My PSU Exploded!

[nicros]

Been having problems with my computer, where it would boot, and then a minute later just die. No bsod, no warning, just off. Trying to boot again, it shut down even sooner. A third try and it shut down in about 10 secs.

So trying to troubleshoot, I pulled the ram, and went stick by stick... no problem there. Layed the system down and took out the GPU, expecting some beeps or some other mild complaint...

System booted, no beeps at all, ran for about 20 seconds and then *BLAM* psu just fried with a deafening crack! Scared the crap outta me! Given the smell of ozone and the massive spark I saw Im figuring my PSU is toast.

So for sure my PSU is dead now (no power at all).

But Im worried, what would cause the PSU to blow like that??? Its an OCZ GameXStream 700W, about 2 years old. It was very dusty as well....

Is this just how these things die? Or did I do something wrong? Ive never seen this before!

Oh yeah, and now I need a new psu. Preferrably 800W plus for a gaming rig running an e6600 (overclocked to 3.4), 4G ram, EVGA 285 and 4 hard drives. Whats good?

 

[kubes]

Its just how these things die. There a bit unpredictable. I've heard stories of some starting fires even. Hopefuly it didn't take anything else out with it. Your psu is a mid grade psu so i'm not suprised this happened. When replacing it you might want to consider companies such as antec, crosair, or PC Power & Cooling. I'd say those are much more relable than OCZ.

 

[jjbtexas]

doesn't OCZ make the PC Power & Cooling PSUs?

 

[kubes]

Yes OCZ makes PC Power & Cooling PSU's (I can't remember when they merged). But that doesn't mean a PC Power & Cooling PSU is an OCZ PSU. If you tore one open you'd see the differences right away between the two.

 

[Jack64]

I bet one of the Caps popped in there. Just be glad it didn't catch on fire. Those caps pack a wallop. And DO NOT TEAR IT APART and try and fix it...not worth it if you touch something in there wrong....it will hurt you or your tools. Just buy a good quality replacement and hope it didn't take anything else with it.

 

[kubes]

Ya I'm pretty sure it was a cap that blew too, and i'd highly reccommend not trying to replace it unless u really know what your doing.

@jack64
Its funny that you brought that up because I watched someone blow a cap yesterday when messing around with a circut (got the postive and negatives mixed up -oops), He was working on a fancy bread board and when he turned the psu on boom! He fell out of his chair and landed on his back from it (mostly because of fright), luckfuly it wasn't to big of a cap but still, them things pack a whallup.

 

[Jack64]

Yes they do, I watched a AC repair tech cross the terminal on a startup cap for a 5 ton ac unit.....OMG blew the plyers up, burned his hand, cinged his eyebrows off. I don't know anything about that kind of circuitry and from the looks of it.....don't want to. Course that is alot different than a cap in a power supply, but the same rules apply. I also saw my father cross terminals working on a television when I was a kid...I remember the pop, the smoke and the words he said....convinced me don't mess with them. He was an electrician and a tv repairman back in the 70s.

 

[MaDMagik]

Pity you guys didnt catch any of it on camera, would have made a nice "Dont try this at home" sticky ;]]