[SOLVED] PSU going bad

tommytgc

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Mar 6, 2018
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I have some thoughts on my PSU going bad but I cant say for sure how can I tell and also the 3.3v line has been going from 3,376v-3.360v is this ok? Also I am thinking about this as my pc is sometimes failing to post but I dont know what could be an issue.
other lines: 5v is on 5.0v and 12v is on 12.096v.
So could my psu be an issue?
my spec:
asus prime b250m-plus
intel core i5-6600k
gtx 1050
be quiet pure power 600watt non-modular (about 6months old)
2x 8gb g.skill aegis
 
Solution
REPLACE THE CMOS BUTTON CELL on the motherboard with whatever is in there (CR20xx), but stick with name brand ones (Energizer, Panasonic, Sony) with the LoNgEsT shelf life. (Expires 2026 or later).

When you say you ''turn off the extension cord'', you mean a switch on the Power/Bus Bar that you have everything plugged into?

IF SO, that is REALLY HARD on the PSU (constantly recharging bulk caps, inrush current surge...), so UNLESS you are paying something RiDiCuLoUs, like U$0.82/kWh, DON'T DO THAT!!. If you are concerned about vampire power consumption...then plug everything else (monitors, speakers, etc.) into the Power Bar and turn those off, but as for the PC itself...it shouldn't...

Lutfij

Titan
Moderator
If the system exhibits no issues while running off a similar wattage, reliably built PSU that is borrowed or brand new then you can point a finger towards the PSU going bad. You should also look at driver issues as a possible cause or the OS being nitpicky or the board giving out. Also, why do you have a K suffix processor on a limiting B250 chipsetted board? Latest BIOS on that board?
 

tommytgc

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Mar 6, 2018
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If the system exhibits no issues while running off a similar wattage, reliably built PSU that is borrowed or brand new then you can point a finger towards the PSU going bad. You should also look at driver issues as a possible cause or the OS being nitpicky or the board giving out. Also, why do you have a K suffix processor on a limiting B250 chipsetted board? Latest BIOS on that board?
I had this cpu for a long time now (about a year)and had no issues at all.
the only new things in my system are seagate hdd(2months old)
and ram (about 3months old)
also bios version is: 0607 as im scared to update
and I started to get this issue about 3weeks ago
 

tommytgc

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Mar 6, 2018
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If the system exhibits no issues while running off a similar wattage, reliably built PSU that is borrowed or brand new then you can point a finger towards the PSU going bad. You should also look at driver issues as a possible cause or the OS being nitpicky or the board giving out. Also, why do you have a K suffix processor on a limiting B250 chipsetted board? Latest BIOS on that board?
also 12v line goes between 12-12.096v if Im in the game
 

tommytgc

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Mar 6, 2018
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Let's put it this way: the ATX spec for the +12V rail is +11.4V to +12.6V. Now, ideally you want to be a good bit better than that but your numbers aren't concerning. And keep in mind that software monitoring of voltages is generally fairly crappy.
Im sorry im like that but im really concerned as I dont want to get any part damaged so is there any way that I could test my psu if its going bad? Do you think that it is the psu is going bad or not?
 

DSzymborski

Titan
Moderator
Im sorry im like that but im really concerned as I dont want to get any part damaged so is there any way that I could test my psu if its going bad? Do you think that it is the psu is going bad or not?

There's no evidence here of your PSU going bad.

The way to test your PSU would be a proper load tester. This will cost over a thousand dollars.

The better the power supply, the less likely something will be damaged when it fails. The solution isn't to diagnose when your PSU is going bad but to get a high-quality PSU. But in the end, all you're really going to be able to do is cross your fingers and hope for the best.
 

tommytgc

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Mar 6, 2018
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There's no evidence here of your PSU going bad.

The way to test your PSU would be a proper load tester. This will cost over a thousand dollars.

