Is Seasonic SS-660KM PSU ErP Ready

[UserXP]

Re: Is Seasonic SS-660KM PSU ErP Ready

In the meantime, I have got a UNI-T UT33C multimeter. I already tried measuring battery voltages and alike, just to get the feeling. I also have some capacitors already pulled out of various pieces of electronics which I would like to practise on. Please instruct me on how to set the multimeter to measure the capacitor's ESR, voltage and capacitance.

[Per Hansson]

Re: Is Seasonic SS-660KM PSU ErP Ready

Yes of course, it was just to show the lowest price possible.
If you are really interested in an ESR meter here are a couple nice ones:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/GM328-Trans...Y/152443029396

https://www.ebay.com/itm/2016-EZM328...a/182344211065

https://www.ebay.com/itm/BSIDE-ESR02...r/162714576281

[stj]

Re: Is Seasonic SS-660KM PSU ErP Ready

dont encourage people to buy a T4!
or any other poor 2nd gen board.

[Per Hansson]

Re: Is Seasonic SS-660KM PSU ErP Ready

This, and the hairdryer test lead to a coclusion that the problem is temperature-related. Is this a telltale sign that those small caps are to be replaced

Yes.
Either that or desolder them and test them with an ESR tester.
But of course the ESR tester will be more expensive than new caps.
...Or will it?

https://www.ebay.com/itm/LCR-T4-Mega...W/152758219017
https://www.ebay.com/itm/M328-Versio...Y/232450423276

[UserXP]

Re: Is Seasonic SS-660KM PSU ErP Ready

There is a new development. A few days ago, the central heating in the building where I live started, making the flat warmer over nights. It is exactly during those days when the PSU 660 started up normally. Yesterday, however, we had a rather warm weather so the heating was off that whole day. This made the flat a bit colder till the end of the evening so until the following morning the heating was not working and the whole place cooled down. That exact morning, the PSU wouldn't start normally, the delay was present again.

This, and the hairdryer test lead to a coclusion that the problem is temperature-related. Is this a telltale sign that those small caps are to be replaced, or is there some other, more sinister possibility or component which deals with the temperature surrounding the PSU?

[momaka]

Re: Is Seasonic SS-660KM PSU ErP Ready

Having the PC work "fine" a few times is not good enough to give you a conclusion to what the issue may be. So I suggest to keep using your PC with the SS-440ET PSU for about a month of regular use and see if the problems will re-appear. If not, then swap back to the SS-660KM. Otherwise, this is as good as a wild goose chase.

Now that the seasons are changing and weather is getting cooler (in the Northern hemisphere part of the world anyways), it might also be worthwhile to put a thermometer in the room to monitor the temperature to see if there the problem is heat-related.

[UserXP]

Re: Is Seasonic SS-660KM PSU ErP Ready

I managed to connect and power up the PC with a spare SS-400ET PSU. The PC powered on on multiple tries first hand. I did not leave it on for more that a couple of minutes so that the PSU wouldn't have time to heat up between the startups and shutdowns. No problems whatsoever. THEN, I put back in my SS-660KM and now it TOO starts up every time first hand, regardless of the ErP setting. What the hell?! Did these SeaSonics cure each other?
Is this still possibly related to caps then, or was there a bunch of Gremlins inside the original PSU that did their play on me?

[Stefan Payne]

Re: Is Seasonic SS-660KM PSU ErP Ready

The Problem with the larger Panasonic caps you found is the diametre of them.
You need 10mm Diametre ones. The 3300uF/6,3V are OK...

For the 2200uF/16V ones, I've found those:
http://uk.farnell.com/rubycon/16zls2...rad/dp/2469418 Nichicon ZLS

http://uk.farnell.com/panasonic-elec...rad/dp/1744922 Pana FK

And the new (but very expensive) Panasonic FS series.

[UserXP]

Re: Is Seasonic SS-660KM PSU ErP Ready

I found actually two splitters! They were included with the GTX 970, I just remembered to check its package and I found two of them, so I can now try the SS-400ET.

I found these caps on Farnell:

These are for the smaller caps:
http://uk.farnell.com/panasonic-elec...rad/dp/2217571
http://uk.farnell.com/panasonic-elec...rad/dp/2063079
http://uk.farnell.com/panasonic-elec...rad/dp/2217568
http://uk.farnell.com/panasonic-elec...rad/dp/1907229

These are for the larger NCCs:
http://uk.farnell.com/panasonic-elec...rad/dp/1744878
http://uk.farnell.com/panasonic-elec...rad/dp/1800641
http://uk.farnell.com/panasonic-elec...rad/dp/1800646

Hopefully these could go.

