Power problems

cats_five · 27 Mar 2015 at 11:12

I have a PC in an office which is apparently rebooting itself because of power supply problems - it did that once during W7 updates and I had to reinstall it.

I have no idea if we are getting spikes, drop-outs or brown-outs. Can this be monitored easily?

Or do I simply get a surge protector and see if that helps (e.g. the problem is spikes)?

PS it has a new Antec PSU, it performed faultlessly using the original Antec PSU at my house while I was reinstalling it.

westom · 28 Mar 2015 at 19:22

cats_five said:
I have no idea if we are getting spikes, drop-outs or brown-outs. Can this be monitored easily?

Easy. For example, power an incandescent bulb from the same power point. If the bulb changes intensity, then wiring or utility defects exist. However a computer must work just fine even when the bulb dims to 40% intensity. A defect supply might not be so robust.

Only way to identify a defective supply (even months before it fails) is a some numbers from a meter, to request instructions, and then get informed replies by posting those numbers. About one full minute of labor is required. And nothing must be disconnected or removed. Then then entire power system (which is more than a PSU) is defined good or its defect identified.

That supply could have been defective when purchased. The meter could have identified that (or other problem) long ago. The solution is that powerful because, in part, it also enables the fewer with better knowledge to reply.

Power strip protector is for something that occurs maybe once every seven years. Anything you are expecting it to do is already done better in a PSU. But if the PSU has a defect, then better is to replace the defect. That means first identifying a defect. Meter and light bulb are two powerful tools for that end.

cats_five · 29 Mar 2015 at 09:40

Err.... Get the point about the light bulb, but the rest? What numbers from what meter?

westom · 30 Mar 2015 at 16:30

cats_five said:
Err.... Get the point about the light bulb, but the rest? What numbers from what meter?

The meter recommendation had three requirements. One minute of labor, the meter, and requested instructions. If you will be getting a meter and requesting instructions, then the resulting answer will be definitive. You cannot understand why engineers do it this way until after the procedure is done. Since I will not be teaching you how electricity works; only will use extensive education and experience to provide that answer.

Meters are so ubiquitous as to sell even in Maplin for maybe £7. Even every car mechanic must have one.