acbel api 8634 power supply failed?

[data]

Hi guys I have an alpha ds10 server that recently failed. I suspect it is the power supply. I have so far tried functional cables/outlets; I have also shorted the green and black wires, with a paperclip hoping the PS fan would run which it didn't. The reason i tried the paperclip is here: (http://pcsupport.about.com/od/toolso...multimeter.htm; I'm not sure if i tested it properly because this is not a 'normal' power-supply.

I'm not sure what to call this type of power-supply, or if I have even tested it properly; I am hoping for some guidance?

I have attached some pictures to better describe my situation. (imgur mirror: http://imgur.com/a/rvzkS)

Thanks.

[Pentium4]

Re: acbel api 8634 power supply failed?

You should crack it open and post some clear pictures of the internals, that way it'd be much easier to start guessing what happened, you could see bulged caps or possible shorts on the board

[data]

Re: acbel api 8634 power supply failed?

You should crack it open and post some clear pictures of the internals, that way it'd be much easier to start guessing what happened, you could see bulged caps or possible shorts on the board

hey pentium thanks for the reply; i have attached pictures of it cracked open. hopefully this can help?

mirror: http://imgur.com/a/YdBsL

[Toasty]

Re: acbel api 8634 power supply failed?

Are you getting -any- voltage between ground and any pin on those plugs?

Is this 2 units? Redundant PSU in server?

T

[ben7]

Re: acbel api 8634 power supply failed?

Check for voltage on the purple wire (5vsb).

Jumpering the green wire to ground is not always going to turn the PSU on, some PSUs need a load to work.

Does Q307 (third pic) have a little whitish hole burnt into the top of it???

[Toasty]

Re: acbel api 8634 power supply failed?

Nice catch, ben7.

[ben7]

Re: acbel api 8634 power supply failed?

Nice catch, ben7.

[data]

Re: acbel api 8634 power supply failed?

Are you getting -any- voltage between ground and any pin on those plugs?

Is this 2 units? Redundant PSU in server?

T

Hi Toasty. I have attached a picture of how i am testing if i am getting -any- voltage. I'm not sure what im doing so please let me know if im doing it wrong.

Also the second PSU was sent from another location who were unsure if it worked; and from just plugging it in it seems they both do not work.

Check for voltage on the purple wire (5vsb).

Jumpering the green wire to ground is not always going to turn the PSU on, some PSUs need a load to work.

Does Q307 (third pic) have a little whitish hole burnt into the top of it???

Hi ben in the attached picture im trying the purple wire, i think?
also sorry i guess the picture flash made it look like there is 'white stuff' coming from q307? but it was just plastic reflecting light in a weird manner. (bad cellphone camera)

[ben7]

Re: acbel api 8634 power supply failed?

Hi ben in the attached picture im trying the purple wire, i think?also sorry i guess the picture flash made it look like there is 'white stuff' coming from q307? but it was just plastic reflecting light in a weird manner. (bad cellphone camera)

Ok, try it again with your DMM of the DC volts setting

Could you take another pic of Q307 to prove that it isn't burnt?

[data]

Re: acbel api 8634 power supply failed?

Ok, try it again with your DMM of the DC volts setting

Could you take another pic of Q307 to prove that it isn't burnt?

hey sorry ben let me know if i got all the setting right on the dmm this time.

and ive also uploaded another pic of q307 in another angle because of camera autofocus.

[Behemot]

Re: acbel api 8634 power supply failed?

Is it plugged into mains when measuring the voltage? Just check every color against ground (black) and note if there is something interesting (more than like few millivolts).

[data]

Re: acbel api 8634 power supply failed?

Is it plugged into mains when measuring the voltage? Just check every color against ground (black) and note if there is something interesting (more than like few millivolts).

hey behemot yeah it's plugged into 'mains'; i just retested the cord to make sure with another computer and it has been getting power this entire time.

I also ran the MM through the motherboard connector with the colorful wires with the black and purples against every other color and it always went to 0.

I have attached another pic for verification.

Am i testing the right motherboard connector? should anything be shorted in the connectors while im testing? (like a molex or some pins on one of the mobo connectors?)
I also still don't know what this 'type' of power supply is referred to as..

[ben7]

Re: acbel api 8634 power supply failed?

hey sorry ben let me know if i got all the setting right on the dmm this time.

and ive also uploaded another pic of q307 in another angle because of camera autofocus.

Ok, try reading the voltages across all four capacitors I have marked (A, B, C and D), and report back the readings.

[Behemot]

Re: acbel api 8634 power supply failed?

You forgot to add there's rectified mains voltage in there, so he shold be carrefoul as its life dangerous, right?

Anyway, isn't it enough to measure fuse? If anything would be blown in there, fuse would go away as well.

[ben7]

Re: acbel api 8634 power supply failed?

Anyway, isn't it enough to measure fuse? If anything would be blown in there, fuse would go away as well.

Yeah, thats true.

For some reason, I either assumed that he checked the fuse, or I forgot

[data]

Re: acbel api 8634 power supply failed?

Yeah, thats true.

For some reason, I either assumed that he checked the fuse, or I forgot

ok lol so im scared i don't want to die. how do i check the 'fuse'?

[ben7]

Re: acbel api 8634 power supply failed?

ok lol so im scared i don't want to die. how do i check the 'fuse'?

As long as you don't touch any high voltage parts inside the PSU, you won't die.

The fuse is on the input circuitboard, right next to the big gray box-ish capacitor.

With the unit unplugged, measure the resistance across the fuse.

If the fuse is OK, go ahead and measure the voltages on the caps I mentioned earlier...

[Behemot]

Re: acbel api 8634 power supply failed?

If the fuse is OK,

That means it has almost 0 resistance…

[Toasty]

Re: acbel api 8634 power supply failed?

The 2nd picture of Q307 is useless. Ben7 was saying in looks like a hole blown in the back in the Post 3, #3 picture. Your 2nd picture doesn't show the back at all and is farther away. Does us no good.

DMM set to DC range and 200v scale. Black lead in any black wire on the larger connectors. Check for voltage at all colored wires. If none, it's likely the fuse has failed or the the startup circuit is dead plus what's attached through Q307 has gone tits up.

If you are not feeling safe working on these items, then refer the servicing to a qualified tech, or buy a new (or used) PSU for the server.

Learning is one thing. Getting hurt should not be part of the process.

T

[data]

Re: acbel api 8634 power supply failed?

The 2nd picture of Q307 is useless. Ben7 was saying in looks like a hole blown in the back in the Post 3, #3 picture. Your 2nd picture doesn't show the back at all and is farther away. Does us no good.

DMM set to DC range and 200v scale. Black lead in any black wire on the larger connectors. Check for voltage at all colored wires. If none, it's likely the fuse has failed or the the startup circuit is dead plus what's attached through Q307 has gone tits up.

If you are not feeling safe working on these items, then refer the servicing to a qualified tech, or buy a new (or used) PSU for the server.

Learning is one thing. Getting hurt should not be part of the process.

T

yeah i appreciate all your guys help. unfortunately i was doing this all at work and 'work' deemed it to be a waste of time. so i can no longer troubleshoot it. also im not allowed to take it home and trouble shoot it on my own and 'learn'. just wanted to let u guys know and thank u since uve been so helpful.

but q307 was fine lol; i wouldn't have lied about it as i definitively wanted to fix it.

cheers.