On a side note, I was just reading a topic from about two years ago here on the forum, where a member included links to other posts and problems with the X Series PSUs that are eerily similar to what I am experiencing. My greatest fear is that if I order these caps, disassemble the PSU and tamper with its inners, replace the capacitors and then it turns out that the original Rubycons put in there are not the problem and the PSU continues to exibit the same problem even with replaced caps... it would be a waste of time, money and a futility of taking apart the otherwise very good piece of equipment.

Becasue SeaSonic put high quality caps in there, I mean, we are talking about NCCs and Rubycons here, one cannot guarante that it is not something other than caps. I think momaka mentioned an APFC circuit as a possible culprit for the behaviour. I guess no amount of replaced caps would repair a failing IC. In that case, it would be "cheaper" to simply replace the whole PSU (which is something I'm scared of at the moment given how expensive this PSU was when bought).

[momaka]

Re: Is Seasonic SS-660KM PSU ErP Ready

It would be better if you could test the PC with the GTX 970, as that way nothing else changes other that the PSU. But if you don't have that option and can't get a Molex-to-PCIE 6-pin adapter, then you could try the onboard graphics. Should be fine.

[UserXP]

Re: Is Seasonic SS-660KM PSU ErP Ready

@momaka:
OK. Just as a side note, since we are testing the standby power, how accurate the test would be by switching to integrated graphics (in that case, the missing connector wouldn't be a problem) and then using the SS-400ET PSU?

Thank you, I'll check those two stores. :-)

[momaka]

Re: Is Seasonic SS-660KM PSU ErP Ready

Update, guys. The SS-400ET will be of no use because it only has one 6-pin PCI-e plug, whereas my GTX 970 requires two of them. Other connectors are accounted for. So I won't be able to test anything with it as I can't connect all the components.

That's all that is stopping you?

Just get a 4-pin Molex to PCI-E 6-pin converter / adapter.

Or if you are ballsy, 16-14 AWG and shove it in the right connector.
Ghetto but it will work for a test just fine.

Hm, maybe Panasonic FR?
Though they seem to be much much better than the original Rubycons...

It doesn't matter for the small caps.

Anything under 220 uF, I don't even bother to open the datasheet.

Does any of you know a Eurpean based online store, or similar suggestion?

Try contacting member Behemot:
https://www.badcaps.net/forum/member.php?u=15285

[stj]

Re: Is Seasonic SS-660KM PSU ErP Ready

check farnell and RS

[UserXP]

Re: Is Seasonic SS-660KM PSU ErP Ready

Unfortunetely, the eBay seller I got the Rubycons from does not have anything from that FR series, and has only a dozen of Panasonic capacitors. Ordering them online with all the shipping charges might cost me half the price of a new PSU.
Does any of you know a Eurpean based online store, or similar suggestion?

[stj]

Re: Is Seasonic SS-660KM PSU ErP Ready

i just use FR for just about everything.

[Stefan Payne]

Re: Is Seasonic SS-660KM PSU ErP Ready

Hm, maybe Panasonic FR?
Though they seem to be much much better than the original Rubycons...

[UserXP]

Re: Is Seasonic SS-660KM PSU ErP Ready

yes, electrolytics - the smaller they are, the shorter the lifespan.

OK. This is the list of all the small caps in the PSU:

1 x NCC 16V220uF KY
1 x Rubycon 50V10uF YXG
1 x Rubycon 50V22uF YXG
6 x Rubycon 50V47uF YXG

Do you suggest any specific and maybe more durable caps for the replacement, or should I look into the same make and model?

This is thus far the only PSU that failed on me with the necessity to replace capacitors, especially since the ones installed are deemed the high quality ones.

[stj]

Re: Is Seasonic SS-660KM PSU ErP Ready

yes, electrolytics - the smaller they are, the shorter the lifespan.

[Stefan Payne]

Re: Is Seasonic SS-660KM PSU ErP Ready

Stj, those would be the electrolitic ones only, right? Others are solids I think, 16V330uF. I have no intention of touching those.

Yes, I'm pretty sure he means the electrolytics, not the Polymers...

[UserXP]

Re: Is Seasonic SS-660KM PSU ErP Ready

Stj, those would be the electrolitic ones only, right? Others are solids I think, 16V330uF. I have no intention of touching those.