A few years ago I bought almost the exact same power supply from Aliexpress for about $20. The rating was given as several different values on the seller's page, including 150W, 200W, 250W, and 400W. I suspect it was actually around 250W. It had basically the exact same PCB layout as yours. The heat sinks were made of aluminum sheet metal that was hand-bent with tin snips (!!!). I used it as a benchtop supply for 12V, and it worked decently well for a while, but during an experiment I overloaded it and the primary switching transistors blew up. I was able to repair it, and it worked for a couple more years with occasional use. Last summer I ended up putting it in an Aliexpress PC build with a 6-core Xeon and GTX 750ti, and ran the absolute hell out of it doing Folding@Home COVID research work 24/7 for several months. Total load was 230 watts. A couple leaking capacitors needed to be replaced, but nothing blew up and the PC never once crashed. I was actually impressed at how well the power supply worked when operated within its rating, but seeing as it did need components replaced from time to time, I still wouldn't recommend it for anything important.
Here's the unit in question when I first bought it: czcams.com/video/pRafY7S3fKw/video.html And the PC it eventually went into: czcams.com/video/hrzqF3FSM_Y/video.html
I remember using one of these pieces of shit as a bench power supply a while back. Until it blew up and killed my dev board :( Good thing it wasn't in a pc, but still, lesson learned I guess.
This looks like the power supplies from the 90s. But kind of higher wattage. I've done so much with those power supplies. It's nice that we have much cleaner (better quality power output) and prettier supplies right now.
the 500W tag doesnt mean anything on cheap PSU's, it'll probably rip ass when 200w gets to it since it cant deliver power to the pc consistently, so that corsair that is 340W will have a higher wattage lmao i love it
This is not as bad as i expected. Ive seen much worse ones with paper thin heatsinks that i can bend/break with one hand. Ive got some scrap/dead ones ones that ive used parts from (obviously not the 'lytic caps though) to fix/upgrade other PSUs. You can reuse the heatsinks, diodes, switching transistors, transformers, fan, coils, IEC sockets, NTC input thermistor, resistors, small TO-92 devices, ceramic caps, X/Y caps, screws, voltage switch, wires. This PSU actually has fairly decent heatsinks. I had one that has heatsinks so thin i can break/bend them with 1 hand and the tiniest transformer ive ever seen.
Many of those cheapo power supplies uses the same ancient design and PCB board, you can build a cheapo scale counting what is missing or underrated: fuse, filters, little diodes. A complete scam normally this things are rated around 200W. It is a plague here in Brazil, I was looking to use one as bench supply but I'm not that crazy :-)
I had basically an opposite situation as you. I got a Seasonic 450W Platinum PSU for free, very clean, much reputation, but it doesn't work. I opened it to see if there was anything out of ordinary, but the soldering and all the parts look absolutely pristine. the PSU also weighs a lot from all the giant caps and aluminum heatsink they put everywhere. It still don't work, literally everything looks new, but it still don't work.
I know you cant diagnose a problem over the internet but I have a question. My PC has worked flawlessly since I built it 6 months ago. Today while my son was using it for school it just randomly shut off. Unplugged it, plugged it back in and the power button did nothing, wouldn't turn on. Waited a bit, it turned on. While in the bios I checked the temps, everything was good....it shut down again. Unplugged it, now again I have no power. Any thoughts
The most common power supply you find in 90% of America Latina computers, but when I tell the client he have to spend 5 time more in a good power supply and explains that could save all the other components they doesn´t understand.
I Had A Bad Experience with a Very cheep power Supply & it Cost me about 500$+ To Replace What it Fried ! ! No Cheep PSU's Allowed In My House Any More !
A few years ago I bought almost the exact same power supply from Aliexpress for about $20. The rating was given as several different values on the seller's page, including 150W, 200W, 250W, and 400W. I suspect it was actually around 250W. It had basically the exact same PCB layout as yours. The heat sinks were made of aluminum sheet metal that was hand-bent with tin snips (!!!).
I used it as a benchtop supply for 12V, and it worked decently well for a while, but during an experiment I overloaded it and the primary switching transistors blew up. I was able to repair it, and it worked for a couple more years with occasional use.
