How to check if PSU will kill my parts

[Casual Cube]

Hey guys.

A few days ago I killed a motherbaord by doing something dumb; I swapped psu cables.

While checking all my parts, I was able to confirm that every part of my PC works except my motherboard. However, I wasn't able to check my PSU.

 

After using the self tester provided by EVGA (props), the fan came on.

I'm now wondering if there's a way to know if the thing is damaged inside in a way it might kill a new board etc.

In fact, I don't even know if I need to worry about this. If swapping cables can damage the internals or swap it around that it might not push out the same voltage or something. 

 

Anyone out there who know anything about this/ have experience on this? (EVGA 650W G3)

[Bananasplit_00]

@LukeSavenije summon the PSU thread army! 

[APasz]

Could always use a voltmeter (if you have one) to check if you get 3.3v, 5v, and 12v on the correct pins.

[LukeSavenije]

4 minutes ago, Casual Cube said:

I swapped psu cables.

as in different cables? or just swapping them around on the psu?

[Casual Cube]

7 minutes ago, LukeSavenije said:

as in different cables? or just swapping them around on the psu?

I used GQ cables with my G2 because they were slim compared to my fat round ones. I hadn't looked it up before.

 

Edit: Not all, just a few. I don't remember them all but I used CPU, Peripheral, SATA and PCIE. Although all of those parts are running fine except the motherboard (Asus Stric B450-I)

[Casual Cube]

18 minutes ago, APasz said:

Could always use a voltmeter (if you have one) to check if you get 3.3v, 5v, and 12v on the correct pins.

is there a way of knowing which pins? all these wires are black..

[LienusLateTips]

3 minutes ago, Casual Cube said:

is there a way of knowing which pins? all these wires are black..

[Casual Cube]

2 minutes ago, LienusLateTips said:

oh boy

[APasz]

Could check these as well.
All the GND or COM are basically all a single line. No need to test each one.

[Casual Cube]

I was also wondering if I'm on the right track here. Can such a mistake mess up the psu?

[Rexper]

Usually the protections inside the PSU would prevent harm from shorts like this. Otherwise you'd hear and see a bang!

 

You could use the PSU tester or paperclip, hook up a couple fans (zero load does funky things), and test the 12V, 5V, 3.3V and -5V rail with a multimeter. Ensure they are all withing spec (+-5%).

 

If readings are fine, the PSU is also likely fine. Just remember to use the right cable next time.

[Casual Cube]

2 minutes ago, Rexper said:

Usually the protections inside the PSU would prevent harm from shorts like this. Otherwise you'd hear and see a bang!

 

You could use the PSU tester or paperclip, hook up a couple fans (zero load does funky things), and test the 12V, 5V, 3.3V and -5V rail with a multimeter. Ensure they are all withing spec (+-5%).

 

If readings are fine, the PSU is also likely fine. Just remember to use the right cable next time.

Thank you my man. You summed it up as I'd hoped.

 

Also, Thanks to everyone here for your responses, especially those pictures. I'll be doing these tests soon and will get back to you!

[Casual Cube]

20 hours ago, Rexper said:

Usually the protections inside the PSU would prevent harm from shorts like this. Otherwise you'd hear and see a bang!

 

You could use the PSU tester or paperclip, hook up a couple fans (zero load does funky things), and test the 12V, 5V, 3.3V and -5V rail with a multimeter. Ensure they are all withing spec (+-5%).

 

If readings are fine, the PSU is also likely fine. Just remember to use the right cable next time.

Hey I was wondering something else. Maybe this will be the information you need to diagnose this certainly. 

 

Before I saw smoke coming out of my motherboard, There was a different combination of wires that I don't remember. There, it wouldnt boot at all. In fact when I pressed the power button, I noticed a faint "switch sound". Something like a hum click as if it was failing to start up by possibly a safety mechanism. It came from the power supply. Would this indicate that it protected itself and still working fine? 

 

Sorry I can't describe the sound any better. Think a whistling hum switch off sound. similar to like, iron mans respulsor blast or something lol I really cant explain better. *click* *hums to zero*

 

 

Edirt: additional info: the soudn only happened once each time I reset the psu switch. I turned it on, pressed pwr, heard the sound, nothing happens, pressed pwr again and again, nothing. Until I turn off the psu and back.

[Mattias Edeslatt]

@Casual Cube That is nothing strange, it is a capacitor that looses it charge when you turn the PSU off with the PSU-switch or remove the cord. The "click" you only hear once is then it gets its charge when you plug your PSU in or flick the switch to on position.

 

Most likely is that only the motherboard that is fried when it got the wrong currents/voltages when you used the wrong cable that switched some of the wires on the PSU-end of the cable, like 12V on a 3.3V line or a +V line to a -V line. As the root of the fault was not in the PSU and it was sending out the wrong voltages on the right PSU/MB-cable it is most unlikely any damage has occurred to it. RAM, CPU, GPU, HDD/SSD and so on is most likely OK as well, but you have to test those out one at a time. 

[Casual Cube]

2 hours ago, Mattias Edeslatt said:

Most likely is that only the motherboard that is fried when it got the wrong currents/voltages when you used the wrong cable that switched some of the wires on the PSU-end of the cable, like 12V on a 3.3V line or a +V line to a -V line. As the root of the fault was not in the PSU and it was sending out the wrong voltages on the right PSU/MB-cable it is most unlikely any damage has occurred to it. RAM, CPU, GPU, HDD/SSD and so on is most likely OK as well, but you have to test those out one at a time. 

Thanks a lot for your input, talking penguin. I've tested all those parts you mentioned on a secondary rig and have confirmed that they run perfectly fine. Its just the dead mobo and uncertain psu. I think that, from what you say, the psu is fine too. The pin test spun the fan, no pops or lights were noticed and these are all top of the line parts so they should have failsafes if anything. Tomorrow night I'll get my new mobo (MSI B450M Gaming Plus) which costs half as much as the last mobo. I feel safe enough to plug it into my psu. I don't have a voltmeter to do any tests so faith will have to do.