Old Computer PSU Problems

[Oldaccount1234123]

Hello!

 

I have come here, to ask a  couple of questions about my old PSU. Firstly, details about problems with it can be found in this thread: http://linustechtips.com/main/topic/334824-prospective-build-and-old-pc-price-thoughts(feel free to comment and help me out!)

 

Now, I took my computer down to the shop today, and the manager explained that as this was a "High end machine", the PSU is guaranteed to drop out every couple of years as it runs hotter due to dust and the fact it has to deal with games etc. , and since it is Alienware, it has to be replaced with a certain PSU, which needs to be specially ordered. The insurance company found it hard to find one of these, but they found one in the end after about 2 weeks, and it should be being fitted. 

 

Whilst there, he said that the PSU had a sub board on it, which he didn't know anything about, and it might be causing the problems it has. 

 

So, my questions to you all are:

 

Do you know anything about the sub board?

If I build my own PC, will I need to replace the PSU every couple of years?

Anything else I need to know?

 

Thanks,

 

Daanish

[Merlorz]

You only really replace your PSU when its broken.. Playing games or having some dust in it wont really harm it unless the dust makes it unpossible for any airflow to happen inside.

I don't know mutch about the Alien PC's but when I repaired one I remember them having some special cables the normal PSU's dont have

 

Edit: Buy a PSU from a verified brand as Corsair, Antec, Coolermaster, Be Quiet, ... 
This makes it more trustworthy and better warranty 

[ESPclipse]

A power supply should last longer than a couple of years, at least to me, but a consistent diet of dust and heat will wear anything out pretty fast. Anyways, I have never heard of a "sub board" but I imagine the PSU you currently have is not much different than PSUs currently on the market, if that helps

[flibberdipper]

I don't think Area 51's used special PSUs... I thought they used standard 110/220 (or whatever the voltages are) auto-switching ATX units.

 

As for PSU's needing to be replaced every couple years, I call complete and utter bullshit. I had an old ASTEK one from my Gateway (parts that were left are now in HELIOS) and it still works fine to this day, but it has a horrid coil whine issue from not being used in so long, and from being 16 years old).

[Oldaccount1234123]

You only really replace your PSU when its broken.. Playing games or having some dust in it wont really harm it unless the dust makes it unpossible for any airflow to happen inside.

I don't know mutch about the Alien PC's but when I repaired one I remember them having some special cables the normal PSU's dont have

If you look at my other thread, you can see that it has broken down before, and is still broken. They said that it will become harder to find replacements in the future

 

A power supply should last longer than a couple of years, at least to me, but a consistent diet of dust and heat will wear anything out pretty fast. Anyways, I have never heard of a "sub board" but I imagine the PSU you currently have is not much different than PSUs currently on the market, if that helps

Ok, sounds good - thanks! I believe the PSU is bespoke. Can it be replaced by an "on the market" cooler do you reckon? if so, it might make it easier to sell on.

 

 

@ESPclipse @Merlorz @tmcclelland455 

[flibberdipper]

If you look at my other thread, you can see that it has broken down before, and is still broken. They said that it will become harder to find replacements in the future

 

Ok, sounds good - thanks! I believe the PSU is bespoke. Can it be replaced by an "on the market" cooler do you reckon? if so, it might make it easier to sell on.

 

 

@ESPclipse @Merlorz @tmcclelland455 

It should. Like I said, I think they used a plain ATX PSU.

[Merlorz]

It should. Like I said, I think they used a plain ATX PSU.

They use ATX but they have some special cables to connect the LED's and the moving top for airflow

[ESPclipse]

If you look at my other thread, you can see that it has broken down before, and is still broken. They said that it will become harder to find replacements in the future

 

Ok, sounds good - thanks! I believe the PSU is bespoke. Can it be replaced by an "on the market" cooler do you reckon? if so, it might make it easier to sell on.

 

 

@ESPclipse @Merlorz @tmcclelland455 

One of these guys on the forum says the cables are a bit different, so I would look at the cables in your current system and see how they compare to the cables of a PSU on the market. I don't see why (or how) Alienware would use proprietary cables on their machines, so I would check that out

[flibberdipper]

They use ATX but they have some special cables to connect the LED's and the moving top for airflow

Those are controlled by the motherboard... They wouldn't work so well if they were just run straight off the PSU.

[Merlorz]

Those are controlled by the motherboard... They wouldn't work so well if they were just run straight off the PSU.

Yep, brain stopped working there for a second

[flibberdipper]

Yep, brain stopped working there for a second

It's okay fatass.

 

"DON'T CALL ME A FATASS YOU JEW!!!"

 

[Rooah]

Looks like you can get 1000w Alienware Area 51 power supplies for less than $40 on ebay. Ebay

 

Also consider that my EVGA 750 G2 has a ten year warranty I would consider any decent power supply should last close to that long (10 years), but that also depends how much load is placed on the PSU.

[ApolloX75]

I've got an Enermax 350W from 2003. Its my trouble shooting PSU. Just can't kill the damn thing.