[SOLVED] PSU Overheating

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GnasherKO

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Hi guys,

So I've managed to go without issues on my current build for quite some time, just over three years I believe.

Unfortunately, the PC has recently decided that the local climate is no longer to it's liking, so it started overheating.

I'm farily sure it's the PSU. When I check the interior of my PC the PSU and GPU were the only parts which seemes hotter than usual. I check the temps on my GPU with some software and it wasn't going above 70c which is well within my GPUs range, but the temperates on the PSU are being shown as above 100c (at least in Open Hardware Monitor which I'm using).

Also whenever the overheat forces my PC to shut down (usually while gaming), it takes a little while before I can turn it on again, so I'm assuming it's the PSU, plus it gets the hottest.

I haven't changed any of the components in the PC since the last build which was over three years ago, the PC has remained in the same location. The only thing I did was a thorough dusting about three days back, but I did that after I sensed the PC getting warmer than usual, although it didn't seem to help.

My Specs are as follows:
CPU: Intel i7-7700K 4.2 GHz
GPU: Nvidia GTX 1060
RAM: 16 GB Corsair (Vengeance I believe)
PSU: Corsair CX 750 (fan placement is down facing)
Motherboard: ASUS Prime Z270-K

Would appreciate any help that might allow me to get the PC into standard working conditions before I can just buy a new PSU.

Thanks
 
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The CPU fan isn't spinning when I turn the power on on the PSU and since the PC doesn't respond to the power button it doesn't start spinning then either.

The Motherboard does light ub with the amber lighting which is on this model, so it is getting power when I switch the PSU on. I can also see a light turn on on the GPU, next to the 8pin or whatever it is, signalling its getting power.

Couldn't find any residue on the MB as far as I could tell and tried swapping the connections for the panel power and reset button but didn't work either.

I'm wondering whether I should take the CPU fan off and take a look under it, but I currently don't have any spare thermal paste at home so don't want to be taking the fan off before I can...

henterpriser

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GnasherKO

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No. But I guarantee that's your problem. Nothing in your PC should be hot enough to boil water.
Well the HWInfo software isn't showing any temperatures that high.

It's only the Open Hardware Monitor that does and in that software it's shown under CPU, but as you mentioned, the CPU doesn't have a monitor so I have no idea where those temperature readings are coming from.

I'm running some games now and checking the temps in HWinfo, but nothing has risen over 75c at the moment.
 

GnasherKO

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I checked those threads, they all seems to mention the motherboard having some issues in terms of the sensors and the software not reading the actual temps but I couldn't find any solutions if it's actually overheating.
 

henterpriser

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It's only the Open Hardware Monitor that does and in that software it's shown under CPU, but as you mentioned, the CPU doesn't have a monitor so I have no idea where those temperature readings are coming from.
Wait, he told that your PSU doesnt have temperature sensor not your CPU!

Let me clarify it

CPU(Central Processor Unit) is your main processor and all of the computer CPUs have atleast one sensor and it's temperaturs sensor is the most critical sensor in your system.
your cpu temp seems alright from the picture you sent inside HWINFO64.

PSU(Power Supply Unit) is your computer's one and only power supply which runs the power through your entire computer. They are just simple as other power supplies including transformers and coils. Thus they dont make a lot of heat and their cooling are automatically adjusted.
 

GnasherKO

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Wait, he told that your PSU doesnt have temperature sensor not your CPU!

Let me clarify it

CPU(Central Processor Unit) is your main processor and all of the computer CPUs have atleast one sensor and it's temperaturs sensor is the most critical sensor in your system.
your cpu temp seems alright from the picture you sent inside HWINFO64.

PSU(Power Supply Unit) is your computer's one and only power supply which runs the power through your entire computer. They are just simple as other power supplies including transformers and coils. Thus they dont make a lot of heat and their cooling are automatically adjusted.
Yeah, sorry that was my mistake. I'm aware of the abbreviations, just got mixed up spelling them so often after each other.

I was running some WoW just now. With chrome open on second monitor.

Was checking the temps on HWinfo and nothing seemed to go above 76-80c.

But the PC still overheated and shut down.
 

GnasherKO

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Just tried another 'stress test' running NfS Heat again.

When the PC shut down the GPU seemed pretty warm to me, but was checking the temps while playing and they were steady between 65c-70c for the GPU. So I'm not sure if that could have ana affect at all?

Otherwise all the other temperatures I can view seem stable as well.

CPU package temp was around 56c on desktop with chrome and background apps and went up to max of 80c while the game was running. I'm assuming that's still within the normal range?
 
Well the HWInfo software isn't showing any temperatures that high.

It's only the Open Hardware Monitor that does and in that software it's shown under CPU, but as you mentioned, the CPU doesn't have a monitor so I have no idea where those temperature readings are coming from.

