A power supply unit that has reached its maximum service life or is simply no longer working properly will usually signal this to you through occasion

How to recognize a defective power supply

No matter which component is in your computer, no matter how important it is, if your power supply is defective, nothing really works anymore. No wonder, since it is responsible for supplying your computer with the power it needs to run.

The power supply: the power supply for your computer

Roughly speaking, your power supply can be described as a kind of transformer. This is because the electricity that comes out of your wall outlet is alternating current, but your computer requires direct current.

This is where the power supply comes into play. It ensures that the alternating current from the socket is transformed, ie converted, into the direct current required by the computer.

Unfortunately, your power supply is also a hardware component that, like all other technical parts of your computer, can break over time.

Since people like to save on the power supply when building a computer, the poor quality of your power supply can result in a very short lifespan. Here again, the motto applies: if you save, you buy twice.

In the worst case, other important components of your computer can also be destroyed at the same time due to the lack of protective circuits on the power supply.

But too much dust and dirt, which has been sucked in by your power supply unit and has settled inside, can also lead to a defect.

In the following article, we will explain how you can best recognize whether your power supply unit is defective, how you can check your power supply unit and many other important tips.

How do I know that my power supply is defective?

Of course, you will recognize that your power supply is defective, at the latest when your computer no longer starts up and makes no sound.

But even this fact does not necessarily indicate a power supply defect, this problem can also be caused by other hardware components.

However, you don't have to let it get that far, because you can identify a defective power supply much earlier and take the right steps at an early stage.

A power supply unit that has reached its maximum service life or is simply no longer working properly will usually signal this to you through occasional PC crashes.

However, this fact alone does not necessarily indicate your power supply unit. If your computer is experiencing occasional crashes, it could be due to a number of hardware components.

In this case, dusty fans can also have caused your computer to overheat, resulting in crashes.

Therefore, regularly remove dust from your computer so that you can rule out this type of defect immediately.

Test the power supply

To be really sure that the crashes are due to your power supply, you should check your power supply.

If your computer doesn't turn on even when it's cold, you can easily check whether your power supply unit is defective.

You need a standard hair dryer for this. With this, you warm up the power supply a few minutes before the boot process.

Your computer should then start up again, which is a clear indicator of a defect. This is because defective power supplies no longer work when they are cold.

Another way you can test your power supply is by bridging it. However, this power supply test only makes sense if your computer does not start at all and you suspect a defect in the power supply.

You can read about exactly how bridging works on the Internet. If the fan of your power supply starts up again as a result of bridging, you can use this power supply test to rule out a defect.

However, do not leave your power supply running for too long without a load, otherwise irreparable damage may occur.

What can I do if my power supply is defective?

If your power supply causes symptoms that indicate a clear defect and you were able to clearly classify this, then you should now take the appropriate steps.

A repair of the power supply is usually not recommended because it is either too complicated, not possible or simply too expensive. So the only solution is a replacement.

If your power supply has stopped working because it was a very cheap product, take the chance and buy a higher-quality part.

Depending on the wattage, you can get very good products at moderate prices here.

Replace the power supply

It is up to you whether you dare to replace the power supply yourself. If you have assembled your computer yourself anyway and are familiar with the subject, then you can easily replace the power supply unit.

However, if you bought a pre-built computer and haven't tinkered with it before, it's best to have a professional handle the replacement.

Otherwise, you risk damaging other parts of your computer due to improper installation or removal.

Of course, you can also watch one of the many tutorials on YouTube, but you have no guarantee in the event of damage and act completely independently.

The replacement by a specialist is usually not particularly expensive. Many specialists offer an exchange for less than 30 euros.