How to ensure electricity is "good"?

[gia257]

My pc died a few weeks ago. I removed the PSU for testing but it failed to turn on. A week later I took the whole thing to a repair shop and it turned on fine *scratches head*, back at home, the PSU cable sparked when I plugged it in, and the pc didnt turn on again!

After I took out the PSU again, and tested in another room, it turned on! Because I didnt have any will to do the trip again I let it sit in my room some weeks.

Today I came across a multitester and decided Id learn to use it while testing the PSU. I plugged it in. Put the tester on the cables, 0V. I figured I had not turned the power switch on on the PSU. Left the tester on the floor (the testers dropped out of the power cables), turned the switch on, and the PSU exploded.

So, I was on the "bad" room. So Im guessing maybe theres something wrong with the room's electricity? (or even the house's? its an old concrete house). I know rain can filter through the walls/ceiling, and maybe water/humidity is affecting the power.

What should I do/buy to prevent a possible new computer to explode day one on that room? Tearing down the walls and rebuilding sounds unlikely, for instance, would those UPS things fix any electricity weirdness or would they just explode first?

 

[terry4536]

If your household electrical circuits caused a power supply to "blow up", then it is time to call an electrician to the house.

I don't know where you live. The standard electrical circuit in your house could be 110V or 220V (or even some other voltage depending upon the country). If you plugged a 110V power supply into a 220V outlet, that might explain the situation.

 

[gia257]

If your household electrical circuits caused a power supply to "blow up", then it is time to call an electrician to the house.

I don't know where you live. The standard electrical circuit in your house could be 110V or 220V (or even some other voltage depending upon the country). If you plugged a 110V power supply into a 220V outlet, that might explain the situation.

No, the theoretical voltage was correct, that doesnt mean there could be an issue within the walls that changes it into a dangerous one? (only issues would be rain water, humidity and bad installation, dont think ants, spiders or termites eat cable insulation, there are no rodents).

Due to the explosion Im afraid to plug the multitester into the socket to find out the socket voltage though haha, dont wanna lose/burn my fingers, I'm lucky whatever exploded was on the opposite side of the switch because it did manage to reach a small distance outside the PSU cage

 

[terry4536]

So, I was on the "bad" room. So Im guessing maybe theres something wrong with the room's electricity? (or even the house's? its an old concrete house).

It is up to you. But that definitely does fall into the category of a fire hazard.

There is no option other than replacing the power supply (since the other one "blew up"). The only thing localized to the power supply that would cause that would be a fault in the power supply or PC.

It is quite likely that the motherboard (and perhaps other components) was damaged when the power supply "blew up". So you should consider that when deciding to repair or replace the PC.

 

[Paperdoc]

You were not in the "bad" room, and I doubt that your wall power outlets caused the problem. You have a PSU that has failed with a substantial fault inside it. You really can't repair that. Get a replacement. BUT, as terry4536 said, it is possible that your mobo was damaged, although it's also possible that it is OK. Take it to your repair shop to check with a known-good PSU, or borrow one from a friend and check yourself.