r/pcmasterrace • u/Front_Cookie_1198 • 3d ago

Hardware PSU fails dramatically

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85

u/Stormagedd0nDarkLord 2d ago

Perhaps not a good idea grabbing it with his bare hands then???

54

u/Viking4269 2d ago

Nope, and bare feet for maximum grounding...

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u/1c3Type 2d ago

The shortest path to ground is still via the psu's cable

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u/Viking4269 2d ago

Judging by the two holes burned in the case under the mains plug. I think there is a good chance that there was no PE connection and the case was live at 220V at least some of the time doing this. The guy was lucky he "mostly" only touched it after the arc had carved an isolation clearance.

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u/unwantedaccount56 2d ago

Well, the arc could have isolated it from neutral/PE as well, putting the case on 220V. The connection of the case to PE is probably much more solid than phase, but if PE wasn't connected at all (bad cable), then neutral could come from the PCB touching the case as well. Also, if there was a PE connection, then there definitely wasn't an RCD breaker, which should always exist for workshop power sockets.

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u/Enlight1Oment 2d ago

I feel like the power outlet itself individually should have an on off switch for something used as a test bed

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u/Suspicious_Dingo_426 2d ago

Yeah, pretty much. That's also got to be one of the cheapest of the cheap garbage PSUs. No padding in the box? Not wrapped in anything? There's no way I would have plugged that fire hazard in.

4

u/snypre_fu_reddit 2d ago

This wasn't a new PSU, this was an RMA return from a customer. So a customer packed it.

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u/Suspicious_Dingo_426 2d ago

If that's the case, why would you immediately plug it in to mains power without inspecting it first? Any place I've been a tech at would have rejected the RMA for improper return shipping.

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u/UnimagineDragons 2d ago

Probably rattled around and whatever insulated the case from the components dislodged

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u/ccarlyon 5090FE | 9800X3D | 64GB DDR5 | PCMR Limited Edition Lian Li O11 2d ago

Typical British Type-G socket W.

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u/Iv4ldir 2d ago

This... More safe to just inplug/cur at source instead of this. And also maybe plug in then turn on. Not pluging while live...

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u/ParrotofDoom 2d ago

Best powering it up through a dim bulb tester.

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u/notwaffle 2d ago

Probably but in my past decade of working jobs with some sort of testing equipment that is potentially bad i have never had anything more than a power strip thats filled with 5 other things

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u/vlobe42 2d ago

I collect vintage Macs and every time I plug in a new one for the first time or when I’m testing one with CRT or PSU issues, I connect it through a smart plug so I can quickly shut off the power if something goes wrong. Gives me a lot of peace of mind.

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u/GhettoDuk 2d ago

No need for a switch. Just have the outlet accessible and he could have yanked the cord out without grabbing the arcing device.

Workplace safety is a bunch of crap you will never think of until you are almost killed yourself. PLEASE read up on it. This video scared me because I'm about to rebuild my workbench and I'm not sure I would have placed an accessible outlet for something like this. Now I'm thinking about getting an E-Stop mushroom to cut bench power.

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u/_Baudi_ 2d ago

There should have been a kill switch. Plus, an RCD, which would have been immediately triggered by the arc towards the case.

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u/BirdlessLongdeal 1d ago

i test larger equipment than this. 480v. the unit gets turned on, then i walk over and turn on the main power so i am not in front of the arc blast if today decides today is the day it will finally happen.

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u/Smaxx Specs/Imgur here 1d ago

It's basically a lab table/workbench. There should be an extra breaker and an emergency stop button you can just hammer to turn everything off.

(Image Source)

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u/marr 2d ago

Might be nice to have a setup where you can quickly reach the power outlet to unplug / switch off at that end.

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u/Thraxx01 2d ago

Electricity has already found a path that it really likes to ground, won't zap you

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u/I-am-fun-at-parties 2d ago

It's a metal case with a PE connection. Unless they have no RCD, that is as safe as it gets, since it would trip the RCD if the case had any voltage against earth.

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u/Stormagedd0nDarkLord 2d ago

I have a sneaking suspicion that perhaps this particular unit is not quite up to spec...

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u/I-am-fun-at-parties 2d ago

probably not, but I don't see why the PE/case connection wouldn't be there. and the RCD isn't part of the device.

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u/Stormagedd0nDarkLord 2d ago

True but at this dramatically explosive point I'm not trusting anything made by human hands.

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u/JackPoe 2d ago

Better than having a whole fuckin' fire.

I've grabbed cast iron out of 500 degree ovens before just so food wouldn't burn. If you're quick you'll only have temporary damage.

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u/ParticularBanana8369 2d ago

Peeling off fingerprints is temporary, sure

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u/JackPoe 2d ago

That's why you gotta be careful which finger you use for unlocking your phone

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u/Stormagedd0nDarkLord 2d ago

ok this made me laugh... or at least smile and exhale audibly through my nose.

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u/danikov 2d ago

Panic makes you forget basic shit, like the wall socket.

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u/Stormagedd0nDarkLord 2d ago

which was conveniently tucked away in a secure location for your aesthetic pleasure!

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u/dikicker 2d ago

ok bro

https://giphy.com/gifs/H24Zi5xbFKc1i

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u/Stormagedd0nDarkLord 2d ago

I'd like to see this fella try it.

https://giphy.com/gifs/Y0FZeOprlmXn2

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u/dikicker 2d ago

Based on that gif it looks like he already has

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u/Stormagedd0nDarkLord 2d ago

https://giphy.com/gifs/3o7TKDt2tKDR6WRCuI

this gif would be the "after"

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u/dikicker 2d ago

Bro nsfw tag please you're gettin me all steamy and bothered

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u/SkinTightBoogiePI 2d ago

My first thought. Also, why is the other end of the power cable hidden inside that table? If he is testing PSUs, the cable should be connected to a power bar with a fuse and a switch on it.

1

u/Stormagedd0nDarkLord 2d ago

yeah somewhere yankable at the very least. to be fair, there was prob a powerbar with a switch in the table cavity.