Sparking Power Supply

[KaylinG]

I recently got a new 750W power supply Ion Gold 750W (along with a whole new PC build) and everything thing seems to be fine except when I have to turn it on after it's been off for a while (~24 hours or less). I hear a pop or see a bright blue/white spark in the case when I switch the PSU on but the PC works fine otherwise with no issues.

Trying to figure out what might be the issue. I have the entire tower connected to a surge protector plug + multiplug, so I don't think it's the actual supply of power to the tower. I'm very concerned about this as just under a month ago my old build just refused to come on and hence why I had to get this new build which includes a 40 series card. Also unsure if this is related or not, but it seems like alot of stuff in our house has been going recently due to surge or damages caused by Load shedding. Our Geyser, the alarm PCB etc.

Can anyone advise/assist with this how do I stop this or protect my tower? Thanks.

EDIT 1 24/09/23:

So I decided to look through the tempered glass properly when I turned it on this morning and it turns out the "Spark" I had been seeing was actually just my RGB fans coming on for a second or less. This still does not explain the pop/crack sound I hear when turning on the PSU.

EDIT 2 03/12/23

The noise has either stopped or is now extremely miniscule but based on that, Edit 1 and Switch's comment below, I'm currently concluding it's likely just inrush current.

 

[Spontaneous.Spinach]

@HNO3ZA

 

[HNO3ZA]

@HNO3ZA

Uhm... Not sure what advice to give you, as I know enough to help myself I guess. Best would be to talk to somone who does PC repairs for a living or so. Best bet, get it on a UPS and surge plug. Also, I would NOT use that PSU at all anymore... Replace with immediate effect. Just my 2c, like JAY.

 

[Spontaneous.Spinach]

RMA it

 

[D3TTOL]

OP makes me think of this......

Get new PSU, If PSU makes a smelly smell, sparky light or crackling sound then it's time to get new PSU.

 

[KaylinG]

Uhm... Not sure what advice to give you, as I know enough to help myself I guess. Best would be to talk to somone who does PC repairs for a living or so. Best bet, get it on a UPS and surge plug. Also, I would NOT use that PSU at all anymore... Replace with immediate effect. Just my 2c, like JAY.

OP makes me think of this......

Get new PSU, If PSU makes a smelly smell, sparky light or crackling sound then it's time to get new PSU.

Thanks guys but I mean, this IS a new PSU though. About or under a month old, and this popping sound only started last week. I haven't done anything except turn it on or off. Any ideas how could it have gotten damaged so fast ?
@HNO3ZA it is and has always been on a surge multiplug. This one to be exact 8-Way Multi-Plug with Medium Surge Protection | Ellies

 

[KaylinG]

I recently got a new 750W power supply Ion Gold 750W (along with a whole new PC build) and everything thing seems to be fine except when I have to turn it on after it's been off for a while (~24 hours or less). I hear a pop or see a bright blue/white spark in the case when I switch the PSU on but the PC works fine otherwise with no issues.

Trying to figure out what might be the issue. I have the entire tower connected to a surge protector plug + multiplug, so I don't think it's the actual supply of power to the tower. I'm very concerned about this as just under a month ago my old build just refused to come on and hence why I had to get this new build which includes a 40 series card. Also unsure if this is related or not, but it seems like alot of stuff in our house has been going recently due to surge or damages caused by Load shedding. Our Geyser, the alarm PCB etc.

Can anyone advise/assist with this how do I stop this or protect my tower? Thanks.

EDIT 1 24/09/23:

So I decided to look through the tempered glass properly when I turned it on this morning and it turns out the "Spark" I had been seeing was actually just my RGB fans coming on for a second or less. Th8is still does not explain the pop/crack sound I hear when turning on the PSU.

Added edit to post for additional context

 

[yayokb]

I have the same multiplug as you. I had to replace my PSU a few weeks ago because I started hearing a sort of electrical crackling/sizzling sound, similar to that of electric fencing when it's raining faintly outside. It was accompanied by a smell of burning electrical wiring/plastic. My computer operated fine otherwise, though. Didn't shut down suddenly or anything.

