Do old power supplies have a safety mode/system?

[lmistspear]

I was wondering if 2005 and higher power supplies have a safety mode where they immediately shutdown/stop working if the PS is burning/giving a burning plastic smell or something to avoid damaging other components? Stupid question i know. But can't help being a noob. Specifically talking about MediaTech's Power Supplies.

 

[ElectrO_90]

if something is melting, there is no sensor in any PSU that can smell destruction.
Everything is done on power draw, so if something is shorting out then the power goes up and the limiter will switch it off/pop/blow or whatever.
This is the only real way it protects you. If something is melting for some other reason and the device cannot see it is melting, then it will continue to melt.

Personally, I have never heard of Mediatech so cannot vouch for it being good. If I haven't heard of it, I wouldn't buy it. I only buy things that have been reviewed by at least 2 trusted sites and they come to similar conclusion that it is a good product.

 

[k1114]

Good quality psus will have protection for over current, over power, over temp, over and under voltage, short circuit and no load. They could possibly have others but there are also varying abilities to actually protect if something were to occur. Bad psus may have these protections but poor design may still let it kill other components. Mediatech is a no name rebranding of other no name bad psus. It's a fireworks box and you should replace it.

 

[Roland Of Gilead]

I was wondering if 2005 and higher power supplies have a safety mode where they immediately shutdown/stop working if the PS is burning/giving a burning plastic smell or something to avoid damaging other components? Stupid question i know. But can't help being a noob. Specifically talking about MediaTech's Power Supplies.

I'd agree with k1114, decent PSU's will have these over protections as standard. The issue for you is not necessarily whether the mediatech one has these protections, but more so the fact your PSU is 12 yrs old. Most expensive PSU's have warranties that are for 5-10 years. Mediatech's don't. If you are planning to use that PSU in any active system, even with something that isn't power hungry, you risk frying components. It could crap out at any minute. Also, after 12 years the unit WILL NOT be providing it's rated power. So keep that in mind too, if you decide to use it.