Hi All,

I have my friends Dell SX260 micro PC here and I brought it home last
night as it seems very dead. I just popped in to them because they had
moved it for decorating the room and when they went to turn it back on
there was nothing (so I thought / hoped it might just be a loose power
lead / fuse etc). ;-(

I've done all the normal basic PC checks (removed / reseated RAM ,
CPU, HDD, Power lead etc etc) but it remains dead.

The PSU is one of those external bricks (like a laptop) and I believe
only outputs 2 x 12V but seems to have some sort of remote 'on' /
interlock meaning you can't test it's output without being plugged
into the PC?

If I had another box I could do some substitution.

I'm hoping someone might point me to a common fault (with the PSU or
PC) and so I could fix it but failing that I'll see if I can find a
suitable std motherboard / case / psu and transfer all the good bits
over (after testing them elsewhere of course).

Any thoughts please?

All the best ..

T i m

In message , T i m
writes
Hi All,
I'm hoping someone might point me to a common fault (with the PSU or
PC) and so I could fix it but failing that I'll see if I can find a
suitable std motherboard / case / psu and transfer all the good bits
over (after testing them elsewhere of course).

Any thoughts please?
Motherboard, caps swollen up and failed. Check the caps near the CPU
socket and the one near the ceramic resistor for signs of swelling on
the top and/or signs of electrolyte leakage in the pressed grooves on
the top. V.Common fault on SX260 machines. Contact Dell, don't mess with
it yourself, ask if they intend to do anything about it as it's only x
old and should last much longer than that, you might be surprised.

All the best ..

T i m

--
Clint Sharp

On Wed, 11 Apr 2007 16:19:06 +0100, Clint Sharp
wrote:

In message , T i m
writes
Hi All,
I'm hoping someone might point me to a common fault (with the PSU or
PC) and so I could fix it but failing that I'll see if I can find a
suitable std motherboard / case / psu and transfer all the good bits
over (after testing them elsewhere of course).

Any thoughts please?

Hi Clint and thanks for the prompt reply.

Motherboard, caps swollen up and failed.

Hmm, funny that .. I did (briefly) look at that yesterday and thought
I noticed some of the caps were bulging on the top and *maybe* a trace
of orange 'stuff' in the grooves?

Check the caps near the CPU
socket and the one near the ceramic resistor for signs of swelling on
the top and/or signs of electrolyte leakage in the pressed grooves on
the top.

Hmmm ;-)

V.Common fault on SX260 machines.

Ah, that's what I wanted to hear!

Contact Dell, don't mess with
it yourself, ask if they intend to do anything about it as it's only x
old and should last much longer than that, you might be surprised.

Ok, I'll get the owners to do as you suggest, thanks *very* much for
that Clint.

All the best ..

T i m

p.s. If Dell don't wanna play, is it something I can do myself
(changing the caps, I'm an electronics engineer) ie is it just the
caps or would there be other issues because of the caps do you know
please?

T i m wrote:
Hi All,

I have my friends Dell SX260 micro PC here and I brought it home last
night as it seems very dead. I just popped in to them because they had
moved it for decorating the room and when they went to turn it back on
there was nothing (so I thought / hoped it might just be a loose power
lead / fuse etc). ;-(

I've done all the normal basic PC checks (removed / reseated RAM ,
CPU, HDD, Power lead etc etc) but it remains dead.

The PSU is one of those external bricks (like a laptop) and I believe
only outputs 2 x 12V but seems to have some sort of remote 'on' /
interlock meaning you can't test it's output without being plugged
into the PC?

If I had another box I could do some substitution.

I'm hoping someone might point me to a common fault (with the PSU or
PC) and so I could fix it but failing that I'll see if I can find a
suitable std motherboard / case / psu and transfer all the good bits
over (after testing them elsewhere of course).

Any thoughts please?

All the best ..

T i m


I'd start by verifying the output of the external PSU. If it has any
sort of remote-on, it's nothing more than bridging the correct two pins
in the cable. If that's bad then it's just standard SMPS repair.

