Can Overclock have damaged my PSU?

[machumachu]

Hi guys,

I would like to know if it would be possible that a too strong overclock could damage a PSU.
Here's what happened to me.

Motherboard: Maximus VII Hero
CPU: 4790k @4.6ghz 1.19V
CPU cooler: Coolmaster
Nepton 140XL
GPU: Gigabyte GTX 980ti g1 gaming SLI
RAM: 8gb x 2 Trident X
@2400mhz
SSD: Samsung SSD850EVO 512gb
PSU: Corsair HX1000i
Display: 4k monitor

I overclocked the following:

CPU: 4790k @4.6ghz 1.19V

GPU: Gigabyte GTX 980ti g1 gaming SLI
Priority to Power Limit- 110%
Max GPU clock: 1480 Mhz
Max Memory Clock: 1950 Mhz

After a few days, my PC started to randomly turn off (black screen) and I had to reboot with sometimes code 00 on the mobo. It would boot again after a while.
It happened sometimes during gaming, but also while watching videos, or even just browsing.

This happened more and more often - sometimes just after booting.
After repeated reboots, I started to have a "Power Surge" error message.

I checked the BIOS: the PSU was not giving enough power on the 12V rail (11.040v).

After checing all components, I noticed that the 24pin ATX plug had 2 pins slightly burned (2nd and 3rd pin from the top left)

I RMAed the PSU and the mobo and got them replaced, and everything is working fine now, but I didn't overclock anything.

Here are my 2 questions:

? Could the overclock have damaged the PSU?
1000W should be enough, but maybe not enough for OC?

? Could my display setting have an influence on the PSU performance?
A few days before the trouble happened, I used my main display (4K monitor), but I also sometimes connected my PC to my 1080p TV. I never used it as dual display, always either the 4K monitor OR the 1080p TV (to play in my living room).
I assume it is just a coincidence, but I would like to be sure...

Thank you!

 

[InvalidError]

It sounds like you had poor contact in the ATX12V connector and the connector itself burnt out.

I would not trust voltage readings from a motherboard or software tool but if the motherboard was reading 12V from the ATX12V/EPS12 connector and the connector got charred, then 11V seems plausible. The PSU itself was probably still putting out 12V and your 11V reading was simply a 1V drop through the burnt connector.

Did you really use a four pin ATX12V connector? That motherboard has an EPS12 (8 pins) connector, you should have used an EPS12 connector to reduce the current on individual pins and the chance of burning it out again before you start OCing.

 

[machumachu]

It sounds like you had poor contact in the ATX12V connector and the connector itself burnt out.

I would not trust voltage readings from a motherboard or software tool but if the motherboard was reading 12V from the ATX12V/EPS12 connector and the connector got charred, then 11V seems plausible. The PSU itself was probably still putting out 12V and your 11V reading was simply a 1V drop through the burnt connector.

Did you really use a four pin ATX12V connector? That motherboard has an EPS12 (8 pins) connector, you should have used an EPS12 connector to reduce the current on individual pins and the chance of burning it out again before you start OCing.

My mistake, it was not the ATX12V connector, but the 24pin ATX plug that was damaged.
I used an EPS12 connector indeed. I edited my intial post. Thanks!

So it might be due to a poor contact! That's possible, since I remember that the PSU end of the 24pin ATX cable seemd a bit loose when I removed it...Thanks
I was extra careful when I connected the new PSU, so do you think I can OC my CPU and GPUs again without risk for the PSU?

 

[InvalidError]

All of the CPU's power should be coming from the EPS12 connector, so overclocking should have little to no effect on how much current goes through the main ATX connector. Whatever caused your ATX connector to fry, overclocking the CPU may have nothing to do with it.