Last summer I ended up putting it in an Aliexpress PC build with a 6-core Xeon and GTX 750ti, and ran the absolute hell out of it doing Folding@Home COVID research work 24/7 for several months. Total load was 230 watts. A couple leaking capacitors needed to be replaced, but nothing blew up and the PC never once crashed.
I was actually impressed at how well the power supply worked when operated within its rating, but seeing as it did need components replaced from time to time, I still wouldn't recommend it for anything important.
Here's the unit in question when I first bought it: czcams.com/video/pRafY7S3fKw/video.html
And the PC it eventually went into: czcams.com/video/hrzqF3FSM_Y/video.html
I wonder what the ripple voltage on the +12v rail would be on this one.
I remember using one of these pieces of shit as a bench power supply a while back. Until it blew up and killed my dev board :(
Good thing it wasn't in a pc, but still, lesson learned I guess.
Power supplies are the one component I refuse to "save" money on. That cheap chinesium crap can burn down your house
This looks like the power supplies from the 90s. But kind of higher wattage. I've done so much with those power supplies. It's nice that we have much cleaner (better quality power output) and prettier supplies right now.
Yikes! I've seen a few of those in my early days of system building and repair. I always got a feeling dread seeing them.
Looks like a turn of the millennium PSU they'd bundle with no-name beige PC cases sold at Mom and Pop PC stores.
the 500W tag doesnt mean anything on cheap PSU's, it'll probably rip ass when 200w gets to it since it cant deliver power to the pc consistently, so that corsair that is 340W will have a higher wattage lmao i love it
Could be worse... could be a Gigabyte PSU.
tfw even a 2005 emachines computer packs a delta psu.
This is not as bad as i expected. Ive seen much worse ones with paper thin heatsinks that i can bend/break with one hand. Ive got some scrap/dead ones ones that ive used parts from (obviously not the 'lytic caps though) to fix/upgrade other PSUs. You can reuse the heatsinks, diodes, switching transistors, transformers, fan, coils, IEC sockets, NTC input thermistor, resistors, small TO-92 devices, ceramic caps, X/Y caps, screws, voltage switch, wires. This PSU actually has fairly decent heatsinks. I had one that has heatsinks so thin i can break/bend them with 1 hand and the tiniest transformer ive ever seen.
At the very least, it didn't take the rest of the system with it. With power supplies like this, that's at least something.
looks like soldered by a child that first time used the iron ...
3:25 W.T. Actual F? Wow! And I spy at least 1 bulging cap. Ok, I'll shut up and watch the rest....
Many of those cheapo power supplies uses the same ancient design and PCB board, you can build a cheapo scale counting what is missing or underrated: fuse, filters, little diodes. A complete scam normally this things are rated around 200W. It is a plague here in Brazil, I was looking to use one as bench supply but I'm not that crazy :-)
Bestec and its rebrands were notorious in the early 2000's for producing junk like this.
Used to use loads of these over 25 years ago super cheap, zero protection
Very informative
I recently got a free F tier psu with my rx 7800 xt, dont know what to do know cuz it says replace immediatly
I had basically an opposite situation as you. I got a Seasonic 450W Platinum PSU for free, very clean, much reputation, but it doesn't work.
I opened it to see if there was anything out of ordinary, but the soldering and all the parts look absolutely pristine. the PSU also weighs a lot from all the giant caps and aluminum heatsink they put everywhere.
It still don't work, literally everything looks new, but it still don't work.
Check the switching transistors and output diodes for shorts.
I've had crappy power supply's they only last about a year usually i has 12v problems
I know you cant diagnose a problem over the internet but I have a question. My PC has worked flawlessly since I built it 6 months ago. Today while my son was using it for school it just randomly shut off. Unplugged it, plugged it back in and the power button did nothing, wouldn't turn on. Waited a bit, it turned on. While in the bios I checked the temps, everything was good....it shut down again. Unplugged it, now again I have no power. Any thoughts
The most common power supply you find in 90% of America Latina computers, but when I tell the client he have to spend 5 time more in a good power supply and explains that could save all the other components they doesn´t understand.
Totally worth burning your house down to save what.. 50-100 bucks?
I Had A Bad Experience with a Very cheep power Supply & it Cost me about 500$+ To Replace What it Fried ! ! No Cheep PSU's Allowed In My House Any More !
Just think. This is the kind of electronic components that actually go into a lot of new cars today in the US. I'm dead serious.
also cap near diode is fukt lol
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