Burning smell coming from computer?

[TYLERisMiSfIt]

about 15 minutes ago i began to smell a burning smell emanating from what i think was my computer on the ground next to me. I panicked and turned off my computer and investigated what the smell was and if it was coming from my computer and im pretty sure it was. I done some research and a lot of people say it could be the PSU, i recently put my computer back on my carpeted floor where it basically touches the bottom of my computer, since this incident i elevated my computer with some books lol, am i safe?

 

[Darkbreeze]

IF you've been running it since we first talked, and nothing has happened, and no further smells or smoke have happened, AND the voltages are fine in the BIOS (Which is where they are the most likely to be accurate, beyond what is reported by any windows utility), and you haven't noticed any unusual behavior, then it's probably fine and you may have caught it in time. It's likely what you smelled was either the carpet that got hot and burned off some of the crap that always gets accumulated on carpets over years of use

(You don't even want me to go into what's found on the average carpet fiber when inspected in a lab. Suffice to say, no matter how clean you think your carpet is, there's stuff there. If you've ever smelled an electric heater firing up for the first time that season after not being used during the warm months, then you know what I mean. And the heating elements don't get walked on, drinks spilled on, food particles clinging to them, etc., like a carpet does.)

or the nylon or polypropolyne fibers of the carpets themselves. If you've ever burnt nylon rope, again, you've smelled it. I guess the main question would be whether or not what you smelled resembled the smell generally associated with burning electrical or seemed to fit in better with the idea of the carpet having gotten hot. I've seen many locations where computers have sat for some time, that are entirely discolored simply from the prolonged exposure to the close proximity of the power supply giving off heat, and that's without actually being in contact like yours was or blocking the airflow, which was almost certain.

I really think testing is the best plan, but if it hasn't damaged anything yet, it's probable that it was caught before it became a bigger issue. I think I'd still start planning to replace it with a good unit though. Anytime you overheat a component, you've shortened it's lifespan and weakened the unit.

 

[TYLERisMiSfIt]

IF you've been running it since we first talked, and nothing has happened, and no further smells or smoke have happened, AND the voltages are fine in the BIOS (Which is where they are the most likely to be accurate, beyond what is reported by any windows utility), and you haven't noticed any unusual behavior, then it's probably fine and you may have caught it in time. It's likely what you smelled was either the carpet that got hot and burned off some of the crap that always gets accumulated on carpets over years of use

(You don't even want me to go into what's found on the average carpet fiber when inspected in a lab. Suffice to say, no matter how clean you think your carpet is, there's stuff there. If you've ever smelled an electric heater firing up for the first time that season after not being used during the warm months, then you know what I mean. And the heating elements don't get walked on, drinks spilled on, food particles clinging to them, etc., like a carpet does.)

or the nylon or polypropolyne fibers of the carpets themselves. If you've ever burnt nylon rope, again, you've smelled it. I guess the main question would be whether or not what you smelled resembled the smell generally associated with burning electrical or seemed to fit in better with the idea of the carpet having gotten hot. I've seen many locations where computers have sat for some time, that are entirely discolored simply from the prolonged exposure to the close proximity of the power supply giving off heat, and that's without actually being in contact like yours was or blocking the airflow, which was almost certain.

I really think testing is the best plan, but if it hasn't damaged anything yet, it's probable that it was caught before it became a bigger issue. I think I'd still start planning to replace it with a good unit though. Anytime you overheat a component, you've shortened it's lifespan and weakened the unit.

I started it back up about 20 minutes ago and been using it since then. No problems so far. Yeah the smell definitely did smell like carpet being burned but at the time i didn't really pay attention because i was panicking. I will probably purchase a new PSU soon since this one is getting pretty old, would you recommend any by chance? and thank you very much for you help by the way!!!

 

[Darkbreeze]

What are your system specs including GPU card model and are you still planning to do some overclocking? I wouldn't let this little scare discourage you from that, although I probably wouldn't overclock until you DO replace the unit. BTW, please include your current PSU model with the system specs.

 

[madmatt30]

If you're ever going to sit a PC with a bottom mounted PSU on carpet then have the psu fan facing into the case rather then venting in through the bottom fan mount

Still not the ideal scenario but better than what youve experienced.

 

[TYLERisMiSfIt]

What are your system specs including GPU card model and are you still planning to do some overclocking? I wouldn't let this little scare discourage you from that, although I probably wouldn't overclock until you DO replace the unit. BTW, please include your current PSU model with the system specs.

i will probably overclock just have to be smarter about it haha, my gpu is a NVIDIA GeForce GTX 660 SC and my PSU is a Corsair CX600

 

[TYLERisMiSfIt]

Oops didn't mean to pick best answer :/ hopefully we have this solved

 

[Darkbreeze]

Does your GPU model use only 1 6 pin PCI power connector? Are you planning to upgrade the GPU card anytime soon? Are you in the US?

 

[TYLERisMiSfIt]

Does your GPU model use only 1 6 pin PCI power connector? Are you planning to upgrade the GPU card anytime soon? Are you in the US?

Yes it only uses 1, in the next 6 months i probably will and yes i live in the U.S.

 

[Darkbreeze]

Since you'll probably be upgrading, and depending on WHAT you're likely to upgrade to, I'd use this as a guide to the capacity you'll need based on the probable card model you'll be going with, rather than for what you have now as it likely won't be the same:

http://www.realhardtechx.com/index_archivos/Page362.htm


And pick a unit with sufficient capacity that's listed in a position of Tier 1 or 2 here:

http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/forum/id-2547993/psu-tier-list.html

 

[TYLERisMiSfIt]

Since you'll probably be upgrading, and depending on WHAT you're likely to upgrade to, I'd use this as a guide to the capacity you'll need based on the probable card model you'll be going with, rather than for what you have now as it likely won't be the same:

http://www.realhardtechx.com/index_archivos/Page362.htm


And pick a unit with sufficient capacity that's listed in a position of Tier 1 or 2 here:

http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/forum/id-2547993/psu-tier-list.html

Thank you for the information! will look into it, Would you recommend a gpu to future proof my computer? preferably an NVIDIA for under $400?

 

[Darkbreeze]

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

Video Card: Asus GeForce GTX 970 4GB STRIX Video Card ($329.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Power Supply: EVGA 750W 80+ Bronze Certified Semi-Modular ATX Power Supply ($73.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Total: $403.98
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2015-06-29 05:45 EDT-0400



^^^^Very good graphics card, much more capable than what you currently are running, and very good Tier 2 PSU.

 

[TYLERisMiSfIt]

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

Video Card: Asus GeForce GTX 970 4GB STRIX Video Card ($329.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Power Supply: EVGA 750W 80+ Bronze Certified Semi-Modular ATX Power Supply ($73.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Total: $403.98
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2015-06-29 05:45 EDT-0400



^^^^Very good graphics card, much more capable than what you currently are running, and very good Tier 2 PSU.

Thank you very much!!!

 

[Darkbreeze]

No problem. BTW, I unselected that answer you selected by accident. Feel free to select whichever answer here you feel best fits your question by any member once you're satisfied the problem has been solved.

 

[TYLERisMiSfIt]

No problem. BTW, I unselected that answer you selected by accident. Feel free to select whichever answer here you feel best fits your question by any member once you're satisfied the problem has been solved.

I believe you were the biggest help out of all but thank you to everyone who helped! i think we have everything solved

 

[Darkbreeze]

Good luck going forward.