooling.com and check out their PSU's. They are the best you can buy. Also if he wants to call them and ask them questions about PSU's they are really great and answer tons of questions about any aspect of them.

 

[DJ-CHRIS]

Well you have a very demanding PC, and your probolly using very crap PSU's

PCP&C PSU's have a long warranty and are the best, you probolly have issues with crummy power in the house.

 

[GNinja]

Well, not sure if they melted anything inside, I never took them apart. We just took them back to the store, but smoke and spark appeared out of a couple of the PSUs, others just stopped and smelt burnt out. Ummm... I don't remember what the PSUs brands were, but I know they weren't terrible, and none of them were anything I wouldn't use in my own computer. They were all set to US 110, as I am in the United States, no problems there. And yes, the first couple of power supplies I put in his machine, I put into my brothers computer first, because they are about the same in stats. Both very demanding machines, but my brothers computer had no problems what so ever.

As for power in the house, it's done the same things in 3 different houses, so I doubt that's an issue. And like I said, I have my own custom computer in this house, where I also built his machine, my brothers custom computer in here, and serveral DELL computers all working in the same house hold. Ummmm... I told him he should try a really REALLY good power supply, but he claims he "doesn't have the money to experiment with his computer anymore", so he's going to take it into a local computer shop full of no-nothing computer techs. I'll wish him good luck, but I'd never let any of those guys touch my machines. HAHA.

But no, pretty sure I've got all those bases covered except the super high-end power supply. But the PSUs he had worked in my bros machine.

-GNinja

 

[SteveGTA]

100-110 dollars for a 700/750 watt PSU probably means that the PSU is crappy. dont go by the wattage though because a 400W good PSU could beat a 500W bad PSU. look at how many A's it has on the 12v rail etc. i have a OCZ modstream 520W and it works great on my system. i would highly reccomend it.

 

[dhw200]

The best brands are OCZ, Antec, Thermaltake, Ennermax, and PCP&C.

hey steve, y do u have a mac mini as ur sig?

 

[HAVOC]

Well, this whole situation is really kinda interesting. I mean yeah, that is a pretty demanding machine, but in no way requires 700 watts, let alone 3 of them burning and sparking and not working anymore.

I've got a Dell 8300 with 2 SATA HDD'S, X800XT PE, (2) OPTICAL DRIVES, Audigy 2 ZS, P4 3.4Ghz, 2 case fans media card reader drive - and a few other bells and whistles and i only have a PCP&P Turbo-Cool 425 watt PSU. I've got more then enough power for this PC. These specs are more or less the same as his PC. Cost for PSU $135.00

I'm not really sure what the problem could be here. If the house wiring is ok and the PSU's worked fine in other computers, may-be there's a short somewhere in the motherboard. May-be with the 20 or 24 pin connecter or the 4pin CPU power? Don't really know. Let us know what happens.

 

[GNinja]

About the cheap PSUs, that's EXACTLY what I said to my friend. He told me one of the first ones they tried was one be bought used off ebay. I told him it would never work! But he's a stikler for buying cheap stuff and thinking it's great. I said "you get what you pay for", and I also told him he wouldn't need more than 500w with that rig. But anyways, that was on conslusion I came up with, my other thought was also a short on the motherboard, but I haven't had the time to look into that a little deeper. If I were rich, I'd let him use my sweet 500w modular, but I don't wanna risk burning it out. HAHA

 

[HAVOC]

100-110 dollars for a 700/750 watt PSU probably means that the PSU is crappy. dont go by the wattage though because a 400W good PSU could beat a 500W bad PSU. look at how many A's it has on the 12v rail etc. i have a OCZ modstream 520W and it works great on my system. i would highly reccomend it.

Don't buy modular Power Supplies. They might be cool and trendy but they really do suck.

The fact is, modular plugs limit power by adding to electrical resistance. The voltage drop can be as much as would occur in 2 feet of standard wire. Worse yet, modular plugs utilize delicate pins that can easily loosen, corrode, and burn, creating the potential for a major system failure. That's why pros specify uninterrupted wire!

 

[SteveGTA]

i just like macs and i wanted a change of pace in my sig lol. i htink i might get a mac but idk when/if i am getting one.