Is my power supply broken?

[adragoncalledgeorge]

I was transporting my power supply in its packaging box in my backpack and when I opened it up I found this strange white stuff in the power supply that looked like a burst capacitor or transformer. I am not entirely sure but I will try to take a picture tomorrow. Only problem is that now I need a power supply to test my computer since it randomly shut down while in use which it never did before in this manner. I think it might be a power supply failure since my current power supply is second hand from a friend's computer. I should be using a brand new one but I didn't have the funds to get one. Is it safe to use a power supply that has the white stuff in it? According to a diagram I found on google images the part in question was the capacitors but I could be wrong. It was near the end of the PSU that you plug the power cable into. It is a Corsair power supply and I believe it is still under warranty. Is it safe to use the Corsair Power supply or should I get a new one?

 

[bmw-vision]

Tough to say, it depends on the fault. Sometimes when PSUs fail, they can take out components with them, however it is fairly rare since they have redundant safety features.

Sounds like one of the main smoothing capacitors, so should be an easy warranty claim since it is leaking/blown. Since it is a smoothing cap though, it is quite likely the PSU will either not work (If cap is shorted) or the output voltage will not be smooth enough (Open circuit) and the PC won't turn on.

 

[jay32267]

The white stuff is usually from a capacitor.

I find it very odd that white stuff from a capacitor would be in a Corsair still under warranty.

If that's what it is....you risk damage to your other components if you use it.

 

[adragoncalledgeorge]

I got a second Corsair power supply and it happened to me again two days after the first one blew. I will not use Corsair power supplies from now on! I will try to get a replacement. I emailed Corsair from their email address on their website and they never got back to me. The problem is that I live in the UK so I don't know if Corsair have any stores in the UK or only in the US. They have not replied back to me and I don't know how else to contact them. They were brand new power supplies from Amazon and were safely packaged in the box during transport. I don't know what to do!

 

[jay32267]

Maybe the white powder is something else.

I just find it odd that you would find two new Corsairs with this issue.

 

[adragoncalledgeorge]

I don't know what it could be. I will post pictures asap. But i will probably have to get a new one.