I took my PSU apart to clean it and now it doesn't work...

dr_horse · 12-06-2007, 10:59 AM

I think I'm breaking new ground on these forums as to how gormless one man can sound, but regardless of that: My PSU is nearly 3 years old and has seen some pretty serious use. I knew it was on the way out due to its noise but it was also full of dust, so when cleaning up my case as I waited for my new mobo to be delivered, I decided to have a go cleaning my PSU as well. I took the case of the PSU off, but didn't remove any of the componants. In fact the only contact I had with any of the componants inside the PSU was by the lightest touch of a cotton wool bud to clear dust out of some of the harder to reach places.

When the PSU is plugged in to the mains and switched on (as in the PSU is on, not the computer) there are two little lights that come on at the back, but when I put the unit back together and switched it on, there were no lights. Since then I've taken it apart and checked the fuse and switch and a couple of other obvious componants with a multimeter, and everything seems fine. What have i done? Any way to fix it?

It's a Colorsit 550w, but I can't see any model number.

dai · 12-06-2007, 12:49 PM

colorsit are low quality you are better off replacing it and psu's carry a leathal dose of power for a long time after they are disconnected from the outlet

dr_horse · 12-07-2007, 03:16 AM

How long? I left it a few days just for that reason but I guess I should've checked. Is there a general figure?

I've just ordered one of these anyway http://www.dabs.com/productview.aspx...ationKey=11259

dai · 12-07-2007, 03:57 AM

some say it holds power for days some weeks i just dump faulty ones so never bothered to go into it
the psu should run your system with no problems

Ericwaycotx · 12-07-2007, 04:56 AM

Taking apart a ps is dangerous business. Capacitors hold a charges for quite a while, and personally, im not willing to find out just how long.

**1 g0t 0wn3d** · 12-07-2007, 06:31 AM

Its quite some time i got quite a shock from one that had been unpluged for a year (not to bad though kind of like puting a screwdriver in the outlet)

dr_horse · 12-07-2007, 09:00 AM

Wow guess I should put some numbers on the lottery tomorrow. Thanks for your responses everybody. Much appreciated.

**speedster123** · 12-07-2007, 10:32 AM

a more pronounced warning tag would be in order, but i suppose it might add 10 cents per unit....

12-06-2007, 10:59 AM	#1 (permalink)
dr_horse Registered User Join Date: Nov 2007 Posts: 32 OS: WinXP sp2	I took my PSU apart to clean it and now it doesn't work... I think I'm breaking new ground on these forums as to how gormless one man can sound, but regardless of that: My PSU is nearly 3 years old and has seen some pretty serious use. I knew it was on the way out due to its noise but it was also full of dust, so when cleaning up my case as I waited for my new mobo to be delivered, I decided to have a go cleaning my PSU as well. I took the case of the PSU off, but didn't remove any of the componants. In fact the only contact I had with any of the componants inside the PSU was by the lightest touch of a cotton wool bud to clear dust out of some of the harder to reach places. When the PSU is plugged in to the mains and switched on (as in the PSU is on, not the computer) there are two little lights that come on at the back, but when I put the unit back together and switched it on, there were no lights. Since then I've taken it apart and checked the fuse and switch and a couple of other obvious componants with a multimeter, and everything seems fine. What have i done? Any way to fix it? It's a Colorsit 550w, but I can't see any model number.

12-06-2007, 12:49 PM	#2 (permalink)
dai Manager, Hardware Forums Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: west australia Posts: 56,569 OS: win 7 32x 64x rtm	Re: I took my PSU apart to clean it and now it doesn't work... colorsit are low quality you are better off replacing it and psu's carry a leathal dose of power for a long time after they are disconnected from the outlet __________________

12-07-2007, 03:16 AM	#3 (permalink)
dr_horse Registered User Join Date: Nov 2007 Posts: 32 OS: WinXP sp2	Re: I took my PSU apart to clean it and now it doesn't work... How long? I left it a few days just for that reason but I guess I should've checked. Is there a general figure? I've just ordered one of these anyway http://www.dabs.com/productview.aspx...ationKey=11259

12-07-2007, 03:57 AM	#4 (permalink)
dai Manager, Hardware Forums Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: west australia Posts: 56,569 OS: win 7 32x 64x rtm	Re: I took my PSU apart to clean it and now it doesn't work... some say it holds power for days some weeks i just dump faulty ones so never bothered to go into it the psu should run your system with no problems __________________

12-07-2007, 04:56 AM	#5 (permalink)
Ericwaycotx Registered User Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Texas Posts: 334 OS: Xp Pro Sp2, Windows 2000 Server My System	Re: I took my PSU apart to clean it and now it doesn't work... Taking apart a ps is dangerous business. Capacitors hold a charges for quite a while, and personally, im not willing to find out just how long.

12-07-2007, 06:31 AM	#6 (permalink)
1 g0t 0wn3d TSF Enthusiast Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Sedona, az Posts: 6,528 OS: Vista basic 32bit My System	Re: I took my PSU apart to clean it and now it doesn't work... Its quite some time i got quite a shock from one that had been unpluged for a year (not to bad though kind of like puting a screwdriver in the outlet) __________________ Bench Test \| PC Wizard \| System specs \| PSU info \| PSU calculator \| Memtest86+ \| Speedfan

12-07-2007, 09:00 AM	#7 (permalink)
dr_horse Registered User Join Date: Nov 2007 Posts: 32 OS: WinXP sp2	Re: I took my PSU apart to clean it and now it doesn't work... Wow guess I should put some numbers on the lottery tomorrow. Thanks for your responses everybody. Much appreciated.

12-07-2007, 10:32 AM	#8 (permalink)
speedster123 Mentor Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: United States-New York-Long Island Posts: 5,216 OS: xp pro SP3	Re: I took my PSU apart to clean it and now it doesn't work... a more pronounced warning tag would be in order, but i suppose it might add 10 cents per unit.... __________________