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It’s 8:00 a.m., the neighbor’s dog barked allnight, your coffee tastes like weak tea, and the phonemessage light blinks frantically. Full of resolve, youflip on your PC’s power switch, and ... presto —- noth-ing! No lights, no beep, no fan, nada. Suddenly yourealize, it’s gonna be a really bad hair day.While there’s nothing I can do about the earlyhour or the coffee, I can probably help you get yourPC back on its feet. The most common case of “Sudden PC Death Syndrome” is a defective powersupply. The problem can come from many sources,like heat, power surges, and old age. While it’s easyenough to replace a power supply by swapping theold for new, it’s not always practical.A case in point: I have an AST 486SX that diedwhen a truck plowed into the corner power pole andcaused a two-hour black out. When the power cameback on, my PC didn’t. A quick check showed thecause was a fried power supply. Unfortunately, a callto AST revealed, to my horror, that a replacementpower supply costs $150.00. Moreover, because of itsunique case design, there’s no generic substitute.Fortunately, it’s not difficult to fix PC power sup-plies. While they may look different on the outside,most PC power supplies use the same electronics onthe inside. In this article, I’ll show you how easy it isto fix a dead power supply.
The Basics
T
he power supply is a large metal box, mountedinside the PC that provides power to the mother-board and various peripherals. It’s easily identified bya warning sticker on the case that reads “CAUTION!Hazardous Area” (or a similar high-voltage warning).On the back of the power supply is an AC con-nector that plugs the PC into the wall. Often there’sanother AC connector that’s used by some monitors.Most power supplies also have a voltage selectorswitch that lets it work with 110V or 220V powersources.A typical PC power supply provides four DC out-put voltages: +5, +12, -5, and -12 volts. These volt-ages are available through four different types of con-nectors (Figure 1; 1-4). The color of the wire identi-fies the voltage and its use (Table 1).
Getting Started
A
lot of power supply failures are actually simpleproblems that are easy to fix. Obviously, theplace to start is at the beginning -- in other words, areyou getting power from the wall to the PC? As stupidas it sounds, the first thing to do is look under yourdesk and see if the PC is plugged into the wall. If it is,move the plug to a different socket (they go bad, too,you know).That done, pull thepower cord from theback of your PC andsee if the power is get-ting that far. You cando this using a VOM ora simple neon lampcircuit tester, like partnumber 22-102 fromRadio Shack.If there’s no power,and you’re pluggedinto a power strip orsurge protector, thestrip is probably theculprit. To test it, sim-ply remove the PC’splug from the strip andplug it into a wall socket. If the PC starts working, theproblem is in the strip. Generally, the problem is ablown fuse or a tripped circuit breaker. You’ll findboth at the cord end of the strip. The last item youshould test before popping the hood is the powercord itself; replacing it with another cord is the fastestand safest method.
Under The Hood
S
till nothing? Now it’s time to remove the cover.Most covers are attached by five or six screws onthe back. Before going any further, carefully read theinstructions in the section called “Safety First.”The next logical place to look is at the powerswitch. Unfortunately, this may not be possible at thisstage of the game. Many power supplies have a built-in power switch which isn’t accessible until you dis-
Reprinted from September 1996 Nuts & Volts Magazine. All rights reserved. No duplication permitted without permission from T & L Publications, Inc.
1 
R
epairing a broken PC power supply is a lot simpler than you might think. Nine times outof ten you can do it yourself for under $10.00.
LJ
PC Power Supply Repair
::::
 by TJ Byers
Figure 2.A dummy load can be made from acouple lamps that you can buy at any autoparts store and an extension cable from RadioShack.Figure 3.The low-voltage supply provides four output voltages.The 5.25-inch drive connector is the easiest to access for testing. The moth-erboard connectors P8 and P9 are identical, and can be reversed. They pluginto the motherboard with the black leads together on the inside.Figure 1.
 
mantle the unit. If you have a tower computer case,though, the switch is located on the front panel, andconnected to the power supply via four wires. All youhave to do is unplug the wires from the switch -- withthe computer unplugged from the wall, of course --and test the switch with an ohmmeter. If you want todo a hot test of the switch (that is, bypass theswitch), you can short the power wires together usingtwo insulated jumper wires and plug the computerback into the wall. Just be careful that the jumpersdon’t touch anything.Let’s now look at the DC voltages. (If youremoved the AC wires from the front-panel powerswitch, replace them first.) With the main switch off,locate a free power connector (the 5-1/4 inch version,Figure 1d, is preferred) or unplug a floppy drive tofree up one. Don’t unplug the hard disk; you’ll need itfor the entire duration of this test. Power up the PC,and measure the +5-volt (red) and +12-volt (yellow)lines using a VOM (black is ground). Make sure theyfall within the voltage range specified in Table 2.If they are out of range, power off the systemand disconnect the mechanical drives one at a time,
beginning with thefloppies. Measure the+5- and +12-volt linesat each step. This willtell you whether or notthe power problem isspecific to a device.Don’t forget to poweroff the system eachtime you disconnect adevice. With the hard disk(s)still connected, remove plugsP8 and P9 (Figure 1) from themotherboard.