When replacing my PSU, the repair dude mentioned to try turning off the PC at the PSU as well before loadshedding. He said something to the effect of "the surge of power can be problematic for the PSU". To be fair, even though I've always tried to shut off my PC in time for loadshedding, it had gone through about 5 years of loadshedding.

You mentioned that other stuff in your house has been messed up possibly due to loadshedding, and it could just be the long-term effects of constant power-off and power-on, but I'm wondering if your house's wiring is somehow adding to the surge?

tl;dr: loadshedding fucks up everything, try to get a replacement for free for the PSU. good luck

 

[KaylinG]

I have the same multiplug as you. I had to replace my PSU a few weeks ago because I started hearing a sort of electrical crackling/sizzling sound, similar to that of electric fencing when it's raining faintly outside. It was accompanied by a smell of burning electrical wiring/plastic. My computer operated fine otherwise, though. Didn't shut down suddenly or anything.

When replacing my PSU, the repair dude mentioned to try turning off the PC at the PSU as well before loadshedding. He said something to the effect of "the surge of power can be problematic for the PSU". To be fair, even though I've always tried to shut off my PC in time for loadshedding, it had gone through about 5 years of loadshedding.

The PSU switch is always off whenever I don't use the Tower which, due to work, is usually the whole week. I only power it up if I have to print something or if I have some spare time to game. I should also mention that the sound is not consistently coming off the PSU too, it only happens when I turn the switch on and lasts for only a second or less. As for a burning smell, don't seem to be getting that. I've been wondering if this could be static discarge or something like that. I want to determine whether this is something solvable before I run off to buy a new PSU only for the same thing to happen to the new one. This thing is also approx. A month old

The repair guy's answer sounds extremely scary. I get that these protector plugs need to get replaced every 2 years or so, but if they can also be damaged because of load shedding then exactly how do we stop these things from getting damaged ?

 

[Switch]

The PSU switch is always off whenever I don't use the Tower which, due to work, is usually the whole week.

Sounds like inrush current considering you only seem to hear it when providing power to the psu after the psu has been unpowered for a moderately long duration, do you hear exactly a pop sound or more like a click sound? The sound can also be from a relay switch and/or ocp activating.

 

[Stingrat]

You should NEVER see a spark or hear a pop when you start the pc. Go from there

 

[KaylinG]

Sounds like inrush current considering you only seem to hear it when providing power to the psu after the psu has been unpowered for a moderately long duration, do you hear exactly a pop sound or more like a click sound? The sound can also be from a relay switch and/or ocp activating.

Pop/Crack sound. Not quite sure how else to describe it.

The rushing in of current is what I am assuming it to be since it looks like the RGB fans are coming on for a second causing the supposed "spark" I was seeing (it's actually just the blue light on the RGB fan)

You should NEVER see a spark or hear a pop when you start the pc. Go from there

I'm not sure if I'm misunderstanding, but this doesn't happen when I start the PC (the power button on the tower), it happens when I switch on the PSU using the switch on the PSU. I don't hear or smell anything after that

 

[yayokb]

Hey! Any update on this?

 

[Logan_]

Had a similar thing on my PC that turned out to be the backlight of the Motherboard. Now I just use it to mess with friends and family.

 

[KaylinG]

Hey! Any update on this?

Had a similar thing on my PC that turned out to be the backlight of the Motherboard. Now I just use it to mess with friends and family.

The LEDs on the fans (what I thought was the spark in the case initially) still come on for a second when the PSU is switched on, but I've noticed that the pop/crack noise it used to make has now stopped/is very quiet.

Based on that and Switch's comment early in the thread, I'm concluding it's likely just inrush current.

 

[Rickster]

Mine does it too, like someone is clicking their tongue.

It's normal, and no mine isnt a junk PSU, its a Superflower.