The better the power supply, the less likely something will be damaged when it fails. The solution isn't to diagnose when your PSU is going bad but to get a high-quality PSU. But in the end, all you're really going to be able to do is cross your fingers and hope for the best.
Is my PSU good qulity? Or should I replace it (I dont have the budget for that right now)
 

tommytgc

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It's OK, but not amazing. I wouldn't be particularly worried about it, though I personally stick to the top tier PSUs. It's not an emergency to replace it.
Ok so I should be ok to use it for about 3-4years? I know you cant guarantee anything but I just want to know if it would be good for at least 2 more years
 

ChevetteSCx

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Sep 5, 2019
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So let me get this straight...your 3.3V rail is ''fluctuating'' from 3.360V-to-3.376V? A difference of 0.016V or 0.476%? AND, your 12V rail is ''fluctuating'' from 12.000V-to-12.096V? A difference of 0.096V or 0.800%?

Your ''software monitoring'' is probably reading the A/D conversion resolution error for each rail, so the ''fluctuation'' is more-than-likely HALF OF THAT!! As DSzymborski indicated in an earlier post, software monitoring is not always reliable, and the ATX Specification on PSUs is +/-5%, or 10X what you are seeing in ''fluctuation''!

Since you only gave us the MODEL and not the MODEL/SERIES NUMBER, please use the following to ''look up'' your PSU :
http://www.realhardtechx.com/index_archivos/Page1354.htm

By extrapolation, I surmise that your PSU is the 2013 released Pure Power L8 Bronze BQ L8-600W built by HEC. TechPowerUP!, ''The European Edition'' of Tom's Hardware, did a review of the 500W model on July 4, 2013 here :

As you can see from the graphs on page 4, it is normal for the rails to start out at higher voltages at light load, drift down to the mean voltages at 50% load (250W), and end up slightly less at 100% load (500W).

See Also :

In conclusion, on your specific PSU, the 12V rail is 12.096V, the 5V rail is 5.000V and the 3.3V is 3.360V? Let me assure you, if you are getting LESS THAN 1/2% DRIFT IN LOAD REGULATION ON THE RAILS from this Bronze PSU...REJOICE!! Can ANYONE predict when your PSU will fail with those readings? No more than we could predict when Jesus will walk the earth, again!! ;-D If you had CrAzY DrIfTiNg of the rails, or they were outside ATX SPEC? Yes, it would be done!! This is a 6-month-old, Bronze, budget PSU with good reviews and a 3-year manufacturers warranty, so in this case...RELAX!!

Your intermittent POSTing failure is more-than-likely somewhere else. If, however, you feel the need to ''test'' this PSU further, buy an ''LCD PSU Tester'' that actually displays 12V1, 12V2, -12V, 5V, 3.3V, 5VSB and PG, or remove the PSU from your system, take it back to where you purchased it and have them check the PG signal timing.
 
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Your power supply fluctuations are within normal operation ranges.

"Also I am thinking about this as my pc is sometimes failing to post but I don't know what could be an issue. "

The first thing I would try with a post issue is to remove any overclocks and try at the system default speeds. If you're not overclocked then replace the motherboard BIOS battery...they are available at drug stores where they keep the camera batteries.
 

tommytgc

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Mar 6, 2018
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So let me get this straight...your 3.3V rail is ''fluctuating'' from 3.360V-to-3.376V? A difference of 0.016V or 0.476%? AND, your 12V rail is ''fluctuating'' from 12.000V-to-12.096V? A difference of 0.096V or 0.800%?

Your ''software monitoring'' is probably reading the A/D conversion resolution error for each rail, so the ''fluctuation'' is more-than-likely HALF OF THAT!! As DSzymborski indicated in an earlier post, software monitoring is not always reliable, and the ATX Specification on PSUs is +/-5%, or 10X what you are seeing in ''fluctuation''!

Since you only gave us the MODEL and not the MODEL/SERIES NUMBER, please use the following to ''look up'' your PSU :
http://www.realhardtechx.com/index_archivos/Page1354.htm

By extrapolation, I surmise that your PSU is the 2013 released Pure Power L8 Bronze BQ L8-600W built by HEC. TechPowerUP!, ''The European Edition'' of Tom's Hardware, did a review of the 500W model on July 4, 2013 here :

As you can see from the graphs on page 4, it is normal for the rails to start out at higher voltages at light load, drift down to the mean voltages at 50% load (250W), and end up slightly less at 100% load (500W).

