Why did it blow up?

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Zordana

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Aug 7, 2006
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Hey guys, this isn't about the computer I just built, mines working fantabulously thanks to your help.

While I was building mine, I was helping my brother build one with slightly lower specs. Technically I was just helping him choose parts because he's in Sydney and I'm in Perth.

Anyhoo, he went with a Sonata II case that came with an Antec Smartpower 450W PSU. The first PSU died rather quietly after he installed the components and made a few attempts at booting it up.
We sorta figured out it may have been the stupid 4pin 12v power cable that you can pull apart from the 24pin. He didn't realise there was a separate 4pin cable on the psu.
That PSU was replaced. They took it out of the case and gave him another.

The 'new' psu seemed fine. He got everything installed including windows, then turned it off and connected his old HDD so he could transfer some data. When he switched it back on it exploded with a big spark. No smoke or anything but it was clear the PSU was deaded.

Now, he's taken the case/psu back to MSY again and they said they will return the PSU to antec and give him a replacement. He can pick it up on Saturday.

What I want to know is, could there be something else causing this? Or is it just as likely that he got a crappy PSU the first time then they replaced it with another crappy one? He's worried about turning it on again in case something else is actually at fault. He's going to buy some surge protection beforehand so that will be covered.

Also, when MSY replaces the PSU each time, they just take a new psu from another Sonata II case, put it in his case and then send that new case back to Antec instead of just giving him a new case/psu and sending his back to antec. Is that normal procedure? It makes me wonder if they havent gotten confused with all the psu swapping in cases and given him a dud PSU the first time they replaced it.

Also they scratched his case the first time they checked the psu, so surely they could send the case/psu in and replace the whole unit, since he did buy it as one unit. The guy just told him Antec wont replace the case because it's 'second hand'... but he bought it with the dodgy psu and that's obviously second hand now too. It all sounds a little odd to me.

Anyway, if you could help it'd be greatly appreciated. :)

Irene.

Edit: Oops, his specs are as follows:
AM2 3600+ dual core CPU
Gigabyte M55SLI-S4 Mobo
2G OCZ DDR2 675 5400 ddr2 ram
Seagate 8M SATA 160G HDD
256MB 7600GT Leadtek Video card
and of course the ANTEC sonata II case with smartpower 2 450W PSU
 
It is possible that when the first PSu whent out it took the motherboard with it. You may need to tell him to return the motherboard and hope nothing else was damaged.
Click to expand...

He got msy to check the other components after the second occurrence. According to them all other parts are fine. Apparently they tested it with a crappy cheap psu and it was working fine. So it seems to be the PSU. My brother is worried though, after it happening twice...

Personally, im suspicious, i think they gave him a dodgy psu the first time they replaced it.
 
Well, when he took his system in the second time he asked them to check his other components.
They plugged in an old PSU and the system ran fine.

According to my brother the MSY guy said:
"its running fine on a cheapo PSU"

So I assume they booted it to windows and checked everything out.
 
I would stay far, far away from a dealer who takes out the PSU from another supposedly working case to give you the replacement. That is not the proper thing to do.

My best guess it that they had ordered some Antec cases without PSUs and are putting in and pulling out some crap PSUs they have at hand. If the prices are much lower than usual you can actually count on that being the case.
 
This is off the main topic, but you mentioned that he had an AM2 3600 dual-core chip... is this a typo (ie does he have a 3800 DC, 4600 DC, or 3600 SC) or did AMD release a 3600 DC and I havent heard about it? Just curious.
 
My brother said the first psu (the one that came with the case) had that special tear off tape on it and appeared genuine. He has no idea about the second one they threw in there when it stopped working though. For all he knows it could have been some generic psu.

I thought the whole swapping of psu's from other cases was dodgy. If a psu blows up in a case and you have purchased it as a case/psu combo, they should be replacing the entire unit, right? Especially if they've scratched the bloody thing.

Man, he should have had his computer up and running weeks ago. 🙁
 
Antec has been having all kinds of problems with psu blowing up lately.i asked my supplier to get one in for me and he refused saying that he has had too many come back dead and he will not recommend antec to anyone right now.so i believe the problem to be specific to the psu.nothing else.goodluck.

Dahak

EVGA VF4 SLI MB
X2 4400+@2.4
2 7800GT'S IN SLI MODE
2X1GIG DDR400 MEMORY IN DC MODE
WD300GIG HD
520WATT PSU
EXTREME 19IN.MONITOR
3DMARK05:11,582
 
Cheers, so you think if he gets some decent surge protection, he should be fine with the replacement psu? Well... unless antec give him another dodgy one that is.

Shouldn't MSY offer him a refund? Or offer a replacement psu of a different brand if he wants?
 
