My System Fan cable caught fire

[Jay9]

Well.... dunno what to make of this.

Recently got a GTX 660. Decided to bench mark Far Cry 3.

Even framerates, nicely smooth. Let's tense it up. I go into a massive firefight. I look over and see the bridge between my System Fan, GPU, and PSU on fire.

Any idea what the actual hell happened?

 

[rolli59]

Looks like you had a bad connection and overheated the cable but fan and GPU same cable? What PSU?

 

[Jay9]

620W Seasonic

It's not a defective model. I already RMA'd it for the one I'm using.


I just know, I had both the System Fan's power input and my GTX 660's power input on a splitter cable. Looked up and saw my fan's cable on fire. Thankfully the GPU didn't catch with it.

 

[rolli59]

Does not sound right since the PCIe power to the GPU should be a separate cable with no splitters. Fans usually go on 4 pin molex!

 

[Jay9]

The GPU cable uses a 6-pin cable to a split 4-pin molex.

I'm starting to think it may have been because I never plugged in the 2nd molex cable into the PSU. So maybe the GPU tried to draw in power away from the system fan and caused it to overheat?

I'm also having breaker trips again. I've checked the cable and the power in the house itself, nothing abnormal.

Although, I would like to ask what the AA02 and AA01 mean on the PSU cables.

 

[rolli59]

Looks like you overloaded a cable! The PSU should have a dedicated 6 or 6+2 pin PCIe power cable. http://www.playtool.com/pages/psuconnectors/connectors.html

 

[Jay9]

The 6-pin plugs into the GPU itself and the 6-pin breaks off into two 4-pin connectors that plug into the PSU's 4-pin connectors. Problem is, I mistakenly plugged in only ONE of my GPU's 4-pin connectors into one of the PSU's 4-pin and the system fan's 4-pin into the other PSU's 4-pin leaving one of the GPU's 4-pins hanging. Still, I never would've assumed it to catch fire like that.

Also, I still can't figure out these breaker trips.

 

[Jay9]

I can't reproduce the trips. They're all at random.

Currently, the only things plugged in to an outlet are:

Xbox 360
Vizio 32' HDTV
PC with Specs as follow

620 Seasonic dual 12v/24a
x2 SATA Hard drives
x4 2GB 1033 DDR3 RAM
Gigabyte GTX660OC
i3-2100 @ 3.10GHz
One LED System Fan

Motherboard being this
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813130616

Which, funny enough, is discontinued a month after I purchase it.


One more thing...

I THOUGHT A PSU IS SUPPOSED TO SHUT OFF IF IT HAS TOO MUCH CURRENT IN ONE CABLE!

 

[ko888]

The Seasonic S12II-620 Bronze has one 6-pin and one (6+2)-pin PCI Express supplementary power connectors.

Why are you even using the dual 4-pin Molex Peripheral to 6-pin PCI-E adapter cable that came with the graphics card? This power adapter cable is only to be used if your power supply doesn't have any PCI Express supplementary power connectors.

Also the Seasonic S12II-620 Bronze does not have dual +12V rails despite what is shown on its label. There is no multirail overcurrent protection on the "dual +12V rails" so it's only a single +12V rail design PSU.

You're inflicting damage when it can be avoided.

 

[rolli59]

Exactly what I have been trying to say!

 

[Jay9]

Yea, but he said it in a more broken down fashion. Either way, I knew it had a PCI-e output, I just recently found the cable tucked away inside the bag that came in the box. That still doesn't explain my random trips using it.

 

[rolli59]

No but if you melted the cable who knows what else melted and is tripping the breaker! I would not use that PSU again.

 

[Jay9]

This is contradicting what I was told.

I asked this issue on this site and got the same response. "It's not the PSU, Seasonic is good."

Not to mention, the cable caught fire because I wired it wrong. I forgot to plug in the secondary 4-pin connector and accidentally plugged in the case fan to the same 4-pin connect the PCI-e's first 4-pin was connected to.