Finally, it’s time to dealwith the unlikely possibility of a shorted hard disk. If youhave more than one harddisk, start shedding them oneat a time. When you’re downto your last hard disk, unplugit and connect its power plugto the dummy load shown inFigure 2. (I don’t recommendrunning a PC power supplywithout a load.) If the powersupply is still dead, it’s off tothe drawing board.
The Drawing Board
N
ow that we’ve done all that we can do with thepower supply inside the cabinet, it’s time toremove the unit and place it on the workbench. Sincewe’ve already disconnected all the power connectors,it’s a simple matter of removing the mounting screwsand sliding the power supply out of the cabinet,right? Well, hopefully.Unless you have a tall tower, you’ll probably runinto obstacles, like adapter boards, disk drive signalcables, and support brackets. If you’relucky enough to have a detailed user’smanual, it shows you the procedure.Otherwise you’re on your own. In eithercase, make notes of where everything is,how they’re connected, and keep thescrews with the items they came from.
WARNING: MAKE SURE THE PC ISDISCONNECTED FROM THE WALLBEFORE STARTING DISASSEMBLY! 
If the supply was powered from the AC line with-in the last few minutes, the large electrolytic capaci-tors in the high-voltage section will most likely stillhave a charge in them that could give you a shock-ing awakening. If so, let the power supply rest for awhile before you crack the case.Each case has its own method of construction,but generally two sides of the enclosure are what pro-tect the inside electronics. Remove the cover screws,taking care to watch out for attached leads, switches,and sharp edges. If you have to disconnect any leads(typically fan wires) or mechanical parts, note care-fully how they go back together.Give the electronics a good looking over, payingattention to any scorched or burned parts that maypoint to a failure. If you have a built-in power switch,now is the time to check it. Next, check the fuse. Is itblown? If in doubt, use the VOM to test for continuity(use the X100 range). If the fuse is blown, replace itwith one of the same type and rating before goingany further. It’s possible the trouble is the result of metal fatigue or mechanical failure of the fuse itself.To see if this solved the problem, connect thedummy load to one of the drive connectors andapply power.If nothing happens, remove the dummy loadand proceed to the resistance checks procedure. If the fuse blows with an explosion, go to the high-volt-age repair section.
Resistance Checks
R
eferring to Table 2, perform a resistance mea-surement test. Keep the VOM’s polarity correct,that is red to ground when testing a negative source,and wait for the filter capacitors to charge before tak-ing a reading. The resistance values listed in Table 2are only representative (the figures were gatheredfrom actual measurements of several power suppliesusing a cheap VOM), so don’t worry if your valuesare different from those listed.However, if a resistance value is abnormallyhigh or low, you have a problem. As a rule of thumb,a reading of 50 ohms or higher on the 5-volt and 12-volt lines means the output is probably okay. A resis-tance value of 40 ohms or less indicates a short, gen-erally in the rectifier diodes. The five-volt line is themost prone to failure because it carries the heaviestload (typically 20 amps). An extraordinarily highresistance reading indicates an open, probably azapped board trace or a burned resistor. Both condi-tions are often harbingers of problems in the high-voltage section, but not necessarily. It depends onhow fast the shutdown circuit reacted. But before weface that possibility, we first need to find the extent of the low-voltage damage.
Low-Voltage Repair
T
he low-voltage section of the power supply is avery simple rectifier, L-section filter design (Figure3). Key to the success of this design is a multiple sec-ondary power transformer. There is a 5-volt windingand a 12-volt winding. In high-power supplies (250watts and larger), there are usually two five-volt wind-ings that are paralleled for higher output current —-yet treated as a single winding.
Reprinted from September 1996 Nuts & Volts Magazine. All rights reserved. No duplication permitted without permission from T & L Publications, Inc.
2 
Table 1. Power Supply Color Codes
Wire ColorVoltageUse
Red+5VMotherboard, adapter cards, disk drivesWhite-5VLogic circuits (rarely used in modern PCs)Yellow+12VDisk drive motors, RS-232 serial port, fans,adapter cardsBlue-12VRS-232 serial port, fansOrangen/aPower OK signalBlack0VGround (GND)
L:JL:JL:JL:JL:JL:JL:JL:JL:JL:JL:JL:JL:JL:JL:JL:JL:JL:JL:JL:JL:JL:J
Figure 5.The switcher section is themost common to fail. The power transis-tors have to have a breakdown voltageof 600 volts or more, and the damperdiodes have to be fast recovery (a1N4005 won’t work).
Safety First!
Would you put a hairpin in an AC outlet socket? Nothardly! So why would you consider putting your finger ina power supply that is clearly labeled CAUTION!? Alwaysunplug your PC before going under the hood. Once there,pay attention to myWARNING!signs. I’ve done my bestto make the troubleshooting processing as shock free aspossible, but power has to be provided at various stagesof the game. Be alert, don’t be stupid, and if you don’tknow what to do next, stop now!
