psu smell normal?

Pcman135 · May 30, 2017

hi there. i just wanted to ask if a bit of a smell coming from the psu on my pc is normal. its 550 watt and ive only had it for a month. it has done it on every psu ive owned by the way. its not a bad electrical smell so im just wondering if its normal to have any smell at all from it. ive just replaced my gpu so if its coming from that then i must be normal.

let me know,

sam.

InvalidError · May 30, 2017

Most electronics have a funky smell for the first few days as cleaners and other volatile substances used in PCB manufacturing bake off. Shouldn't be lasting much beyond a week.

Pcman135 · May 30, 2017

InvalidError :

its kind of developed. as i said, no bad electrical smell but theres definitely something..

kaptainkuftic · May 30, 2017

Pcman135 :

As Invalid said, it's probably nothing to worry about. Keep an eye (nose) on it for a while and reevaluate in a week or so

Pcman135 · May 30, 2017

kaptainkuftic :

Pcman135 :

As Invalid said, it's probably nothing to worry about. Keep an eye (nose) on it for a while and reevaluate in a week or so

ok. what should i look out for?
sam.

InvalidError · May 30, 2017

There is a simple way to tell if the smell is coming from your new GPU or the PSU: open the case and check if the smell is strongest inside the case where the GPU is or at the PSU's exhaust. After two months of bake-in, the PSU really shouldn't be smelling of anything anymore unless it is running too hot.

What is the PSU's full brand and model number? If it is a generic low-quality low-efficiency unit, the persistent smell could be its capacitors already venting electrolyte vapor, meaning that it is well on its way to failure.

Pcman135 · May 30, 2017

InvalidError :

the psu is made by CIT. it cost 30 quid.

mjslakeridge · May 30, 2017

See the attached link:

http://www.tomshardware.com/forum/id-2547993/psu-tier-list.html

I see CIT down in Tier 5...AVOID IMMEDIATELY! I can't say anything from personal experience, but just going by Tom's PSU Tier List.

InvalidError · May 30, 2017

Pcman135 :

Buy something decent like a Seasonic S12-II. Should be only slightly more expensive but will likely last you 5+ years instead of a few months, much cheaper and safer long-term.

kaptainkuftic · May 30, 2017

mjslakeridge :

Didn't know this list existed. Thanks mate, I'll be using this.

mjslakeridge · May 30, 2017

kaptainkuftic :

It is not entirely up to date, and there are quite a few good PSUs that haven't been evaluated, but it is a good starting point for which PSUs to avoid. Jonnyguru.com is a good PSU review site, as he does comprehensive testing and reporting on PSUs.

Pcman135 · May 30, 2017

kaptainkuftic :

ok i may upgrade soon. you think this is the reason i can smell it?

sam.

mjslakeridge · May 30, 2017

As said above, you are probably smelling some of the vapors leaking out of the poor quality capacitors. I wouldn't recommend opening up the PSU due to the dangerous voltages, even unplugged, but I bet you will see some bulging capacitor tops.

Look into the Seasonic G series. They are semi-modular, Gold efficiency rated, and reasonably priced.

InvalidError · May 30, 2017

Pcman135 :

As I wrote earlier, if you still smell something from the PSU after weeks of use, something must be running excessively hot. All of the normal volatile stuff on the PCB should be long gone by now.

Pcman135 · May 31, 2017

InvalidError :

its kind of like a vaugue burning smell. not bad electrical. do you think the same will happen with a corsair? are corsair 550s good?

InvalidError · May 31, 2017

I'd rate any long-lasting "new electronics" or burn-in smell as potentially suspect. I personally haven't had that week+ long "new" smell issue with anything electronic that I have bought.

Pcman135 · May 31, 2017

InvalidError :

i see. ok ill look into just getting a new one and keeping this one as a spare.

Pcman135 · May 31, 2017

ok guys. just on my computer now, doing some internet browsing etc and the computers been on for about 5-6 hours and it smells pretty strong from the psu exhaust. ive checked the rest of the case and no strong smell coming from anywhere else. it wont be my gpu as it is brand new and i have smelled its exhaust and there is nothing strong coming from it. defo the psu. i need a good psu under 70 quid. any suggestions? and do you guys think that with it being a cit one that will be the cause?

InvalidError · May 31, 2017

As already said 2-3 times, CIT is extremely poor quality. In the PSU list, "tier 5" is for PSUs that are known to kill PCs/components, fail spectacularly/dangerously and sometimes catch on fire.

As for PSU recommendations, go back to the list and look at tier 1/2 for inspiration. In the USA, Seasonic's G2 can be found for ~$50, which is great bang-per-buck, great quality and good efficiency.

Pcman135 · Jun 1, 2017

InvalidError :

ok thanksyou. and the corsair vs550?

sam.

mjslakeridge · Jun 1, 2017

The CIT 550 watt you have is probably capable of putting out significantly less wattage than advertised (they just lie to try and sell products), so it is overheating and you are smelling the results of that.

As for the Corsair vs series, it too is a low-end budget PSU, not meant for overclocking or a gaming rig. It may be fine for an office PC or a home PC for internet browsing and Microsoft Word, Excel, etc. Although not as bad as the CIT, it is still quite low on the list (Tier 4).

You haven't mentioned your components or what you use this computer for, but it is for gaming or video editing, or any other heavy application, I would stay away from the Corsair VS series.

InvalidError · Jun 1, 2017

Pcman135 :

That's in tier four on the list. No good for anything beyond light use, don't expect it to last much beyond the warranty period under more than trivial load.

Don't be penny-wise, pound-foolish. If you have to spend 10&pound to get a Seasonic or other brand/model from tier 1/2 which will last a trouble-free several years, that will ultimately be much better than replacing junk quality PSUs with passable quality ones that typically won't last anywhere near as long.

psu smell normal?

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