The result was noticed when I benchmarked Far Cry 3. The thing is, Far Cry is graphically intensive resulting in the PSU pumping out double amperage into a single wire not intended to handle that much, which in turn, resulted in burning the wire up due to the amount of amperage pumped through it.

That was a mistake on my end. But I still can't figure out the breaker issue.

One thing I don't like about this PSU, is it has no red switch.

As a matter of fact, you're the one that said it.

http://i.imgur.com/8FIOzRx.png

 

[rolli59]

So people can put it on 230volts when running in US and 110volts in Europe and create even more damage?

 

[Jay9]

I meant, there's no way to swap it. That's what I can only assume is that it's trying to use the EU setting. The only time I ever had this happen is when I wanted to test out what would happen if I swapped it. Trial and error. Of course, after switching it to the EU setting, the breaker tripped. But, there isn't a switch on this 620, so I can't even tell if it's detecting right or not.

I literally have no idea what to do. It works fine when it's on. It only trips when I either...

A) Wake it from standby
B) It'll randomly trip when being turned on

 

[rolli59]

I meant, there's no way to swap it. That's what I can only assume is that it's trying to use the EU setting. The only time I ever had this happen is when I wanted to test out what would happen if I swapped it. Trial and error. Of course, after switching it to the EU setting, the breaker tripped. But, there isn't a switch on this 620, so I can't even tell if it's detecting right or not.

I literally have no idea what to do. It works fine when it's on. It only trips when I either...

A) Wake it from standby
B) It'll randomly trip when being turned on

There is no EU setting, it is automatic runs on anything from 100-240volts 50/60Hz! Something else burned/melted and it is best to replace it.

 

[Jay9]

So you're asking me to replace the same PSU twice?

Also, I should mention, these power trips were happening way before the fire incident. Also, as said, the fire bit was a technical error on my own part.

 

[rolli59]

No I am telling you that I (MYSELF) would not use that PSU.
Reasons;
It melted a cable (turned it on fire)
Is always tripping breakers although its theoretical max pull from the wall is only 6.2Amps.

 

[Jay9]

No I am telling you that I (MYSELF) would not use that PSU.
Reasons;
It melted a cable (turned it on fire)
Is always tripping breakers although its theoretical max pull from the wall is only 6.2Amps.

Do you mean this particular PSU in general or the brand itself?

Also, exclude the wire-fire. That was caused by me mixing a power-hungry GPU with a low-power case fan on the same wire. That is irrelevant to the breaker trips in every way.

This happened on both the original PSU I came here for and then still happening on the RMA you guys suggested I put in for.

 

[rolli59]

This particular PSU!

If it is happening with 2 PSU's then the problem might be bigger, like something else is assembled wrong. You are using standoffs for your motherboard no other cables turned the wrong way around sending voltage to ground.

 

[Jay9]

Still, what would the cause be if it only does it on boot? I've literally left this thing running for three days straight with no power issues.

I should also ask, when you say standoffs....

Does that mean the tall gold pieces AND the screws or either one?

I did install the pieces in between the contact of the board and the screws.

 

[rolli59]

Yep that is standoffs, screw in the motherboard tray and then the board on top of them.

 

[Jay9]

Is it bad I've been using this PC for a year without them?

Wait, I'm an idiot. I forgot they go under the tray, not on top. It's been a while since I built this thing.

Whatever, still learning. I just can't figure out why two PSUs both cause trips on a startup.


Do you think it could be the initial boot needing a jolt?

 

[rolli59]

If all the plugs in the back fit the IO panel, the little shield that you put in back of the case, then you have standoffs installed.

 

[Jay9]

If all the plugs in the back fit the IO panel, the little shield that you put in back of the case, then you have standoffs installed.

No, they're installed, I remember doing it now. But I never bothered with the IO panel. I didn't care for the way MSI had it setup to fit in. Kept cutting up my fingers.


But, yes, I have standoffs. I just have no earthly idea why it keeps tripping during a boot-up.