Antec EA-650 PS Caught on Fire

[thorn79]

Hi, I just had my PC power supply start smoking and then flames started coming out the back just before I pulled the power plug out. I built the machine last spring. I hope it didn't fry anything else. I could still see it was running several programs when I pulled out the plug from the PS.

Was it under powered?

I see on the New Egg reviews, the last few months others had the same thing happen. I contacted Antec but I'm not sure I want to use the same PS. In many years working with computers I have never seen a PS catch on fire. I'm lucky I was there when it happened, I leave my PC on when I'm not around a lot. I have a Ubuntu DVR that I built that I leave running (not now!), it has a Antec 380 in it.

This is the Windows 7 PC that I built:

Antec EarthWatts EA-650 GREEN 650W ATX12V v2.3 80 PLUS BRONZE Certified
2 x G.SKILL Ripjaws Series 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3
Intel BOXDZ68BC LGA 1155 Intel Z68 ATX Intel Motherboard
Intel Core i5-2500K Sandy Bridge 3.3GHz (3.7GHz Turbo Boost) LGA 1155 95W Quad-Core
SONY Black Blu-ray Burner SATA BWU-500S
2 Western Digital WD 1TB Drives
Crucial 64GB SATA III MLC Internal Solid State Drive
Rosewill CHALLENGER Black Gaming ATX Mid Tower Computer Case
I am using the MB on board video.

I just added a 2nd 1TB HD a couple of weeks ago.

Any recommendations on a PS that won't go up in flames?

Thanks.

 

[Bromeh]

Waw ! You are really lucky !

Ok so, first : Is it old ?

With your specs i can't figure out a brand new Psu going in flames (Your system needs maximum 300W). I knew it when i built my system : Don't buy Antec ... i don't know they look cheap. You can go for a Corsair CX600 for replacement, lots of good reviews, work VERY well, nothing to say. I have a TX750M from Corsair and it works amazing so i guess that one will work about the same.

Corsair CX600 : http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817139028


- The Brownie

 

[thorn79]

Waw ! You are really lucky !

Ok so, first : Is it old ?

With your specs i can't figure out a brand new Psu going in flames (Your system needs maximum 300W). I knew it when i built my system : Don't buy Antec ... i don't know they look cheap. You can go for a Corsair CX600 for replacement, lots of good reviews, work VERY well, nothing to say. I have a TX750M from Corsair and it works amazing so i guess that one will work about the same.

Corsair CX600 : http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817139028

I bought the PS (and everything else) in March 2012, not that old... 9 months. Or is that old for a PS?

Thanks.

 

[Bromeh]

No that's not old at all ... Not even a year. I've seen some Ocz power supplies last for 5 years but more than 2-3 years in most of the cases is dangerous.

You can trust me, that CX600 won't die out. If you really want something that is going to last you forever, go for Seasonic (best brand for Psu).


Seasonic 520W : http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817151094

Seasonic 620W : http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817151095


- The Brownie

 

[blackmancer]

you just got unlucky bro. I have a corsair psu, hx850, i like it (as in it still works), has 7yr warranty. i've used antec in the distant past with good results. The Brownie seems to like the Seasonics and I wouldn't not (double negative) recommend those. I generally look at the warranty as a general indicator. no one is gonna slap a 5yr warranty on something is they know it averages a fail after 3 years

 

[ko888]

If you're not planning on adding a discrete graphics card in the future you can use the following:

SeaSonic SSR-360GP 360W ATX12V v2.31 80 PLUS GOLD Certified Active PFC Power Supply

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817151117

It's way more than sufficient for your listed system configuration.

 

[Bromeh]

If you're not planning on adding a discrete graphics card in the future you can use the following:

SeaSonic SSR-360GP 360W ATX12V v2.31 80 PLUS GOLD Certified Active PFC Power Supply

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817151117

It's way more than sufficient for your listed system configuration.

360W is enough, but it will not live as long as a 500W because it will work more and be used faster ...


- The Brownie

 

[ko888]

360W is enough, but it will not live as long as a 500W because it will work more and be used faster ...


- The Brownie

Please explain how a power supply is "used faster".

How, exactly, do you know how long it will live?

 

[Bromeh]

Maybe the way i wrote it wasn't clear but anyway ...

Example : Your system draws 300W

PSU#1 - 320W Max
300/320 * 100 = 93,75% Load

PSU#2 - 520W Max
300/520 * 100 = 57,69% Load

The PSU#2 is being used at only the half of it's capacity so it will last aprox. 2 times longer than the PSU#1 being almost at full load. The PSU#1 is like a man working 80hours a week and the PSU#2 is like a man working 40hours a week. This is the way i see it and it works almost like this.


- The Brownie

 

[ko888]

Maybe the way i wrote it wasn't clear but anyway ...

Example : Your system draws 300W

PSU#1 - 320W Max
300/320 * 100 = 93,75% Load

PSU#2 - 520W Max
300/520 * 100 = 57,69% Load

The PSU#2 is being used at only the half of it's capacity so it will last aprox. 2 times longer than the PSU#1 being almost at full load. The PSU#1 is like a man working 80hours a week and the PSU#2 is like a man working 40hours a week. This is the way i see it and it works almost like this.


- The Brownie

It doesn't work that way.

How did you determine that the OP's system is drawing 300 Watts?

How much time is the OP's system spent drawing its full load?

The SeaSonic SSR-360GP 360W PSU that I recommended is more efficient than the Corsair CX600.

It is heat that degrades electronic components and shortens the life of the PSU. The less heat that is generated during the AC to DC conversion process the better as the components will be subjected to less heat and should last longer.

80 PLUS Platinum efficiency power supplies generate so little heat that barely warm up and in theory should have the longest life.

 

[Bromeh]

The 300W was an example.

If a component work harder, it will output more heat right ? So if every little piece in the power supply work at their maximum they should heat a lot more than a piece working at 50% and will degrade faster.


- The Brownie

 

[ko888]

Look at it this way:

If a system that draws 300 Watts is connected to a power supply that has a conversion efficiency of 90% at that power draw level the power draw at the wall outlet should be 333.3 Watts. There is 33.3 Watts of heat that will be generated.

If the same system is connected to a power supply that has a conversion efficiency of 82% at that power draw level the power draw at the wall outlet should be 365.9 Watts. There is 65.9 Watts of heat that will be generated.

The more efficient power supply should in theory last longer because it has to deal with much less heat than an inefficient power supply.

 

[Bromeh]

Hummmmm ... Yeah i didn't see it this way .... That really makes sense. But why is everyone on this forum saying the exact same thing i said ?


- The Brownie

 

[delluser1]

The 300W was an example.

If a component work harder, it will output more heat right ? So if every little piece in the power supply work at their maximum they should heat a lot more than a piece working at 50% and will degrade faster.


- The Brownie

No overclocking mentioned and onboard video, OP might put a 50% load on a 360 watt psu, have to be running Prime and Furmark to come close

 

[ko888]

Hummmmm ... Yeah i didn't see it this way .... That really makes sense. But why is everyone on this forum saying the exact same thing i said ?


- The Brownie

Because that was the old way of thinking before power supply efficiency became important and electricity was relatively cheap.

 

[Bromeh]

Ok so now it's all about the 80Plus ? Hmmm so 80Plus platinum is running at -50 degrees ?


- The Brownie

 

[thorn79]

No overclocking mentioned and onboard video, OP might put a 50% load on a 360 watt psu, have to be running Prime and Furmark to come close

I did not overclock the CPU.

I did get a larger PS because I thought of future additions HD, extra graphic card etc, and it less hard on it since it would be running at less power - last longer. But I guess in this case it did not matter.