On Thu, 12 Apr 2007 01:18:32 GMT, James Sweet
wrote:


I'm hoping someone might point me to a common fault (with the PSU or
PC) and so I could fix it but failing that I'll see if I can find a
suitable std motherboard / case / psu and transfer all the good bits
over (after testing them elsewhere of course).



I'd start by verifying the output of the external PSU. If it has any
sort of remote-on, it's nothing more than bridging the correct two pins
in the cable.

Ah, I thought that might be the case but wasn't *sure* so didn't want
to make matters worse. There are 4 big holes in the end of the DC lead
and 2 smaller ones. The graphic on the PSU itself suggests the two
smaller holes are the remote pair and the others are 2 x 0V and 2 x
12V. So I guess I can just stick the DMM in there (on 20V DC range)
and measure the off load condition at least. When it's powering the
SX270N (my mistake in saying it was a 260 but I believe they are very
similar) there is an amber LED on the Mobo if that means anything?

If that's bad then it's just standard SMPS repair.

Oh ok, I assumed the PSU brick was sealed but I guess any 'repair'
would be more expensive than a straight replacement (from eBay etc)?

All the best ..

T i m

In message , T i m
writes
Hi Clint and thanks for the prompt reply.

Motherboard, caps swollen up and failed.

Hmm, funny that .. I did (briefly) look at that yesterday and thought
I noticed some of the caps were bulging on the top and *maybe* a trace
of orange 'stuff' in the grooves?
Then it's pretty certain. The SX260/270 are nightmares for this fault,
we were on first name terms with the Dell field engineers at one point
(all under warranty), we service these machines for a major high street
company who have several hundred, apart from failed hard disks the
*only* other fault I can remember seeing is the caps failing, I have
never had to replace a PSU or any other component.

Ok, I'll get the owners to do as you suggest, thanks *very* much for
that Clint.

All the best ..

T i m

p.s. If Dell don't wanna play, is it something I can do myself
(changing the caps, I'm an electronics engineer) ie is it just the
caps or would there be other issues because of the caps do you know
please?

AFAIK, it's just the caps but you will need to make sure the new ones
are of equivalent/better spec. Of course, the usual warnings about
multilayer boards and at your own risk etc... Make sure the machine has
*plenty* of airflow and is not put in a cupboard. We blocked the vents
on one in the workshop by accident and when we removed the blockage, the
fans blew air out that was almost painfully hot.
--
Clint Sharp

On Thu, 12 Apr 2007 21:30:11 +0100, Clint Sharp
wrote:

In message , T i m
writes
Hi Clint and thanks for the prompt reply.

Motherboard, caps swollen up and failed.

Hmm, funny that .. I did (briefly) look at that yesterday and thought
I noticed some of the caps were bulging on the top and *maybe* a trace
of orange 'stuff' in the grooves?

Then it's pretty certain. The SX260/270 are nightmares for this fault,
we were on first name terms with the Dell field engineers at one point
(all under warranty), we service these machines for a major high street
company who have several hundred, apart from failed hard disks the
*only* other fault I can remember seeing is the caps failing, I have
never had to replace a PSU or any other component.

Ah, ok, thanks for the feedback.

p.s. If Dell don't wanna play, is it something I can do myself
(changing the caps, I'm an electronics engineer) ie is it just the
caps or would there be other issues because of the caps do you know
please?

AFAIK, it's just the caps but you will need to make sure the new ones
are of equivalent/better spec.

Understood.

Of course, the usual warnings about
multilayer boards and at your own risk etc...

Not a lot to loose if Dell don't want to play though eh (ie it would
probably be expensive to get a new board etc)?

Make sure the machine has
*plenty* of airflow and is not put in a cupboard. We blocked the vents
on one in the workshop by accident and when we removed the blockage, the
fans blew air out that was almost painfully hot.

Ouch. No this one sits on a bracket on the back of the screen up on a
worktop.

All the best and thanks again ..

T i m