Figure 4.
 
You can gen-erally identi-fy the semi-conductorsby theirshapes.From left toright, thefirst threeare diodes,+12V rectifi-er, +5V recti-fier, andswitchingtransistor.
 
Each winding has a grounded center tap to per-mit fullwave rectification using just two diodes (full-wave bridge rectifiers need four diodes). The direc-tion of the rectifiers determines the polarity of theoutput voltage. Common cathodes are positive, andcommon anodesare negative.Because of its high-current require-ments, the +5-voltrectifier is usually anarray of parallelSchottky diodes in asingle package(Figure 4) thatmounts on a heatsink. The -5-volt out-put is often derivedfrom the-12-volt rectifier viaan IC regulator (typ-ically an LM7905equivalent) rather than from the five-volttransformer winding. However, I’ve seen itdone both ways.The output of the rectifiers is filtered first byan inductor, called a choke, then by a heavy-duty electrolytic capacitor. In some designs,the five-volt line is double-filtered to reduceripple by cascading two L-section filters on theoutput. Invariably, a bleeder resistor is placedacross the output to discharge the capacitors afterpower off.The most common cause of low-voltage failure isa shorted rectifier. If one blows, so does its compan-ion, which forces you to replace them as a packagedeal. Second on the hit list is a shorted capacitor,which usually does less overall damage. Most of thetime, the failure is limited to just one output line, butthere’s no guarantee.The first step is to locate the shorted compo-nents. For this operation you need access to the bot-tom side of the printed circuit board. This is the hardpart, because no two supplies are alike. Use yourimagination, and be care-ful not to damage othercomponents in theprocess. For example,twisting and turning theboard too many timescan cause attached wiresto break loose.Now comes the trickypart, because you have to first locate the affectedparts on the circuit board. Use the road map, “HowTo Find Waldo,” to help you in your quest. An ohm-meter is a good way to probe suspected areas forshorted devices. Once the area is located, the realwork begins because it’s virtually impossible to tellthe difference between a shorted diode and a shortedcapacitor without removing one or the other. Sincethe rectifier is the most likely culprit and the easier toremove (the electrolytics are glued in place), I’d startthere.The +5-volt and +12-volt diodes are most likelynestled inside a transistor case mounted on a heatsink. The bigger one (Figure 4e) is the +5-volt rectifi-er, and the smaller one (Figure 4d) is the +12-voltrectifier. The negative-voltage rectifiers are individualdiodes typically in a DO-41 case.With the suspect rectifier or diodes in hand, do aresistance check of the defective voltage output lineagain. If the reading is within the normal range, trashthe old part or parts and replace with new. (HelpfulHint: If the new diodes come in an axial-lead pack-age, typically DO-41, solder them on the trace side of the circuit board instead of the component side. It’s alot easier.) If the output still shows a short, yank theelectrolytic and check again. If the output is stillshorted, make sure you’re pulling the right teeth.Exact replacement parts always cost more thangenerics, so go with the generic. You can get “univer-sal” replacements from GE, RCA, and Philips ECG.Unfortunately, they’re almost as expensive as theoriginal. For the +5-volt rectifier, I recommend theMBR series from General Instruments and Motorola(available from Digi-Key and Allied Electronics,respectively). The +12-volt rectifier is a dual Schottkydevice that’s available from several vendors, and gen-erally sells for a buck or two. The negative voltagerectifiers must be fast recovery diodes, like a1N4933. Replacement electrolytic capacitors are asclose as your local Radio Shack.When the voltage line has a three-terminal ICvoltage regulator, check the resistance between boththe input and the output (Figure 4) to ground. If onlythe output pin is shorted, the output capacitor is bad.
Reprinted from September 1996 Nuts & Volts Magazine. All rights reserved. No duplication permitted without permission from T & L Publications, Inc.
3 
Table 2. Output Voltage and Resistance
Nominal VoltageVoltage RangeResistanceWire Color 
+5V+4.75V to +5.25V>100 ohmsRed-5V-4.75V to -5.25V>100 ohmsWhite+12V+9V to +15V>250 ohmsYellow-12V-9V to -15V>250 ohmsBluen/a0V or +5V~1000 ohmsOrange0V0V0 ohmsBlack
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Figure 6.The high-voltage supply is a simple voltagedoubler circuit.
 
Figure 7.A cheap VOM is the best way to check tran-sistors and diodes. Why? Because the test voltagehas to be enough to breach the barrier voltage of asilicon diode, typically 0.7 volts, and a lot of DVMshave a probe voltage of 0.3 volts and less.
HowToFindWaldo
SOURCES
Allied Electronics800-433-5700Digi-Key800-344-4539Marshall Electronics800-877-9839Newark Electronics800-344-4539Radio Shack800-843-7422Wyle LaboratoriesElectronicMarketing Group800-672-3475
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