It's so Cheap It's Actually Good! - Premier LC-C400ATX

[Dan81]

Here's the second "episode" of my "It's so Cheap It's Actually Good" series.

The today's candidate is a Premier (LC inside) LC-C400ATX that I've got for cheap.along with an Asus K8N board (Panasonic caps all over ),a Radeon 9250 and a generic Realtek NIC card,both bought separately. The board doesn't boot (turns on 2 seconds and then off,but it beeps and does that if I pull out the RAM,so it's not completely dead)but the PSU is in a quite....bad condition - 4 blown caps.

Well,onwards to the PSU - your usual Deer,with those "U" heatsinks,but it has some more features,such as PI coils and PLENTY of caps (bad brands however ),a almost complete input filtering.

Recap coming soon,stay tuned!

[kaboom]

Re: It's so Cheap It's Actually Good! - Premier LC-C400ATX

Uh-oh! Another ASUS run over by a Deer!

Did you check that board with another power supply? If it still shuts down, check all the MOSFETs in the VRM. Smell around the inductors while you're at it- the resulting ripple from the PS mixing with that from the VRM makes things a bit hot.

but the PSU is in a quite....bad condition - 4 blown caps.

If any of those were on +12 out, I'd be recapping at least the VRM on that motherboard. Those caps take a beating from noisy +12 coming in.

I'll even guess that it was whining, and you heard the same noise in the fan and HDD motors.

Deer season....

[c_hegge]

Re: It's so Cheap It's Actually Good! - Premier LC-C400ATX

Pictures or it didn't happen

[Dan81]

Re: It's so Cheap It's Actually Good! - Premier LC-C400ATX

Uh-oh! Another ASUS run over by a Deer!

Actually it isn't,or else the KZGs it has would be bloated or failed.

As I said,I've bought them separately,so the mobo was bought first,and I used the LC-C400ATX with it AFTER I've recapped it.

c_hegge - Since you asked me so nicely:

[c_hegge]

Re: It's so Cheap It's Actually Good! - Premier LC-C400ATX

Actually, it doesn't look as bad as some I've seen from Deer/Solytech. It does look to have decent output filtering. It could probably deliver 250W or so with everything in spec. It looks like it runs hot, though. The PCB looks quite discoloured.

[stj]

Re: It's so Cheap It's Actually Good! - Premier LC-C400ATX

well the fuse and the screws that hold the fan in are worth keeping.
i wish i could say more.

[stj]

Re: It's so Cheap It's Actually Good! - Premier LC-C400ATX

Actually, it doesn't look as bad as some I've seen from Deer/Solytech.

that's like saying "i stepped in something, but it's only on one shoe"

[Pentium4]

Re: It's so Cheap It's Actually Good! - Premier LC-C400ATX

Yeah it looks like it has potential. I bet most of the heat was from the 2 transistor 5VSB and the minimum load resistors. I'd replace all the caps (even with pulled tested good ones) I've worked on these before, and even though most don't bulge, most are way out of spec. Especially replace the two 4.7uF 50V caps for the base drive circuit on the primary. Those dry out faster because of all the heat that comes off the primary heatsink when just the 5VSB is running. Did the fan fail in that thing?

[kaboom]

Re: It's so Cheap It's Actually Good! - Premier LC-C400ATX

That's a 28 size transformer, not a 33.

The main output inductor core looks a bit small, but the 3.3V one seems to be wound with OK-ish size wire.

Does that smell of hot dust, vaguely of smoke or varnish, while in standby? I'd be shutting it off with either the AC switch or a plugstrip when not in use.

I'm not sure I'd trust the 2A rating for 5VSB.

Actually, it doesn't look as bad as some I've seen from Deer/Solytech. It does look to have decent output filtering. It could probably deliver 250W or so with everything in spec. It looks like it runs hot, though. The PCB looks quite discoloured.

The only thing it has compared to other deers is pi-chokes and caps, and slightly heavier (heavier, in a deer?) heatsinks. I can't say what it's got for the +12 rectifier, since I can't see it. It better not be that "diodes on a bracket" junk. Disgusting- two FR302s where the board is clearly made for a TO-247 device.

Even with good caps, and a 20100CT for +12, I'd not push one beyond 175W. I reiterate, one of these killed the caps on a P4P800-e, and nearly smoked the motor controller for the HDD. I have no idea how that HDD and optical drive survived that- ripple and whine not just from the onboard audio, but audibly from the CPU buck converter, fans and HDD motor as well.

This was the PS ripple heterodyning with VRM ripple- the result was of low enough frequency to be heard.

Yeah it looks like it has potential.

You did it again.

[Pentium4]

Re: It's so Cheap It's Actually Good! - Premier LC-C400ATX

Here's the scariest thing about these things. They're so simple, have basically no protections, and built just well enough that they can handle a ton of abuse. Look how hot that thing got...and it continued to "function" At least yours with coils, good caps, and a good fan in a low end computer will be okay as long as you leave it run 24/7 or turn off the power switch when not in use.

and nearly smoked the motor controller for the HDD. I have no idea how that HDD and optical drive survived that- ripple and whine not just from the onboard audio, but audibly from the CPU buck converter, fans and HDD motor as well.

This was the PS ripple heterodyning with VRM ripple- the result was of low enough frequency to be heard.

That's terrifying! Poor computer

You did it again.

[c_hegge]

Re: It's so Cheap It's Actually Good! - Premier LC-C400ATX

http://hardwareinsights.com/wp/simba...supply-review/

That's definitely been my personal worst experience with Solytech. Double-spec ripple on the 5V and 3.3V rails straight out of the box, and about as gutless as they get. The worst part is, it didn't even blow up spectacularly.

[goodpsusearch]

Re: It's so Cheap It's Actually Good! - Premier LC-C400ATX

lol

http://hardwareinsights.com/wp/wp-co...Internals1.jpg

Isn't it cute that small toroid coil?

[Dan81]

Re: It's so Cheap It's Actually Good! - Premier LC-C400ATX

That's a 28 size transformer, not a 33.

Actualy it's a real 33. I've gutted another Premier exactly the same to this one (that was dead) and took the transformer out of it. It said EI-33 on the underside.

At least yours with coils, good caps, and a good fan in a low end computer will be okay as long as you leave it run 24/7 or turn off the power switch when not in use.

It's going to be a backup PSU,so if my Maxpower dies I have an replacement.

Also,I read somewhere that the UTC-3521 is an replacement to the chip of the year controller.