We're getting in the weeds here.

Just because one software says you have that temperature and another doesn't doesn't mean that temperature doesn't actually exist anywhere. It just means the HWInfo isn't monitoring that particular sensor.

You KNOW the PC is overheating somewhere. Having to wait for it to "cool down" is proof right there. You just need to figure out WHERE it's overheating.
 

GnasherKO

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We're getting in the weeds here.

Just because one software says you have that temperature and another doesn't doesn't mean that temperature doesn't actually exist anywhere. It just means the HWInfo isn't monitoring that particular sensor.

You KNOW the PC is overheating somewhere. Having to wait for it to "cool down" is proof right there. You just need to figure out WHERE it's overheating.
Right, but if I have no way of monitoring the PSU temperatures, wouldn't the only way to see whether it is at fault be replacing it with a different PSU, running some stress tests on that and see if it runs fine?
 
Right, but if I have no way of monitoring the PSU temperatures, wouldn't the only way to see whether it is at fault be replacing it with a different PSU, running some stress tests on that and see if it runs fine?

Go for it. It's not going to hurt if you have the time and resources.

But you have a 750W PSU with a working fan that's trying to power a machine that might only need 300W at the most.

BTW: If the PSU was overheating to the point where OTP has to trip, it would feel quite hot to the touch. Also, the exhaust air out the back would feel quite hot as well.

Having one of these around is cheap and always helpful. It's no FLIR, but it does the trick: https://www.amazon.com/Etekcity-Lasergrip-1025D-Thermometer-Gun-58℉-1022℉/dp/B0727WYCYF/
 

GnasherKO

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Go for it. It's not going to hurt if you have the time and resources.

But you have a 750W PSU with a working fan that's trying to power a machine that might only need 300W at the most.

BTW: If the PSU was overheating to the point where OTP has to trip, it would feel quite hot to the touch. Also, the exhaust air out the back would feel quite hot as well.

Having one of these around is cheap and always helpful. It's no FLIR, but it does the trick: https://www.amazon.com/Etekcity-Lasergrip-1025D-Thermometer-Gun-58℉-1022℉/dp/B0727WYCYF/
Unfortunately that's not an option for me at the moment. I would have to purchase a new PSU first.

From what I can tell the exhaust air coming from the PSU isn't very hot, the PSU case itself does get warm, but to me it doesn't feel much warmer than the GPU.

I'm not sure if it's the PSU doing this, but the temperatures on all other components seem fine as far as I'm aware, but I'm not too excited about the idea of buying a new PSU only to find out the issue is somewhere else.
 

Dean0919

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How you know that something is overheating? Did you open the door of your case and checked with your hand components? If HW info isn't capable to read from sensors, just open the case door, check how hot is motherboard and various parts, check is it there hot air? And remember, GPU being hot is a normal thing, it's most heated part in computer. But it shouldn't be extremelly hot.

I also never heard of overheating PSU. If overheating happens, probably it's CPU or GPU, but we can't say it for sure and we don't even know if computer shuts down because of overheating. By the way, how are fans doing? Are they spinning like a crazy before shutting down because of "overheat"? And I think it's good to check if fans are spinning at all. Also, try to check temps with other softwares. It would be easier if you would open HW info or any other software like speccy or open hardware monitor, then start some stressing software like HeavyLoad and at the same time keep an eye on temperature monitoring software and see which component goes at what temperature before shutting down. Also, what brand and model is your PSU?
 

GnasherKO

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How you know that something is overheating? Did you open the door of your case and checked with your hand components? If HW info isn't capable to read from sensors, just open the case door, check how hot is motherboard and various parts, check is it there hot air? And remember, GPU being hot is a normal thing, it's most heated part in computer. But it shouldn't be extremelly hot.

I also never heard of overheating PSU. If overheating happens, probably it's CPU or GPU, but we can't say it for sure and we don't even know if computer shuts down because of overheating. By the way, how are fans doing? Are they spinning like a crazy before shutting down because of "overheat"? And I think it's good to check if fans are spinning at all. Also, try to check temps with other softwares. It would be easier if you would open HW info or any other software like speccy or open hardware monitor, then start some stressing software like HeavyLoad and at the same time keep an eye on temperature monitoring software and see which component goes at what temperature before shutting down. Also, what brand and model is your PSU?
I don't know for sure anything is overheating. It was my assumption since I'm unable to restart the PC after a shutdown.

Generally I need to wait a while before the PC responds to the start button again.

Also the fans do seem to be working overtime prior to a shut down and yes they are working, all of them as far as I can tell. The fan in the PSU, all three fans onthe GPU (although some only start up at higher temps), the CPU cooling system fan is working as well as the additional fan in my case. However, none of the exhaust air seems to be very warm and definitely not hot.

