Power supply replacement

11 years ago

We have a Compaq DX4200E9 and I believe it may have a failing power supply. When powered up the machine doesn't even try to boot, and when the unit failed it did it over a period of two or three days, booting sometimes and not others. I turned it on with the cover off and the fans wouldn't even keep turning.

The power supply that is there is Model #FSP300-60TGA(1) and is made by FSP Group Inc. for Acer. (I assume that the computer is one that Compaq got when it took over Acer.)

I've been told by a computer technician that as long as the cables match any 300 W power supply will suffice. But I gather that a slightly larger power supply, say, 350 W, could be useful, although we really only need a decent e-machine, no gaming or such.One power supply sold by Amazon as a replacement for mine is 500 W! Couldn't I hurt something with that? Or is excess capacity simply unused?

This is the unit I think I should buy:

http://www.atxpowersupplies.com/300-watt-power-supply-FSP300-60THN.php

Anybody know anything about the company selling it?

Advice and experience much appreciated!

Thank you.

Featured Answer

zep516

11 years ago

excess capacity would be unused. Do not know anything about the company.

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Comments (11)

User
11 years ago
It surely won't hurt to have a larger power supply. You do need to be careful, some manufacturers computers won't except a Standard Power Supply. I have a Dell sitting in my Repair Room that will only except a certain Power Supply. I have however worked on a number of manufactured computers and had no problem replacing with a standard power supply, just check your measurements against theirs. Also make sure that the picture of the back where you would screw it in matches the back on the psu you're looking at! Here is a Link for a 430w PSU that's $10 cheaper after a Rebate. Corsair CX430m 430w BTW, it's offered by a company most of us are familiar with!
marknmt thanked User
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This thread reminds me of a story, please forgive the length. Someone I know (a Silicon Valley engineer, actually) liked to putz around with the innards of his PCs, although his professional expertise involved non-PC products. Being an engineer, his view was that most problems and issues in the world were easily understood and could be resolved by simple application of his finely-honed problem solving skills. The guy isn't frugal, he's cheap. Also completely lacking in common sense (as you'll soon see demonstrated). He bought a used desktop, and found after awhile that he'd failed to consider that the hard drive was too small. So he added whatever was needed to connect a spare one he had lying around. Still not enough, so he bought a USB hard drive that he kept connected. Some time passed, he started to do some new things on the PC and found he didn't have enough memory, so he added more. And the stock graphics processor was inadequate for the video work he wanted to do, so he added a graphics board that a friend of his had. The PC started shutting itself down periodically, he figured it was overheating. So he rigged up internal and external fans. He talked to someone who suggested maybe he needed a bigger power supply, so he bought that. His PC setup was in his home "office", a room he had added on some years back. He'd hired someone to do the actual hammer and nail construction work (an unlicensed worker), but he did the electrical wiring himself because, of course, he's an engineer and can understand anything. After installing the new power supply, the circuit breaker started to trip off regularly, like several times a day. After trial and error, he remembered he'd wired the office plugs into a kitchen circuit and the breaker tripped when the fridge started. (There were other things on the circuit too because all the plugs in the office were on one line). Easy enough, he put a larger circuit breaker into his panel. Only a few days later, while working at his desk one morning, there was a flash and smoke started out of his PC. The whole thing got fried. Likely, he figured, a result of his not being careful enough with the various hardware customizations he'd done. At his wife's insistence, his DIY PC building and troubleshooting days are over. He buys new ones and replaces them when they have problems. Also at his wife's insistence.
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thx for the replies folks! Another UPDATE here. Used the 3-prong outlet tester I got at the hardware store and sure enough all outlets in the house (except 2) show open ground. The 2 "Normal" outlets are one that my 110v electric oven and washer are plugged into and another outlet on the other side of the same wall where the water heater, furnace and water softener are. Since the water pipes for the house come in right between those 2 outlets I assume someone decided to ground just those 2 outlets straight down to one of the water pipes. At LEAST they did that to make the bigger appliances safer! So there doesn't seem to be a ground wire running throughout the house from the breaker box in the garage. Just those 2 outlets have been individually grounded to the pipes. Sound about right? Anyway someone on another forum has stated that I should either install GFCI outlets wherever I intend to use 3-pronged equipment like the computers. My question is this: As I said before I'm very new to this stuff. Would a GFCI outlet have helped in the incident with my computer? Meaning if my power supply shortet to it's shell, energizing my metal computer case (as it apparently did), would a GFCI outlet have tripped and broken the connection saving me from the shock? Someone also suggested maybe grounding a few individual circuits in the areas I was concerned about. Computers, refrigerator etc. The back bedroom is far from the water pipes so would it be possible to attach ground wires to the proper places on a few of the wall receptacles then drill a hole through the wall to the backyard and attach them to a grounding rod or something?
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marknmt
Original Author
11 years ago
I'm grateful for the clarifications.

A friend with some experience has a probably suitable power supply in his junk drawer and is happy for me to take it and try it out. If it solves my problem the diagnostics part is over, and if it doesn't no harm done.

You guys have made it easier for me to gain traction on this and get some confidence. Thanks again.
User
11 years ago
Good luck marknmt. Hope everything goes as expected. Usually not very hard to swap out a Power Supply, just take your time. Make sure you've got everything plugged in before you try to start the computer again! Again, Good Luck!
marknmt thanked User
jemdandy
11 years ago
About those fans that won't turn. These may have contributed to the demise of the power supply. It does need adequate cooling. These fans operate independently of the rest of the system. Fans slowing, maybe growing, or quitting after a couple of years is a common problem with those small pancake fans. The usual culprit is dry bearings, or bearings that have collected dirt.
marknmt thanked jemdandy
marknmt
Original Author
11 years ago
" ... bearings that have collected dirt."

Afraid I'm guilty.
copanolady
11 years ago
Ditto~ how about using a vacuum cleaner tool on the fan area and keyboard. Is that OK to do? I'm afraid my fan is not working properly either.
kudzu9
11 years ago
Using compressed air in a can is often better than vacuuming...
marknmt thanked kudzu9
marknmt
Original Author
11 years ago
I tried my swap but one of the connectors was wrong- I needed two square, four-wire plugs (I don't know what for!) and only had one, so it's back to the well.

Otherwise I think it would have worked.

Thanks again for all the help.
copanolady
11 years ago
Compressed air directly on the fan? Seem like that would drive the dirt (cat hair) into the computer and cause more problems.....no? That's why I thought a vacuum to pull out the dirt would work better. Tell me if I'm wrong.
kudzu9
11 years ago
copanolady-

This is a desktop computer and the case is going to be removed if a power supply is going to be replaced. I would use compressed air to blow out everything rather than run a nozzle around the interior and possibly suck in a cable or something. If you are trying to vacuum the computer through the vents without removing the case, you won't do a very good job.

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