SNAP! Noise and loss of power

[st4rdust]

A few minutes after starting my miners in a new rig, i heard a snap or popping noise come from the computer, and when i look over the computer is completely powered off. I turn off the psu switch and pull the plug to be safe, but im pretty sure that something is fried. My best guess is that i overloaded my 650w apevia java PSU with my graphics cards, a 5970 and 5770 hawk. My hope is that only the power supply got fried and spared all other parts, but i know i may not be that lucky. Ill test my components when i get home and find out the extent of the damage. I just wanted to post here to see if this sounds familiar to anyone, and if anyone familiar with the snap/pop noise and power loss can tell me what to expect. Thanks in advance!

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[deslok]

unfortuantly there's no single what to expect, some supplies die in a safe maner for the components other (usually cheaper/lower end) models may take everything with them

[st4rdust]

unfortuantly there's no single what to expect, some supplies die in a safe maner for the components other (usually cheaper/lower end) models may take everything with them

Yeah, I'm hoping the apevia jumped on the grenade sufficiently to at least save those two graphics cards. I could kick myself for trying both cards on that PSU though, I knew the 5970 alone requires a 650w min PSU. Oh well. Ill find out in a couple hours when I can test the components.

[Sekioh]

If it wasn't too aged (sounds like a new psu?) it should have survived that kind of current. I have two 5990's going (effectively 4 5970's?) and wall pull with a kill-a-watt says only 760w, even aged with 10% efficiency reduction it should have managed okay. Then again, that's total and not based on what the rails could take, each cluster of wires can only take so much.

I would try another power supply if you have one on hand, at that point it can't get any worse, the damage has already been done, (whatever was damaged).

[deslok]

It's not the overall wattage it's the power on the 12v rail, you need 38a on it for the cards plus whatever the CPU needs

[st4rdust]

This was indeed a new PSU, and when I bought it there were almost all good reviews on newegg, but I just looked again now and someone posted just yesterday that their java PSU also failed while mining bitcoins with two 5830s.

[deslok]

This was indeed a new PSU, and when I bought it there were almost all good reviews on newegg, but I just looked again now and someone posted just yesterday that their java PSU also failed while mining bitcoins with two 5830s.

Looks like the unit has four separate 12v rails I'd bet on a distribution issue in both cases, get a single rail unit

[st4rdust]

Well, all that I can report so far is that the PSU will not power on at all. While I haven't taken it apart to look inside and verify any kind of internal damage in hopes of sending it in for repair/replacement, I feel pretty confident that the pop I heard this morning was the PSU blowing.

Just now when I tried to start it again without success, it was only plugged into the motherboard that was in the case all along, and the attached CPU and memory. I took out the GPUs right away in the hopes that they were unharmed, although I have not tested them yet. I also unplugged the SATA HDD also hoping that it was spared.

So with a relatively low power draw without the graphics cards, the PSU completely failed to power on or show any signs of life whatsoever. Unfortunately my invoice date was 8/15 leaving me only four days past Newegg's return policy. Apevia offers a one year limited warranty on all of their products, so that looks like the only available avenue I can pursue.

As for the mining rig, if it turns out that the graphics cards are unharmed I definitely plan on outfitting this rig with a slightly higher-powered PSU, but most importantly a single rail unit.

[st4rdust]

It's not the overall wattage it's the power on the 12v rail, you need 38a on it for the cards plus whatever the CPU needs

How do you figure 12v x 38a for said GPUs?

[deslok]

It's not the overall wattage it's the power on the 12v rail, you need 38a on it for the cards plus whatever the CPU needs

How do you figure 12v x 38a for said GPUs?

w=a*v

100w for a 5770
180w*2 for a 5970
180*2+100=460w/12v=38.333a
 You need at least that and I would recommend 45-50 depending on your cpu

[st4rdust]

So with four 12v rails, the load of the cards was way too much for any of them to handle, as opposed to a 650w PSU with a single 12v rail?

[deslok]

So with four 12v rails, the load of the cards was way too much for any of them to handle, as opposed to a 650w PSU with a single 12v rail?

the multi/single rail is about distribution not total power, if you have an eps connector and that and the 4 pin CPU connector account for two if the trails you're not left with though in the two remaining ones and if you don't have an eps plug in the motherboard you're wasting one of the supplies rails.

[st4rdust]

I might end up switching my two 5830s into that machine after adding another PSU which won't need to be as powerful considering the draw of the 5830 card. Then the 5970 can go into my main rig with a PC P&C 750w with a single 60a 12v rail.

[Revalin]

90% chance the snap you heard was a capacitor blowing.  If your warranty sucks and you like fixing things, it's not hard to replace a failed cap.

If you want to be sure it's the power supply and not the MB, disconnect the PS from everything except a HD for a test load, then short green to any black on the MB connector with a paper clip.