When to replace a PSU

britain4 · 27 Jan 2018 at 12:41

I have googled this issue but can't find anything concrete on it.

What's the expected lifespan of a quality PSU? Currently using an 850w Silverstone Strider Gold in mine and I will need around 750w of power. I've had it going on 7 years now but it's not been used a whole lot as the computer's been up in the loft a lot of that time.

Reason I ask is that when I brought it down from the loft after not having been used in around 18 months (left it in the warm living room for a couple of days in case of condensation) it tripped the mains when I plugged it in. Did this several times and stopped when I plugged it in first and then switched the socket on. It's been working fine the last few weeks and hasn't done that again but I worry about failing capacitors.

If it's mainly the electrolytic capacitors that age in them anyway I'm quite capable of replacing those myself rather than spending the money on a whole new PSU.

pastymuncher · 27 Jan 2018 at 13:52

How long is a piece of string? It is impossible to state how long a psu will last. It is all to do with build quality, internal components used, the use it has had, the temps it has operated at, the list goes on. I would not be using a psu that keeps tripping the mains. I would replace that seeing as it's 7 years old.

EsaT · 27 Jan 2018 at 14:11

Unless you've got two of those graphics cards (or CPU overvolted to hell) 650W PSU would do.

And with grab bag capacitors in secondary would certainly consider swapping that PSU.
http://www.jonnyguru.com/modules.php?name=NDReviews&op=Story5&reid=365
Also capacitors really shouldn't cause such tripping of fuse so there might be something else wonky in it.
While capacitor can fail in a way which makes it pretty near shorted that won't solve itself.

britain4 · 27 Jan 2018 at 14:18

I know it’s impossible to say how long an individual PSU will last but 7 years seems to be at the high end compared to the general “average”.

It did trip the mains when I very first got it back out - but if I plugged the cable in then turned the socket on after it wouldn’t do it. I put it down to the plug arcing before it was fully inserted and charging up the fully discharged caps but IDK.

That’s the thing... I do have two of those cards now and a heavily overclocked CPU.

Remember paying a premium for that PSU hoping it would last on the back of some rave reviews I read... went for 850w for future expandability... so it’s disappointing to see it on “tier 3” of the PSU lists now. I suppose 7 years isn’t bad going though.

Disco_P · 27 Jan 2018 at 15:39

Warranty length is a good indicator to me.

britain4 · 27 Jan 2018 at 17:13

Disco_P said:
Warranty length is a good indicator to me.

Yeah. 3 years on the one I’ve got. Wonder if I should just swap it as a precaution after it tripped out the mains. Although it hasn’t done it again in the few weeks since I plugged it in.

Can get a good deal on a Cooler Master V850 with 5 years warranty so I wonder if I should go for it.

Disco_P · 27 Jan 2018 at 19:33

Depends on how good the deal is. The seasonic focus plus gold 850w is 'only' £125 with legendary voltage regulation, great internals and a 10 year warranty.

britain4 · 27 Jan 2018 at 21:37

Disco_P said:
Depends on how good the deal is. The seasonic focus plus gold 850w is 'only' £125 with legendary voltage regulation, great internals and a 10 year warranty.

OK not as good a deal as that... it's £119 but only with a 5 year warranty. Looks like that's the one to go for if I am swapping it.

I'm tempted to just leave it and see how it goes but the nasty Teapos in mine seem like a weak point. I am definitely either considering replacing those or replacing the whole PSU. I'm going to put the tripping out the mains thing down as a one off unless it happens again then the Silverstone is going.