The power supply is a component of the system unit that supplies voltage to all the main elements of the computer: motherboard, drives, hard drive, and so on. It is supplied with standard 220V input power, which is then distributed to microcircuits and electronics.
Necessary
- - power unit;
- - voltmeter / multimeter.
Instructions
Step 1
Perform a quick power supply test without connecting to devices or hardware. Take its 20-pin connector, find the green wire and short to any black wire. If a fan starts spinning on the unit, then the power supply is generally operational. For a more detailed check, use the following steps.
Step 2
Look for a sticker on the unit that contains information about the allowable load currents on the channels, usually located on the side wall. Next, check the voltage on each of the channels using a multimeter to determine the operability of the unit, or rather, its individual elements. Also, information about the "ideal" indicators and possible tolerances can be found on the official website of the manufacturer.
Step 3
Connect the power supply in series with a conventional incandescent lamp to avoid "fireworks". Plug the unit into the network, measure the voltage on the ninth pin of the motherboard connector with respect to the common wire. If all readings are within acceptable values, connect the power supply unit directly. Turn on the unit. To do this, close the 14 and 15 connectors of the motherboard.
Step 4
"Load" the unit to perform measurements and evaluate the PSU performance. To do this, it is necessary to apply a load to it, at least half the maximum current. In the case of a 250W unit, this would be 11 amperes. Use high-power wirewound resistors, for example, a PEV, as a load.
Step 5
But be careful, this load can be fatal for most of the cheap blocks. Therefore, bring the load closer to the lower limit of the current value. Also note that power is dissipated across the resistor. For + 12V, the power is approximately 20-25W. Choose terminating resistors for these reasons.
Step 6
Connect the load and measure the readings in order to check the operation of the power supply unit, if the voltage values correspond to the indications of the plate, then the unit is suitable for operation.
