[SOLVED] PLEASE HELP! Burning smell & won't turn back on!

Oct 21, 2020
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So I smelled a burning plastic smell & it was coming from my brothers PC tower. It was already off & looks like the dog knocked the tower on its side.
I shut it off completely & waited about 1 hour. It will NOT turn on. I can't see any melted plastic components or wires. I can't identify where the smell came from (I tried the toilet tube but it smells kinda everywhere).
He's going to be so pissed! Please help me troubleshoot this.
https://ibb.co/Xztg06y

UPDATE
I went and bought another PSU since it's the likely piece that fried.
I still don't understand how the tower being on its side could cause it to overheat to the point the PSU melted. There seems to be 6 different fans in there!
Also why the F doesn't the PSU have a failsafe against this?? 😡
My brother said the computer was off but I don't see how this could happen if it was.

UPDATE 2
Well the old PSU is outside his door so I guess I did good 😅
Thank you for your help everyone!
 
Last edited:
Oct 21, 2020
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You can take that side panel off the case and examine the wire configuration, there might be something to observe.
Panel off the PSU itself? Would I need to unscrew the PSU and unhook all the wires? He's going to flip out if I mess with it.

If the PSU was damaged by melting inside could have damaged any other components in the PC or would just the PSU need replacement?
Thank you for your replies btw!
 

USAFRet

Titan
Moderator
Panel off the PSU itself? Would I need to unscrew the PSU and unhook all the wires? He's going to flip out if I mess with it.

If the PSU was damaged by melting inside could have damaged any other components in the PC or would just the PSU need replacement?
Thank you for your replies btw!
noooo...side panel off the case.
Do NOT open up the PSU itself.

Can a dying PSU affect other parts? Yes.
 
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Oct 21, 2020
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Well I went and bought another PSU since it's the likely piece that fried.
I still don't understand how the tower being on its side could cause it to overheat to the point the PSU melted. There seems to be 6 different fans in there!
Also why *** doesn't the PSU have a failsafe against this?? 😡

My brother said the computer was off but I don't see how this could happen if it was.
 

USAFRet

Titan
Moderator
Well I went and bought another PSU since it's the likely piece that fried.
I still don't understand how the tower being on its side could cause it to overheat to the point the PSU melted. There seems to be 6 different fans in there!
Also why *** doesn't the PSU have a failsafe against this?? 😡

My brother said the computer was off but I don't see how this could happen if it was.
failsafe?

Well, Thermaltake is not a very good PSU.

Could have been a slightly loose connection, could have been the crappy PSU dying on its own, could have been a lot of things.
 
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failsafe?

Well, Thermaltake is not a very good PSU.

Could have been a slightly loose connection, could have been the crappy PSU dying on its own, could have been a lot of things.
Could anything happen if the computer was off though? I think he accidentally left it on and this happened when it tipped over (or whatever the reason) but could not have if it was off.