RM750 fried, is it good enough?

[MissBizz]

I really don't question if 750w is enough for my PC, I am sure it is, but I'd like to ensure I have covered all my bases before I install the replacement.

I built my own rig last year, originally had a 500w PSU but after getting more into streaming, decided I wanted to overclock. Here's my specs

I5-4690k
H55 cooler with noctua push/pull
MSI GTX 770 OC
ASrock Pro4m
1 Samsung 850 evo SSD
2 7200rpm hard drives (1TB WD)
Optical drive
2 x 4GB G.Skill ram

I replaced my CX500 with a RM750 which has an 80 gold rating. Tinkered with overclocking (seemed everyday use was better than stress tests, always seems to pass stress tests) so was up at 4.2. Was running well with no issues at all, and one day was playing a game (online MMO, not streaming or recording) and I heard a zap and everything went off, including a lamp in the room. Checked house breaker and had to reset it, nothing from PC. Did surgery and put the CX500 back in, took off the overclock on first boot, no other components are damaged. During surgery I noticed an extremely faint burnt smell from PSU. Also made sure my H55 hadn't sprung a leak.

Is this something I did? I would hate to get a replacement RM750 and something like this happen again. But fry more components. Any suggestions on the cause, or should I just assume the PSU was faulty? This is only after 1.5 months of use with this PSU.

 

[Suztera]

Yes 750w is plenty enough. The rm 750w isn't exactly a quality psu but it should be fine powering your build. Something must have tripped your breaker, possible a power surge. You probably have to rma your rm 750w

 

[MissBizz]

Yes 750w is plenty enough. The rm 750w isn't exactly a quality psu but it should be fine powering your build. Something must have tripped your breaker, possible a power surge. You probably have to rma your rm 750w

I was trying to go better than the CX series when I went with the RM, but thanks for the insight. I'm looking at a similar style build for my friend, do you have any suggestions for a better quality PSU? I am in Canada in a small town so am generally limited to online shopping.

 

[Suztera]

Evga GS or G2 series are excellent. Xfx or seasonic psu are good as well. For corsair, it's theses series that are good : AX, AXi, HXi, RMi.

 

[whassup]

I really don't question if 750w is enough for my PC, I am sure it is, but I'd like to ensure I have covered all my bases before I install the replacement.

I built my own rig last year, originally had a 500w PSU but after getting more into streaming, decided I wanted to overclock. Here's my specs

I5-4690k
H55 cooler with noctua push/pull
MSI GTX 770 OC
ASrock Pro4m
1 Samsung 850 evo SSD
2 7200rpm hard drives (1TB WD)
Optical drive
2 x 4GB G.Skill ram

I replaced my CX500 with a RM750 which has an 80 gold rating. Tinkered with overclocking (seemed everyday use was better than stress tests, always seems to pass stress tests) so was up at 4.2. Was running well with no issues at all, and one day was playing a game (online MMO, not streaming or recording) and I heard a zap and everything went off, including a lamp in the room. Checked house breaker and had to reset it, nothing from PC. Did surgery and put the CX500 back in, took off the overclock on first boot, no other components are damaged. During surgery I noticed an extremely faint burnt smell from PSU. Also made sure my H55 hadn't sprung a leak.

Is this something I did? I would hate to get a replacement RM750 and something like this happen again. But fry more components. Any suggestions on the cause, or should I just assume the PSU was faulty? This is only after 1.5 months of use with this PSU.

That's was a very unfortunate incident happened. Corsair RM series PSU is not a very high quality PSU that most people love to believe. Have a look at
http://www.overclock.net/t/1455892/why-you-might-not-want-to-buy-a-corsair-rm-psu

That link shows summarised review about corsair RM series review and the users view.

You could consider SeaSonic or EVGA PSU's which generally have high quality components and more reliable than what Corsair is known today.

 

[MissBizz]

Evga GS or G2 series are excellent. Xfx or seasonic psu are good as well. For corsair, it's theses series that are good : AX, AXi, HXi, RMi.

Thank you very much! Amazingly quick and helpful response

 

[MissBizz]

I really don't question if 750w is enough for my PC, I am sure it is, but I'd like to ensure I have covered all my bases before I install the replacement.

I built my own rig last year, originally had a 500w PSU but after getting more into streaming, decided I wanted to overclock. Here's my specs

I5-4690k
H55 cooler with noctua push/pull
MSI GTX 770 OC
ASrock Pro4m
1 Samsung 850 evo SSD
2 7200rpm hard drives (1TB WD)
Optical drive
2 x 4GB G.Skill ram

I replaced my CX500 with a RM750 which has an 80 gold rating. Tinkered with overclocking (seemed everyday use was better than stress tests, always seems to pass stress tests) so was up at 4.2. Was running well with no issues at all, and one day was playing a game (online MMO, not streaming or recording) and I heard a zap and everything went off, including a lamp in the room. Checked house breaker and had to reset it, nothing from PC. Did surgery and put the CX500 back in, took off the overclock on first boot, no other components are damaged. During surgery I noticed an extremely faint burnt smell from PSU. Also made sure my H55 hadn't sprung a leak.

