Power Supply Guides and UPS info

[creising]

Hi,

I just git me a pico PSU (http://www.amazon.com/Mini-ITX-DC-DC-picoPSU-120-power-supply/dp/B001KNVP78/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1325130736&sr=8-1), a 12V, 72 W adapter (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0056VMXIK/ref=oh_o04_s00_i00_details) and a Zotac Fusion Mainboard (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0056VMXIK/ref=oh_o04_s00_i00_details).

Unfortunately, a few seconds after turning on the computer, the picoPSU started smoking, so I quickly turned it off and unplugged it.

I thought it should workl with a 12V adapter. Any ideas on why that happened?

Cheers,
Chris

 

[ko888]

Hi,

I just git me a pico PSU (http://www.amazon.com/Mini-ITX-DC-DC-picoPSU-120-power-supply/dp/B001KNVP78/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1325130736&sr=8-1), a 12V, 72 W adapter (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0056VMXIK/ref=oh_o04_s00_i00_details) and a Zotac Fusion Mainboard (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0056VMXIK/ref=oh_o04_s00_i00_details).

Unfortunately, a few seconds after turning on the computer, the picoPSU started smoking, so I quickly turned it off and unplugged it.

I thought it should workl with a 12V adapter. Any ideas on why that happened?

Cheers,
Chris

Your link for the 12V, 72 W adapter is the same as the link for the Zotac FUSION350-A-E.

Is this what you were using?

http://www.amazon.com/Kinamax-AD-LCD12-Monitors-Adapter-Supply/dp/B000VE7GQQ/ref=pd_cp_e_1

What was the motherboard sitting on or mounted to?

Smoking is a sure sign that there is a short circuit happening somewhere.

 

[creising]

Your link for the 12V, 72 W adapter is the same as the link for the Zotac FUSION350-A-E.

Is this what you were using?

http://www.amazon.com/Kinamax-AD-LCD12-Monitors-Adapter-Supply/dp/B000VE7GQQ/ref=pd_cp_e_1

What was the motherboard sitting on or mounted to?

Smoking is a sure sign that there is a short circuit happening somewhere.

Yes, that's the adapter I used. The motherboard was mounted in my Mini ITX case which can be found here
http://www.amazon.com/Universal-Mini-ITX-enclosure-PicoPSU-compatible/dp/B003DXI288/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1325494874&sr=8-2

The smoke emerged from the picoPSU's plug which goes into the motherboard.

Thanks,
Chris

 

[ko888]

Yes, that's the adapter I used. The motherboard was mounted in my Mini ITX case which can be found here
http://www.amazon.com/Universal-Mini-ITX-enclosure-PicoPSU-compatible/dp/B003DXI288/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1325494874&sr=8-2

The smoke emerged from the picoPSU's plug which goes into the motherboard.

Thanks,
Chris

The first test should have been done with the motherboard assembly outside of the case to ensure that it works before you waste time mounting something that doesn't work into the case.

 

[creising]

The first test should have been done with the motherboard assembly outside of the case to ensure that it works before you waste time mounting something that doesn't work into the case.

Good idea, will do that for my next DIY PC!

I noticed that the picoPSU's plug has less pins than the corresponding socket in the motherboard. Still the plug fits nicely, so I thought those four 'missing pins' aren't that big a deal. Is that the problem?

Cheers,
Chris

 

[ko888]

Good idea, will do that for my next DIY PC!

I noticed that the picoPSU's plug has less pins than the corresponding socket in the motherboard. Still the plug fits nicely, so I thought those four 'missing pins' aren't that big a deal. Is that the problem?

Cheers,
Chris

You need the full 24 pins.

Those extra four pins supply extra +12V, +3.3V and +5V power to the motherboard and are there for a purpose. That's probably why your 20-pin picoPSU burned out because it was trying to supply more power than it could safely handle.

What you should have gotten is this one:

http://www.amazon.com/picoPSU-150-XT-102W-Adapter-Cyncronix-Rating/dp/B00316TM22/ref=pd_cp_e_2

 

[creising]

You need the full 24 pins.

Those extra four pins supply extra +12V, +3.3V and +5V power to the motherboard and are there for a purpose. That's probably why your 20-pin picoPSU burned out because it was trying to supply more power than it could safely handle.

What you should have gotten is this one:

http://www.amazon.com/picoPSU-150-XT-102W-Adapter-Cyncronix-Rating/dp/B00316TM22/ref=pd_cp_e_2

Ohhhh, that sounds logical. At least that should mean that I didn't roast any other components of the PC, right?

 

[ko888]

Ohhhh, that sounds logical. At least that should mean that I didn't roast any other components of the PC, right?

I think you caught it in time to prevent any damage to the components.

 

[creising]

Just ordered the PSU you recommended!
Thank you very much for your help!

Chris

 

[manigoel]

Put simply a UPS is device that, when functioning correctly, helps to ensure that power supply to your components is not disturbed. Of course there is more to it than that, right? Indeed there is. A UPS does this by supplying the load using batteries (or a series of batteries). The load could be desktop computers, servers, audio and video equipment, or even peripherals. The primary advantage of a UPS is that it provides power to a computer so that it can stay running long enough for the operating system that is running on it to shutdown cleanly. Contrast this to a sudden loss of power where unsaved data will be lost and things may possibly get corrupted! (and even hard disk heads can crash, although that is rare now).