If I was your brother I would ask msy to replace the psu with another known name brand.they may or may not as the psu came with the case.in the end he may have to return the case as well.I've never personally bought a case with a psu in it as i am picky about what i use,however he may get lucky third time around and get a decent psu from antec.if however the same problems occurs again,then ask the dealer to replace with another brand.if they are unwilling to do that,(and I see no reason why they would refuse),then return the whole case and buy somethng different.goodluck.
sorry,I didn't realize they had scratched the case.that is MSY problem and they should replace it with one in the same condition as the first one came back to them.NO SCRATCHES.
Dahak

EVGA VF4 SLI MB
X2 4400+@2.4
2 7800GT'S IN SLI MODE
2X1GIG DDR400 MEMORY IN DC MODE
WD300GIG HD
520WATT PSU
EXTREME 19IN.MONITOR
3DMARK05:11,582
 
Irene,

I wouldn't hold it against the dealer to take the PSU out of an identical product to replace a defective one as they did. This is actually quite common in the retail industry.

However, since they scratched your brother's case, I would expect them to replace it with a new one, a reputable (and honest!) dealer would do that.

I seriously doubt your brother has any component or combination of component that can cause a failure in the PSU. If he does - which would be due to a very unusual defect in some component - a decent PSU should have built in protection against overvoltage even in an "unusual" case.

It sounds like the PSUs your brother has gotten so far are poorly manufactured.

If I were him, I would calmly explain to the dealer that I want to exchange the whole thing (case and power supply) for another brand. I would state that after two consecutive failures my confidence level in this particular model is simply too low and that I'd appreciate the option of choosing something else.

That's the approach I'd use in my first attempt. Some might think it is a bit "too nice" but in general you attract more bees with honey than something else. He can always make his argument "harder" later if necessary.

HTH.
 
Here's the problem. I suggested to him that he make MSY replace the psu with another brand. He asked them about that but the guy he spoke to said they can't replace it because it technically has no monetary value since it comes with the case and cant be purchased separately.

He also asked about getting his case and psu both returned and the guy told him Antec would have issues with replacing the case because its used and all the parts would have to be present (like the duct thingy you get with it). Which wouldnt be an issue, I mean my bro could take the duct thingy back to msy.

BUT Antec arent the ones who scratched the bloody case, it was MSY Auburn. He mentioned this, and the guy at MSY Ultimo said "yeah but I have no proof that MSY Auburn scratched your case".

*shakes her head*

By the way, he's dealing with two branches because he bought his parts at one store and the case/psu at the other. For now he's dealing with Ultimo branch because they seem better at the whole customer relations thing.
 
Cheers for the reply 440bx, it popped up as I posted mine :)

I'll tell my brother to ask the store to replace both like you said.
Only problem is he really loves the Sonata II case. But yeah, if I were in his shoes I'd have definitely gone this route and just gotten an entirely different case and psu.

My silverstone is working brilliantly 😀
 
anotherthing is to see if you and your brother could go together
and ask to replace and assemble the comp and atleast fire it up
while you are at the msy shop? with them wacthing. :?:
 
anotherthing is to see if you and your brother could go together
and ask to replace and assemble the comp and atleast fire it up
while you are at the msy shop? with them wacthing. :?:
Click to expand...

I'll tell him to get them to demonstrate it working properly when he goes to pick it up. Unfortunately im in perth and my brother is in sydney with the rest of my family, so I can't really help much in that respect.
 
Heh yeah I know, I just feel bad cause I talked him into building his new computer. :lol:

Shame about Steve hey. What an odd way to go.
 
hey on my first build <evrything new> i had a bad mobo
evrything was new and high doller at the time

it would work fine play games oc and all

as long as i didnt turn it off <had to clear cmos to get it goin>
 
Did you get it from msy at auburn? That place is so full of people on saturdays you stand in a line for like an hour just waiting for service.
Click to expand...

He got the case/psu from Ultimo and the components from Auburn.

He got annoyed and wrote an email telling the Ultimo branch that he was unhappy with their service.

The reply he received:
" hi,
for no more arguement.
Please bring back your invocie with power cable, we give you the case
refund. Please go some wherelse to buy the case. You will not have PSU or
case problem. "

😵

He's going to email them back asking for an explanation of the email. 😉
 
The reply he received:
" hi,
for no more arguement.
Please bring back your invocie with power cable, we give you the case
refund. Please go some wherelse to buy the case. You will not have PSU or
case problem. "

😵

He's going to email them back asking for an explanation of the email. 😉
Click to expand...

I would take a printed copy of that email to the store too, and show it to the people around after I take money back.
 
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