Is a desktops power supply basically generic ?
 

My boys gaming computer went down last night . The epic meltdown that is happening,is unbearable , I don't think I can wait till a new one ships out .
I see there is a kid about 10 miles away from me parting out computers, Can I just swap in any old power supply till we get a good high performance unit shipped out this week ?
I just had to replace the one in the desktop I am yammering on right now, but I ordered new, and bought the identical replacement part .

volts/amps/watts................high performance doesn't mean how many gaming LED lights on it..


the epic meltdown..............the boy or the smoking lump of carbon.?

I replaced one of mine last year, the main issue was all the various connectors, most replacements supply a generic wire loom and branches which may or may not connect up easily to what you have. I returned 2 different generics due to this issue and even the same name replacement required changing out a large part of the main wire loom

#1. Make sure the power supply has enough power (Watts) to handle all of your load.

#2. Make sure the power supply can connect to everything you need

#3. There are "Good, Better and Best" power supplies. The better ones have better rectification and better fans/heat sinks.

PSUs can be generic, or quality. If it's for a system you care about, I would recommend something at rated for the wattage needed during gaming (usually 800-900 watts) and at least Gold 80+ rated. Platinum or Titanium if you can drop the extra coin.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/80_PLUS#Efficiency_level_certifications

mostly BUT some older stuff has corprat specific connectors
del and HP were know for their own connectors apple is the worst

big power use is mostly video cards esp if more then one
most power supply's over 300 watts will work 400w for sure if no video cards
500w if one video card

Yes and no is the answer.

Like Tim Taylor you want more power!

On my monster computer I put in a 850 Watt PS, because it has two video cards, and 5 spinning hard drives, and 6 fans. The packaging for the power supply was over the top silly. It was packed in cloth bags, and had fancy boxes and just silly packing. It was $70 and does the job just great.

Most likely it is a AXT power supply you need.

Just learned that all modern 2008 and up and basically the same size:
Connectors and screw hole locations are standard. All aftermarket are ATX compliant.

My sons computer Del T3500 power supply died, I found one aftermarket in the local classifieds and went in perfectly.. Now it has more power 750 vs 550 OEM.

So yeah, nowadays they're all basically the same.

Yes, as long as it is a tower and does not have exorbitant power need.

If he has 250W graphic card and some old & power hungry CPU you might want a powerful PSU, Otherwise, motherboard & peripherials power connectors are standardized.

The old PSU will have a power rating on it. Get one that size or bigger and from a reputable mfr. Modular is nice as you don't have all the un-needed witing inside.

Then again, if they built the computer they may have undersized the PSU.

ATX will bolt up, just make sure you aren't towing 12k pounds with a 2l turbo in the mountains.

Unscrew the PS, remove it from case, and bring it with you.

No, they are not. I grabbed one, and the connection to the mother board, and drives were different . Plan B.

if the old drives are NOT sata and the data connectors are tapes drive to m/b

it is time for a new computer sorry

ATX motherboards have been the same forever. How old is the machine? Is it a 20 or 24 pin on the motherboard? Most PSUs have one connector that separates to fit both.

Both drives are Sata, and it is the 24 pin connector at the mother board. I think I am just going to order a new identical replacement . I think it is about 5 years old, but time flies . He likes it and it works well for the games he is playing .
Im not ready to chunk down 1k for a new computer for him just yet.
Id love to hold on to this one till at least x mas .
Thanks for all your help .

I am assuming , that I should have out put voltages on the wires of the PSU, even when it is unplugged from all the loads ?
I did some testing last night with a voltmeter, and got 5v in one spot, but no voltage anywhere else .

That 5v is stand-by. ATX power supplies are toggled on by the motherboard. Long gone are the days where a PSU has full-power on stand-by.

You can jump two pins to power the unit on.

https://www.smps.us/atx-pinout.png

Maybe it was dirty ? I jumped those pins, and the fan spun right up, I then checked outputs on all the cables,and found correct voltages there. I plugged everything back in, blew on the motherboard, spun the aux fans by hand and sob, it light right up .
One happy kid for now .
Thanks for all your help ! Pelican RULES !!