Is this something I did? I would hate to get a replacement RM750 and something like this happen again. But fry more components. Any suggestions on the cause, or should I just assume the PSU was faulty? This is only after 1.5 months of use with this PSU.

That's was a very unfortunate incident happened. Corsair RM series PSU is not a very high quality PSU that most people love to believe. Have a look at
http://www.overclock.net/t/1455892/why-you-might-not-want-to-buy-a-corsair-rm-psu

That link shows summarised review about corsair RM series review and the users view.

You could consider SeaSonic or EVGA PSU's which generally have high quality components and more reliable than what Corsair is known today.

Thank you very much, I'm actually thinking I may RMA it to sell, but pick up something different for myself. I'd much rather purchase another PSU instead of having something happen and needing to replace more. I had looked for seasonic before but could not find any seasonic branded psu's at the time. I was rushing a bit when I bought it, eager to OC. Now I know better.. And not to rush

 

[Suztera]

You might want to invest in a surge protector or even a ups.

 

[MissBizz]

You might want to invest in a surge protector or even a ups.

I also was looking into that. Right now, I have a plain hardware store surge protector, and it was hooked up at the time. Wasn't sure what would be the reason though. Other rooms had electronics on at the time, and no other breakers blew nor did any other electronic in the house even flicker. Im not an electrician, but I always thought a power surge would affect the whole house. The house itself also isn't super old. First time I experienced this with any electronics

 

[Suztera]

A surge protector doesn't protect everything. It won't protect brownouts, low energy spikes, immediate loss of power. Check if you need to replace it, they don't last forever.

 

[MissBizz]

A surge protector doesn't protect everything. It won't protect brownouts, low energy spikes, immediate loss of power. Check if you need to replace it, they don't last forever.

Thank you for the information. Every time I have come to the forums I have learned something new.

 

[MissBizz]

A surge protector doesn't protect everything. It won't protect brownouts, low energy spikes, immediate loss of power. Check if you need to replace it, they don't last forever.

Is there a general rule of thumb for how often a surge protector should be replaced?

 

[Suztera]

Every year if you really worried but you could replace them two or three years later or once you tripped the circuit.

 

[MissBizz]

Every year or once you tripped the circuit.

Thanks. By tripping the circuit do you mean if a breaker blows? Or what would I look for. (This is the first time a breaker has blown at my home)

 

[Suztera]

The surge protector should have an indicator, normally a green light showing it is working. Once that light is off, it is time to replace it.
That's if you get a decent surge protector, not a cheap one.

 

[westom]

Right now, I have a plain hardware store surge protector, and it was hooked up at the time.

A protector adjacent to appliances can even make appliance damage easier; compromise more robust protection routinely inside all appliances.

Normal is for a surge (ie a lightning strike far down the street) to be incoming to all appliances. Are all damaged? Of course not. It is called electricity. Both an incoming and an outgoing path must exist to have damage. Incoming to everything. Because it was all but invited inside, it goes hunting for earth ground (outgoing path). It found a good path via that one appliance. Maybe because the adjacent protector did what it is designed to do - provide more paths.

Appliance protection means a surge must connect to earth BEFORE entering the building. Only then can you answer the question that defines protection: where do hundreds of thousands of joules harmlessly dissipate? Once that surge is inside, then nothing averts a destructive hunt. As in nothing. Especially not some magic box promoted by the technically naïve using subjective speculation.

Often a most expensive plug-in protector is electrically equivalent to one selling in WalMart for $10. The majority who recommend these things never learn this stuff - automatically assume more expensive must be better. Protector scams are that easily promoted since most have no idea even what a protector does.

Protection means you state a number - where are hundreds of thousands of joules harmlessly absorbed? Only possible with upgraded earthing and a 'whole house' protector.

Meanwhile, most failures are due to manufacturing defects. By far the most likely reason for failure is a manufacturing defect. Or maybe selecting a PSU on watts rather than on numbers that are actually relevant. Often, a PSU with more watts is also less reliable. To say more requires hard numbers from a meter or other informed facts that say what in a PSU failed. This is often easy for any layman willing take a few minutes and follow some instructions. Most cannot be bothered. Most just keep buying new supplies until failures stop.

However you should be wasting no time learning about and obtaining proper earthing and a 'whole house' protector. Since that well proven protection costs about $1 per protected appliance. And means direct lightning strikes without damage even to a protector.