The power supply is very important for your home since it transforms regular current into the low DC voltage that is utilized by your computer. In the event that this is a component that fails, nothing will happen with your computer. Fortunately, diagnosing power supply problems is not as complicated as you might think. You do not have to learn advanced things related to power distribution and use, or see why Lindsey Manufacturing’s conductors are industry standard. The only things that you have to do are the following and you can diagnose power supply problems.
Physical Problems
Inspecting the power supply unit is highly important before you do anything else. You need to see if there are some physical deformities present and if there is some sort of black area that is present, especially around cables. When this is seen the problem is most likely a short circuit and it is normally a very good idea to buy a new power supply. In some cases you can repair it but having a new one is often better.
Computer Does Not Have Power
When you see this you have to first check the power outlet. Simply connect something else and see if power is present. When the computer is connected with the use of surge protector, you want to check that too. If power is present in the outlet, you want to check the power cable. See if AC voltage reaches the unit. All you need is a multimeter for this.
When power is present, it is time to open the computer and see power coming from the supply and reaching the motherboard. As you use the multimeter make sure that you ground its black lead.
Re-Booting Problems
A really common problem with a power supply unit that does not actually work properly is having a computer that simply re-boots out of the blue. In this case you lose information and oftentimes it will happen at a really bad time for the user. A booting error as you start the computer is another clear indicator that there is a problem.
Power Distribution Problems
If the power supply starts to fail it is possible that power is received at one of the components but another one has nothing. For instance, your HDD can receive power but your DVD Drive does not. Re-booting can also be problematic in the event that intermittent power moving towards motherboards or drives is present.
Checking Your Power Supply
When you see that the power cord and the wall outlet are working properly, you need to be sure that the connection to the motherboard is still secure. After, you should acknowledge the possibility that you are faced with a bad power supply. Check the output of the supply before you buy one. In order to do this be sure that the PC is turned off but not removed from the electricity source. Use the DC volt reader option of the multimeter and then find similar connectors on the motherboard. See if there is reading when you are turning on your computer.
