[SOLVED] Very Bizarre power issue - build clicks on and off repeatedly with 2 new PSU's, but my old backup PSU boots without issue.

[SchuetzenHaus]

Hey all, weird issue where I'm completely stumped, and I would love some help to figure out what is going on.

Build:
Mobo - msi mpower gaming titanium z170a
CPU - Intel i7-6700k
PSU - EVGA Supernova 1000 G2
RAM - corsair vengeance LPX 32gb (4*8gb)
VGA - MSI GTX 980 2x (SLI)


So my PSU and it does a weird issue where everything turns on and off, back on, back off repeatedly. Most of the time, it will do this forever and I have to shut down. The weird part is if I flip the PSU switch & unplug and wait a few seconds, it'll click on and off a couple more times. Sometimes, it'll click for a while, then boot, then very, very rarely it'll just boot no problem. If this happens everything functions normally and there are no issues with hours of testing. Taking it back apart, I've tried all different kinds of configurations, just CPU & Mobo, with and without RAM/GPU, etc etc. Same thing, no change in behavior. I tried benching the Mobo to rule out the case shorting it out, same thing. I also ran the paperclip test on the PSU, and it launched fine.

I have an older PSU, an Antec ea-650 green. I plug that in, and when I turn on the build with this PSU (with only one video card), no issues at all. No clicking, boots immediately, and have been able to work on it all day several days in a row without a single problem.

I have tried both in and out of the case. Both still behave the same they usually do. So I RMA'd the PSU with EVGA, and they sent a new one. I plugged in just the Mobo & CPU power, tried a test, boots no issue. So I put it all together, and bam, clicks on and off again. I test my old PSU, boots fine. I tried taking everything out and just plugging the Mobo & CPU with the new PSU, clicking again. Once in a blue moon it'll boot without clicking. Again I've done this testing with different configurations, with/without GPU's, Hard Drives, etc

At this point with extensive googling I found a couple forums of people complaining about EVGA PSU's, and how apparently some of them had compatibility issues with Gigabyte motherboards. Even though my Mobo is MSI, I figured maybe there was some shenanigans going on here, and ordered a Corsair RM850x to see if that magically fixes my issue. I get that in, plug in the Mobo & CPU, seems to boot fine 3x in a row, I hook up the rest of the rig, and just like the EVGA one, it starts clicking on and off. I test around with different configurations, but it's the same thing. I put in my old Antec, and it boots fine again. I paperclip test the Corsair one, and it starts up fine. Going back to Just the Mobo & CPU where it booted 3x in a row without issue, and it clicks.

Here is a video of the Corsair PSU clicking on and off (It does boot after about 28s, though more often than not it doesn't, I got lucky I guess), and then followed up immediately after with the Antec one running fine - the EVGA had the exact same behavior as the Corsair one, although the EVGA one I could hear it click every time.

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uWkGX1Vgymo&feature=youtu.be


I've tried things like unplugging the unit, holding the power button, then trying again, I've tried it benched, I've tried it with different things plugged in, I've tried using different power cords (that connect the PSU to outlet), I've tried different outlets, nothing changes, it just doesn't make any sense to me.

It's worth noting that the Motherboard and CPU are brand new. I just upgraded this build and had these issues immediately.

I just don't know what to do anymore, it's such a weird issue. I don't believe that all 3 of the newer PSU's would be bad, but then why would my backup work just fine? Maybe some part of my computer is frying the PSU's somehow, but then why would it fry the new ones and not my old one?

Edit:
The only real difference between running it with my old PSU and new PSU's are the second video card. When I tested the new PSU's by just plugging them into the Mobo and the CPU power slots, it seemed to power fine, but it only started clicking when everything was plugged in, including the second card. But then taking everything apart again doesn't change the clicking.

Both cards are plugged into the correct PCIE slots, and have the SLI bridge on it. Is there any way that the second card is just messing something up in the PSU? Keeping in mind that once in a while after clicking it CAN boot properly and then run without issue. It just seems that there's something stopping the PSU from just booting properly.

 

[King Dranzer]

Probably the issue is with motherboard and not the PSU. If you have some other system to test this PSU with. Probably your friend or family member has a PC on which you can swap and test the PSU. If PSU works fine on second system then it definitely is Mobo.

 

[SchuetzenHaus]

Probably the issue is with motherboard and not the PSU. If you have some other system to test this PSU with. Probably your friend or family member has a PC on which you can swap and test the PSU. If PSU works fine on second system then it definitely is Mobo.

That's a good thought as well, but then what would be different between the new PSU's and the old one that the Motherboard would run or not? They're all the same voltages/amps as far as I know.

 

[King Dranzer]

That's a good thought as well, but then what would be different between the new PSU's and the old one that the Motherboard would run or not? They're all the same voltages/amps as far as I know.

If you are asking the difference between Antec and EVGA PSU then there is a possibility that EVGA is turning off as it is detecting a potential problem and unusuall power draw from components like motherboard etc. Antec on the other hand is simply complying with the unusual power draw and is passing through higher voltage than required. Initially Antec is doing fine but over time there is a high possibility of components failing.

Even to test the above theory you must test the EVGA PSU in some other System. That will answer the biggest question of whether the PSU is at fault or not. If the PSU works fine with a different PC we can test further.

 

[SchuetzenHaus]

so after a few days of tinkering, you were right it's the motherboard.

Tested the PSU in other systems, worked fine. Picked up another mobo and so far it's been running a few days problem free. Let's hope it stays that way.

 

[King Dranzer]

so after a few days of tinkering, you were right it's the motherboard.

Tested the PSU in other systems, worked fine. Picked up another mobo and so far it's been running a few days problem free. Let's hope it stays that way.

MSI boards have QC issues and comparatively high failure rates that is the reason I never recommend one. Good to see that it solved the problem.
Really hope that no component got effected when you used the Antec PSU to run the system. If a component failed over time due to that it will be really sad and painful. But don't worry as possibility of that happening is extremely low.