PSU Cable stuck inside Power Supply

[iTzEmail]

Hello! I've had my computer for about roughly a year now, and I am ready to sell it. I am running into an issue which I am UNABLE to pull out the Power cable out of the PSU no matter how much force I give it, and I've been trying to put it out for the past hour, and have had no luck at all. Is there anyway I would be able to pull it out without damaging my Power Supply? Thanks!

[jaslion]

Can you send a picture?

[iTzEmail]

8 minutes ago, jaslion said:

Can you send a picture?

[jaslion]

Ok so this might be a bit odd but. Unplug the cable at the socket. Hit the power button and then click that small button next to the psu. This is a server psu and I've seen some come with a lock that prevents the cable from being unplugged during active use.

[iTzEmail]

.

[iTzEmail]

7 minutes ago, jaslion said:

Ok so this might be a bit odd but. Unplug the cable at the socket. Hit the power button and then click that small button next to the psu. This is a server psu and I've seen some come with a lock that prevents the cable from being unplugged during active use.

By "Small Button" do you mean the one that is not green or the one that is green? And hit the power button while the Computer is on or off?

[jaslion]

2 minutes ago, iTzEmail said:

By "Small Button" do you mean the one that is not green or the one that is green? And hit the power button while the Computer is on or off?

The one above the green.

 

Yes unplug the power cable from the socket and hit the power button of the pc whilst it's off. Then hit that tiny black button after that.

 

The pc is off and unplugged from the power socket during all of this.

[iTzEmail]

Just now, jaslion said:

The one above the green.

 

Yes unplug the power cable from the socket and hit the power button of the pc whilst it's off. Then hit that tiny black button after that.

 

The pc is off and unplugged from the power socket during all of this.

So just to make it clear, the power cable is DISCONNECTED from the wall socket, and and pc is off.

[jaslion]

Just now, iTzEmail said:

So just to make it clear, the power cable is DISCONNECTED from the wall socket, and and pc is off.

Yes. Pc can't really be on when the power cable is disconnected from the wall socket now can it :p.

 

Or if it does well euh enjoy your fusion reactor I guess?

[Hold-Ma-Beer]

1 minute ago, iTzEmail said:

So just to make it clear, the power cable is DISCONNECTED from the wall socket, and and pc is off.

Yes, the power cable is unplugged from the wall.

Then press the power button of pc (I guess to get rid of residual power in the system)

The press the button above the green led on your PSU and pull the cable.

 

I guess as @jaslionsaid, its so that no one can unplug the cable when the PC is running (Server stuff... )

Try and update!

 

 

[iTzEmail]

11 minutes ago, jaslion said:

Yes. Pc can't really be on when the power cable is disconnected from the wall socket now can it :p.

 

Or if it does well euh enjoy your fusion reactor I guess?

So, I did what you said and literally nothing happened. I think the button is just to see if the powersupply works if it's plugged in cause when you click the button it will go green and I guess it just tells you what state the PSU is in, so that didn't work. Any other ideas?

[iTzEmail]

5 minutes ago, Hold-Ma-Beer said:

Yes, the power cable is unplugged from the wall.

Then press the power button of pc (I guess to get rid of residual power in the system)

The press the button above the green led on your PSU and pull the cable.

 

I guess as @jaslionsaid, its so that no one can unplug the cable when the PC is running (Server stuff... )

Try and update!

 

 

Update above ^

[An0maly_76]

Might sound weird, but it might work.

 

(Unplugged of course)

 

Small flat-blade screwdriver and some scraps of folded paper. Some isopropyl alcohol and swabs.

Swab some of the alcohol into the space around the plug going into the power supply for lubrication.

Using the paper as a cushion to isolate the outer socket of the PSU, lightly work the screwdriver into the space you just lubed with the alcohol, using light, gentle pressure to work the cord out of the socket. Slowly work your way around where the two join.

 

Sort of like rocking a car that's stuck in snow or mud. Just be careful, you don't want to break the actual socket the plug fits into. Honestly looks like that might not have been the correct cord for it, but these IPCs are supposed to be uniform.

 

Also, if this works and you get it out, you may want to look very closely at the end of that cord versus the socket it was fit into. But if you get it out, I ultimately would throw the cord away to prevent future problems. It really sounds like maybe this thing might have had some sort of manufacturing deformity that made it seize when it was inserted.