See Also :

In conclusion, on your specific PSU, the 12V rail is 12.096V, the 5V rail is 5.000V and the 3.3V is 3.360V? Let me assure you, if you are getting LESS THAN 1/2% DRIFT IN LOAD REGULATION ON THE RAILS from this Bronze PSU...REJOICE!! Can ANYONE predict when your PSU will fail with those readings? No more than we could predict when Jesus will walk the earth, again!! ;-D If you had CrAzY DrIfTiNg of the rails, or they were outside ATX SPEC? Yes, it would be done!! This is a 6-month-old, Bronze, budget PSU with good reviews and a 3-year manufacturers warranty, so in this case...RELAX!!

Your intermittent POSTing failure is more-than-likely somewhere else. If, however, you feel the need to ''test'' this PSU further, buy an ''LCD PSU Tester'' that actually displays 12V1, 12V2, -12V, 5V, 3.3V, 5VSB and PG, or remove the PSU from your system, take it back to where you purchased it and have them check the PG signal timing.
Im sorry its be quiet pure power 11 600w gold unit sorry I didnt mention that 🤦‍♂️
 

tommytgc

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Mar 6, 2018
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Your power supply fluctuations are within normal operation ranges.

"Also I am thinking about this as my pc is sometimes failing to post but I don't know what could be an issue. "

The first thing I would try with a post issue is to remove any overclocks and try at the system default speeds. If you're not overclocked then replace the motherboard BIOS battery...they are available at drug stores where they keep the camera batteries.
Oooohhhh the battery?? Well it mostly starts to fail after it has been unplugged from electricity for about 2-3days. So this could be an issue? Ill try that hopefully its the battery. But well yesterday it failed to post just after about 18 hours being unplugged but this was the first time it did that to me after being unplugged for less than 2days
 

tommytgc

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Mar 6, 2018
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Before you changed the ram you didnt have this problem? is the psu louder than it was Before?
This issue started to occur after I removed 1 stick and installed it into slo B1 istead of A2 and also I turned on xmp but i wasn't comfortable with leaving it on so I turned it off the same day. Also I thought my rams were the issue so I got it in the config I had before I had issues with post but even if its back in slot A2 I still get same post issue.

Also as it goes for the PSU I cant hear it its completely quiet
 

ChevetteSCx

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OK! Then your PSU is the bequiet! Pure Power 11 (L11-CM-600W) Semi-Modular 80+ GOLD 600W (much newer model!) That one is built by FSP, has a 5-year warranty and is OK for a basic PSU. But better than the BQ L8-600W Bronze non-modular model!

When you say your ''System will not POST'', do you mean that :
a.) You press the POWER button, it tries to POST, but just sits there with a blank screen?
b.) It displays the MoBo Logo, then goes to the POST Text screen (Processor/RAM info/etc) and reports an error? (OC Fail/CMOS Checksum?)
 

tommytgc

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Mar 6, 2018
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How can I attach a picture
OK! Then your PSU is the bequiet! Pure Power 11 (L11-CM-600W) Semi-Modular 80+ GOLD 600W (much newer model!) That one is built by FSP, has a 5-year warranty and is OK for a basic PSU. But better than the BQ L8-600W Bronze non-modular model!

When you say your ''System will not POST'', do you mean that :
a.) You press the POWER button, it tries to POST, but just sits there with a blank screen?
b.) It displays the MoBo Logo, then goes to the POST Text screen (Processor/RAM info/etc) and reports an error? (OC Fail/CMOS Checksum?)
How can I attach a picture?
Post fail View: https://imgur.com/gallery/OciK4rI

I uploded what i get on imagur hopefully the link works
 

ChevetteSCx

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Got it!

Now, when you say :
Well it mostly starts to fail after it has been unplugged from electricity for about 2-3days.

If you turn the PC back on after say, 6 hours, you don't get this POST error?

What do you mean by ''unplugged''?
a.) Main POWER @rear of PSU is switched off;
b.) You PHYSICALLY unplug your computer from the wall (if so , WHY?)

In any event...replace the CMOS button cell on the motherboard. CR2032 was the most common one...