power supply exploded HELP

[Tully04]

Okay so i just built a new pc and after 2 weeks i had a couple problems, one of them was a constant rattling sound coming from my PSU fan. i decided to ignore it for a while although eventually i got impatient and decided to see if I could fix the issue. Now this is where i really messed up. I started by using a plastic zip tie to poke at any wires near the PSU fan, i had previously turned my pc off and unplugged the PSU from the wall. After failing at my first go i decided to leave it again. Eventually i grew impatient once more and stupidly i grabbed a metal crown that one of my sisters owned, one side was metal and the other had plastic covering it (i held it by the plastic side. the crown was thin and long enough to fit into the PSU. Long story short I started stabbing at the cords behind the fan WITHOUT UNPLUGGING OR FLIPPING THE SWITCH TO TURN IT OFF, although i had at least shut down my computer. Whilst poking at the cords to try remove them i was met with a large shock and a loud electrical explosion releasing a small amount of smoke, i removed the crown almost instantly due to pure reflex which might be the reason i didn’t get shocked along with the plastic. Due to this my houses power cut out completely, never the less i unplugged everything immediately.

 

Its worth adding i was putting the metal stick through the PSU fan.

 

The next day i booted my pc back up, although for some reason it worked perfectly fine as if nothing happened no weird smells and no problems.

 

After doing some research i’ve come to the conclusion that it was an arc flash (when an electrical current becomes uncontrolled and passes through the air gap between conductors creating an electrical explosion).

 

My question is should i throw away my PSU and buy a new PSU and would the metal crown have absorbed enough energy and not fried my other components or would that not have effected my components at all anyway.

 

My PSU is 

- Corsair 650W CX 80+ bronze 120MM ATX PSU

[Applefreak]

13 minutes ago, Tully04 said:

Okay so i just built a new pc and after 2 weeks i had a couple problems, one of them was a constant rattling sound coming from my PSU fan. i decided to ignore it for a while although eventually i got impatient and decided to see if I could fix the issue. Now this is where i really messed up. I started by using a plastic zip tie to poke at any wires near the PSU fan, i had previously turned my pc off and unplugged the PSU from the wall. After failing at my first go i decided to leave it again. Eventually i grew impatient once more and stupidly i grabbed a metal crown that one of my sisters owned, one side was metal and the other had plastic covering it (i held it by the plastic side. the crown was thin and long enough to fit into the PSU. Long story short I started stabbing at the cords behind the fan WITHOUT UNPLUGGING OR FLIPPING THE SWITCH TO TURN IT OFF, although i had at least shut down my computer. Whilst poking at the cords to try remove them i was met with a large shock and a loud electrical explosion releasing a small amount of smoke, i removed the crown almost instantly due to pure reflex which might be the reason i didn’t get shocked along with the plastic. Due to this my houses power cut out completely, never the less i unplugged everything immediately.

 

Its worth adding i was putting the metal stick through the PSU fan.

 

The next day i booted my pc back up, although for some reason it worked perfectly fine as if nothing happened no weird smells and no problems.

 

After doing some research i’ve come to the conclusion that it was an arc flash (when an electrical current becomes uncontrolled and passes through the air gap between conductors creating an electrical explosion).

 

My question is should i throw away my PSU and buy a new PSU and would the metal crown have absorbed enough energy and not fried my other components or would that not have effected my components at all anyway.

 

My PSU is 

- Corsair 650W CX 80+ bronze 120MM ATX PSU

If you like Corsair get an RM, AX or HX PSU instead and yes have it replaced. Something rattling inside even if it's just the fan bearing is a bad sign. In order to discharge the high amp capacitors inside your PSU, you should leave it on the shelf for a couple of weeks. There are ways to fully discharge it but that requires lab equipment or some tinkering to drain it. I am glad you did not take it apart, that could have been fatal. When buying a new PSU, make sure it is 80+ Gold or better rated and has nice long warranty. Not that it matters much but the longer the warranty the better the components are (in most cases at least). 

 

And btw. don't use your sisters stuff without asking her, that could be dangerous as well.

[Tully04]

4 minutes ago, Applefreak said:

If you like Corsair get an RM, AX or HX PSU instead and yes have it replaced. Something rattling inside even if it's just the fan bearing is a bad sign. In order to discharge the high amp capacitors inside your PSU, you should leave it on the shelf for a couple of weeks. There are ways to fully discharge it but that requires lab equipment or some tinkering to drain it. I am glad you did not take it apart, that could have been fatal. When buying a new PSU, make sure it is 80+ Gold or better rated and has nice long warranty. Not that it matters much but the longer the warranty the better the components are (in most cases at least). 

 

And btw. don't use your sisters stuff without asking her, that could be dangerous as well.

