PlainBill wrote:

Eeyore wrote:
PlainBill wrote:
larya wrote:

Is there a group for repairing computer power supplies?..
Question... I have the power supply out of the computer...
Besides pluging it in... how do you turn it 'on'...
The front panel on / off switch connects to the mother board..
How can I turn the power supply 'on' at the power supply?...
Larry
Not a group per se, but the BadCaps forum -
http://www.badcaps.net/forum/index.php? - has a section on computer
power supplies. A large part of the discussion is about the
deficiencies of various vendors. One vendor actually glues iron
weights inside their power supplies so they weigh more. A heavy power
supply must be better, right?

I fixed an ATX supply by replacing 2 very obviously bulged caps on the
output side with ones from a scrap Mobo !

That can work.

The scrap mobo was Dell and used 'name' capacitors that still looked in
excellent condition ( get an ESR meter if you really need to know ), whereas
the bulged caps in the PSU were classic 'no name' off- brands.


I'm reaching the conclusion that the proce of caps is
so low (at least here in the USA) that it is better to replace all
caps with new quality caps. At one time I was using an approach
similar to yours. After a while I accumulated a number of power
supplies that APPEARED to work well with a dummy load, but when
connected to a motherboard the result was an unstable system.

The problem I've found is that the caps they tend to use are unusually small
( or odd ) form factors. Typically tall and very small diameter. Not many
stockists have them.


Bulging caps are a good indication that a cap has failed.

Absolutely. Guaranteed in fact.


Not all failed caps bulge.

Indeed. Also look for electrolyte leakage around the base. Usually a white
deposit. It's corrosive too, so when replacing, clean it away.

Graham