I do feel like there is heat coming off the case when it shuts down, but it is July and pretty warm where I'm at so that could just be me, but I'd say the case get's warmer than usual.

Might be worth mentioning, I ran the PC for quite some time without proper shut-down. I usually set it to hibernate. So the PC went a while without being properly turned off. I shut it down yesterday and turned off the power button on the PSU, so it could cool down completely.

I've been running the PC for about 8 hours so far today and the temperatures seem fine with no shutdowns yet, but I've only been browsing the wqeb and watching movies, so no real load.

I'll try running HeavyLoad while checking the temps and will report back with what I find.

My PSU make and model are Corsair CX750.
 
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GnasherKO

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Right, had the PC running for most of the day fine.

Then I turned on a DAW, specifically Reaper and the PC shut down after about 30 minutes.

I didn't catch the temps just before unfortunately.

And the bigger issue is, the PC monte turn on at all at the moment. So I'm not sure if the PSU could be at fault at all?
 

henterpriser

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Right, had the PC running for most of the day fine.

Then I turned on a DAW, specifically Reaper and the PC shut down after about 30 minutes.

I didn't catch the temps just before unfortunately.

And the bigger issue is, the PC monte turn on at all at the moment. So I'm not sure if the PSU could be at fault at all?
Hello again!

For that temp checking you can use some monitor programs that support Logging. Which makes it possible for you to check the temp after the computer shutted down.
 

GnasherKO

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Hello again!

For that temp checking you can use some monitor programs that support Logging. Which makes it possible for you to check the temp after the computer shutted down.
Unfortunately the PC won't turn on at all at the moment. I've left it for quite a while now and still nothing.

The PC is getting power, since all the lights on the MB come up as well the light signalling power to the GPU.

But the PC doesn't respond to the power button. Nothing happens.
 

Dean0919

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Unfortunately the PC won't turn on at all at the moment. I've left it for quite a while now and still nothing.

The PC is getting power, since all the lights on the MB come up as well the light signalling power to the GPU.

But the PC doesn't respond to the power button. Nothing happens.
Wow, that is so weird. In such situation, I would suggest you to take your PC to appropriate company where they diagnose and repair computers. I'm thinking, maybe something is wrong with your PSU and it needs to be replaced. I would suggest to replace it with other (working) PSU and test the computer.
 

GnasherKO

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Wow, that is so weird. In such situation, I would suggest you to take your PC to appropriate company where they diagnose and repair computers. I'm thinking, maybe something is wrong with your PSU and it needs to be replaced. I would suggest to replace it with other (working) PSU and test the computer.
I mean yeah, obviously, although I was hoping to avoid having to drag the whole case to a shop and then having to pay for both the checkup and the subsequent parts.

Can it still be the PSU though? Even if the PC is getting power from the PSU, but the PC won't turn on?
 

Dean0919

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I mean yeah, obviously, although I was hoping to avoid having to drag the whole case to a shop and then having to pay for both the checkup and the subsequent parts.

Can it still be the PSU though? Even if the PC is getting power from the PSU, but the PC won't turn on?
I don't know. I will leave this question for someone who is more qualified to answer it.
 

GnasherKO

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One thing I caught is that you only have one case fan for a high/mid range setup.
Try taking the side panel off and see if it still overheats while gaming.
If your one case fan is set to exhaust you could be fighting against the power supply for air.
I've actually had the side panel off for some time now.

The PC overheated once quite some time ago. At which point I took the side panel off and have had it that way for a while since I quite enjoyed the look and gave me the opportunity to check on the parts quickly.

I haven't changed any settings on the case fan, so it would be on whatever setting was the default one.

Unfortunately as I mentioned the PC isn't turning on at all at the moment, so can't try changing any settings.
 
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Is the CPU fan spinning? Is there a light on the motherboard when you turn everything on? Get a torch and look at the motherboard for black residue (burn out). Check the ATX main cable connection and CPU fan are not loose. I had the start button go a while ago swap the connection with the reset button.
 

GnasherKO

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Is the CPU fan spinning? Is there a light on the motherboard when you turn everything on? Get a torch and look at the motherboard for black residue (burn out). Check the ATX main cable connection and CPU fan are not loose. I had the start button go a while ago swap the connection with the reset button.
The CPU fan isn't spinning when I turn the power on on the PSU and since the PC doesn't respond to the power button it doesn't start spinning then either.

The Motherboard does light ub with the amber lighting which is on this model, so it is getting power when I switch the PSU on. I can also see a light turn on on the GPU, next to the 8pin or whatever it is, signalling its getting power.

Couldn't find any residue on the MB as far as I could tell and tried swapping the connections for the panel power and reset button but didn't work either.

I'm wondering whether I should take the CPU fan off and take a look under it, but I currently don't have any spare thermal paste at home so don't want to be taking the fan off before I can replace the thermal paste and put it back.
 
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