In the real world, only those with a bean counter mentality
have power supplies damaged by brownouts. When a power supply
is damaged by a brownout, then the reason for failure is
directly traceable to a human who failed to learn basic
technology.

Again - what is a power down or shutdown? A brownout that
eventually becomes a blackout. If brownouts damage
electronics, then so does turning the power off. This alone
is a damning fact. Brownouts do not damage properly
constructed electronics. Shutdown also does not damage those
electronics.

Even in those cited links, I find no reference to brownouts
causing electronics damage. The CBEMA specifically states
that all equipment must not be damaged by low volts. They and
other industry standards - including the computer industry
standard originally created by Intel - are quite blunt about
this. Brownouts don't cause electronics damage. Stated
bluntly even in specs.

Intel defines how computer power supplies must operate.
IBM, Dell, AMD, and a long list of other responsible
manufacturers also demand same standards be met. But this is
old technology - older than most lurkers have even existed.
However many bean counters buy 'dumped into North America'
power supplies to cut costs. Power supplies that violate
basic Intel requirements. Then those silly bean counter
mentalities try to blame others; then claim brownouts damage
electronics. Where is the logic in that? Its called
corruption.

Numerous industry standards for ATX power supplies were the
same defacto standards of 30+ years ago. Such defective
supplies are not found in brand name computers. Dumping only
works at great profit to the Asian manufacturer when a
computer assembler does not even have basic electrical
knowledge - buys power supplies on price rather than upon
technical specifications.

If anyone says that a brownout can damage properly designed
electronics, then we have a benchmark for a bean counter
mentality masking as technically knowledgeable.

Those who think otherwise are then invited to explain how
the individual components inside the power supply fail due to
brownout. That's right. I design at the component level -
not just rack and stack black boxes like a computer assembler
who need not have any electrical knowledge. Please feel free
to describe how that electrolytic capacitor or power
transistor is damaged by a brownout. One must be that
knowledgeable to foolishly claim brownouts damage electronics.


Sam Goldwasser wrote:
(w_tom) writes:
Unervoltage - also known as a brownout - does not damage
electronics. Unfortunately too many take what they learned
about motors and expolate that to knowledge about electronics.
One must first learn basic concept before making assumptions
such as low voltage will damage a computer.

In an ideal world this would be so.

In the real World, it's quite possible that brownouts can cause
switchmode power supplies to fail.

--- sam | Sci.Electronics.Repair FAQ Mirror: http://repairfaq.ece.drexel.edu/
Repair | Main Table of Contents: http://repairfaq.ece.drexel.edu/REPAIR/
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