Okay i will most definitely get a new PSU, one more question though my pc works as normal but is there a chance any of my components could have been damaged? the computer was only turned off by pressing shut down but it still had all power flowing directly to it i’m just wondering if all protections against my motherboard etc still would’ve worked or does discharging it not have a chance at frying components anyway.

[Applefreak]

1 minute ago, Tully04 said:

Okay i will most definitely get a new PSU, one more question though my pc works as normal but is there a chance any of my components could have been damaged? the computer was only turned off by pressing shut down but it still had all power flowing directly to it i’m just wondering if all protections against my motherboard etc still would’ve worked or does discharging it not have a chance at frying components anyway.

When the system is off, the motherboard usually has an active 3.3 Volt line that is active (some boards will have rgb or some lights visible even if the system is off). If that line was damaged you would not by able to power on the computer. There is a chance of course that something got fired but if you can play 3d games and your drives work just fine, I'd say you were lucky.

[Spotty]

2 hours ago, Tully04 said:

Now this is where i really messed up. I started by using a plastic zip tie to poke at any wires near the PSU fan, i had previously turned my pc off and unplugged the PSU from the wall. After failing at my first go i decided to leave it again. Eventually i grew impatient once more and stupidly i grabbed a metal crown that one of my sisters owned, one side was metal and the other had plastic covering it (i held it by the plastic side. the crown was thin and long enough to fit into the PSU. Long story short I started stabbing at the cords behind the fan WITHOUT UNPLUGGING OR FLIPPING THE SWITCH TO TURN IT OFF, although i had at least shut down my computer. Whilst poking at the cords to try remove them i was met with a large shock and a loud electrical explosion releasing a small amount of smoke, i removed the crown almost instantly due to pure reflex which might be the reason i didn’t get shocked along with the plastic. Due to this my houses power cut out completely, never the less i unplugged everything immediately.

Firstly, it's very fortunate that you were not seriously hurt. Sticking objects in to a live power supply is incredibly stupid. 

What do you mean by crown? Like something the Queen wears?

 

2 hours ago, Tully04 said:

My question is should i throw away my PSU and buy a new PSU and would the metal crown have absorbed enough energy and not fried my other components or would that not have effected my components at all anyway.

Who knows. It would depend on what shorted inside the PSU. 

 

Buy a new power supply, see if the PC works.

 

2 hours ago, Applefreak said:

When the system is off, the motherboard usually has an active 3.3 Volt line that is active (some boards will have rgb or some lights visible even if the system is off)

5V standby, not 3.3V. 

[Tully04]

7 hours ago, Spotty said:

Firstly, it's very fortunate that you were not seriously hurt. Sticking objects in to a live power supply is incredibly stupid. 

What do you mean by crown? Like something the Queen wears?

 

Who knows. It would depend on what shorted inside the PSU. 

 

Buy a new power supply, see if the PC works.

 

5V standby, not 3.3V. 

Yea something like what the queen would wear but instead a toy with less decoration. i bent it a lot so imagine it more like a screw driver.

 

The pc works with other PSU’s fine so i think i’m good. i poked around the top middle of the fan, any idea what i would’ve shocked behind it, it created a loud bang with some sparks and smoke.(only a very small amount of smoked due to the sparks fire i’m guessing) the small fire was gone in an instant along with the sound 

[Guest]

11 hours ago, Tully04 said:

Okay i will most definitely get a new PSU, one more question though my pc works as normal but is there a chance any of my components could have been damaged? the computer was only turned off by pressing shut down but it still had all power flowing directly to it i’m just wondering if all protections against my motherboard etc still would’ve worked or does discharging it not have a chance at frying components anyway.

Short circuit protection probably shut the PSU down before anything became damaged.  If the PSU is less than 5 years old, you should just contact Corsair and have them replace it.

 

[The Torrent]

12 hours ago, Tully04 said:

After doing some research i’ve come to the conclusion that it was an arc flash (when an electrical current becomes uncontrolled and passes through the air gap between conductors creating an electrical explosion).

Except you stuck a metal object inside ur psu, it wasn't conducting through air and wasn't uncontrolled you just shorted a cap or something.

 

Why on earth would you stick a metal object and randomly stab at wires in a psu while its plugged in!?!?

[Tully04]

1 hour ago, The Torrent said:

Except you stuck a metal object inside ur psu, it wasn't conducting through air and wasn't uncontrolled you just shorted a cap or something.

 

Why on earth would you stick a metal object and randomly stab at wires in a psu while its plugged in!?!?

wasn’t my brightest moment i must admit, the PSU still works so i’m not sure if it did any damage or shorted any caps. 

[Tully04]

1 hour ago, jonnyGURU said:

Short circuit protection probably shut the PSU down before anything became damaged.  If the PSU is less than 5 years old, you should just contact Corsair and have them replace it.

 

Alright that’s at least what i’m hoping, the pc has zero problems even the psu so i don’t know what to do?