Edited July 10, 2022 by An0maly_76
Revised, more info

[iTzEmail]

3 minutes ago, An0maly_76 said:

Might sound weird, but it might work.

 

(Unplugged of course)

 

Small flat-blade screwdriver and some scraps of folded paper. Some isopropyl alcohol and swabs. Swab some of the alcohol into the space around the plug going into the power supply for lubrication. Using the paper as a cushion to isolate the outer socket of the PSU, lightly work the screwdriver into the space you just lubed with the alcohol, using light, gentle pressure. Slowly work your way around where the two join. Sort of like rocking a car that's stuck in snow or mud. Just be careful, you don't want to break the actual socket the plug fits into. Honestly looks like that might not have been the correct cord for it, but these IPCs are supposed to be uniform.

I am sure this would work, but just to be clear, the cord was the cord given to me when I got the computer. I will try your idea eventually when I get to it, and let you know how it goes. Thanks!

[An0maly_76]

15 minutes ago, iTzEmail said:

I am sure this would work, but just to be clear, the cord was the cord given to me when I got the computer. I will try your idea eventually when I get to it, and let you know how it goes. Thanks!

That may be, but if you didn't buy the machine new, you really have no way to know if it is the factory cord or some off-brand aftermarket that replaced it. Not arguing with you, just food for thought. Once in awhile you might find one that was malformed at the PSU end that either fits a little loose or a little tight.

 

@iTzEmail

 

ADDED: And just to be clear, your problem may be a combination of my suggestion and the previous. That looks like a SFF machine like a workstation would use, though, and I've never seen that before. What is being referred to there actually looks like part of the motherboard, so I'm not sure how hard I would press on it.

[An0maly_76]

@iTzEmail I had never seen anything like @jaslionsuggested but I did some poking around and I believe what they're referring to is this... Various types of IPC locks are shown further below. You might see if your cord is made like any of the ones below before trying my suggestion.

 

 

Edited July 10, 2022 by An0maly_76
Revised, more info

[iTzEmail]

21 minutes ago, An0maly_76 said:

That may be, but if you didn't buy the machine new, you really have no way to know if it is the factory cord or some off-brand aftermarket that replaced it. Not arguing with you, just food for thought. Once in awhile you might find one that was malformed at the PSU end that either fits a little loose or a little tight. ADDED: And just to be clear, your problem may be a combination of my suggestion and the previous. That looks like a SFF machine like a workstation would use, though, and I've never seen that before.

I am 99% sure the one I have is definitely nothing like the ones you sent, so would that mean it’s not locked yet just stuck?

[An0maly_76]

1 minute ago, iTzEmail said:

I am 99% sure the one I have is definitely nothing like the ones you sent, so would that mean it’s not locked yet just stuck?

That would be my guess. Which could be a matter of a cord with such a lock being used with a PSU not made for it (or vice versa?)

Edited July 10, 2022 by An0maly_76
Revised, more info

[Spotty]

Can't you just sell the PC with the power cable plugged in? 

[iTzEmail]

35 minutes ago, Spotty said:

Can't you just sell the PC with the power cable plugged in? 

I mean yeah, I theoretically could.

[RollyShed]

Is this another case of socket melt-down? Cable socket not power supply melt-down. Have you tried wriggling it up and down and sideways as much as possible?

[iTzEmail]

19 minutes ago, RollyShed said:

Is this another case of socket melt-down? Cable socket not power supply melt-down. Have you tried wriggling it up and down and sideways as much as possible?

Yes, I have.

[Guest]

What do you bet the power cord is fused into the PSU connector.

 

You were using this for mining, right?

 

You're just going to have to give that cable a big heave-ho and hope that only the power cord is dapaged.

 

[Hold-Ma-Beer]

Well, just sell it with the power cord. Why do you need to remove it anyways O_o

Also, what type of case is that? If you REALLY want to remove that poor cable, try opening the case and looking for any type of branding or marks using which we can find the model of PSU.. 

OR

Just sell it with the cable. Its the buyer's problem now 

[Guest]

13 hours ago, Hold-Ma-Beer said:

Also, what type of case is that? If you REALLY want to remove that poor cable, try opening the case and looking for any type of branding or marks using which we can find the model of PSU.. 

It's one of those proprietary A.F. Dell Optiplex slim PCs.  There's no locking mechanism for the power cord.  He just needs to pull harder.