View Full Version : Opening a power supply
I know it's dangerous to open a power supply, due to risk of electric shock. But at what point does it become safe to open it? Let's say I have one that's been just sitting around for a month, not even in a computer. It should be safe to open, right?
Not sure. Best bet would be to not open it. I've only ever opened one PSU, and I knew it was dead when I opened it. However, I was still VERY careful.
azminisk8r
03-27-2007, 09:46 PM
hahahahahahhahaha psu's can't kill you trust me ive tried, even when theyre running. The thing that kills you is amps not volts, lets just say the average static shock is between 100-30000 volts, it takes 70 amps through the heart to kill someone. you'll bwe fine, ive shocked myself 4 times with psus and countless on mobos and other parts, btw the psus were running, if your're really that concerned or dont beleive me or mythbusters, wear rubber gloves like baseball or sumthin
btw ive take apart 8 psus while active no gloves with me as the base and ive been fine, just dont short anything while its running because the ground goes to the exterior of the psu
From wikipedia:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electric_shock#Lethality_of_a_Shock
I was going to write a biting comment about the things az said, but I think he's better off learning from experience than being lectured. After he gets a little permanent nerve damage, he might sing a different tune.
All I have to say is most homes run 15, 20, or 30 amp breakers.
70 amps to kill? My achin' ass. Try 50 milliamps.
BTW, the mythbusters never did an episode on PSU electrocution/death.
Maybe we should suggest it. That or monitor death.
It would certainly take some of the stigma out of it. The computer community would know what not to do.
I'm not an electrical engineer, so I could be wrong, but I left a monitor unplugged for a month or so to naturally discharge and it seemed to work well. I have no clue if it actually did or not, but it never discharged or caused problems while I was removing it to paint the case.
ive shocked myself 4 times with psus and countless on mobos and other parts, btw the psus were running,
4 times?!?!?!
Not very good learner..... ;)
Bucko
03-28-2007, 04:38 AM
For your own safety, please don't listen to azminisk8r. There is voltages that can kill in a PSU (especially when it is running!).
simon275
03-28-2007, 05:57 AM
Yeah it is best to wait maybe 30secs to let the capacitors loose any remaining charge. Even 30secs maybe overkill.
Also make sure it is unplugged from the wall first to. :up:
GT40_GearHead
03-28-2007, 06:38 AM
power the computer, and after it powers on just pull the plug from the wall, the PSU will be drained by the hardware
oh, and to be on the safe side, the thing you want to stay away from is the two large capacitors
second oh, the only way its gonna kill you is if its gonna short trough your chest, the only way its gonna that is if you put a finger on one terminal and a finger from the other hand on the second terminal
If you short the cap with, lets say, your palm all you gonna get is a burn mark and a LOT OF PAIN
PS: trust me, first hand experience .... pun intended :D
Nagoshi
03-28-2007, 06:49 AM
It takes only one amps to stop a heart. Voltage doesn't kill, it's the amps. But actually, higher voltages generally means higher amps, so it's normal that people think that a 3000v line can toast someone, even if it borrows a minimal amps quantity.
Besides, when the fan in my Pentium3 PSU died, my father opened it and had no trouble. Just follow GT40's how-to-do-eeeet and everything should be safe. Mine had suffered from overheating due to the not working fan, and it shutted down on it's own, probably emptying all the remaining power in it.
Good luck :)
Weeelllll....
I reckon that as long as you appreciate that there is a danger in the PSU (regardless of the specifics of said danger), then you should be OK.
Use commen sense, and be careful (don't go jammin' yer hand and fingers in there willy-nilly).
My tuppence.
Ichbin
03-28-2007, 10:20 AM
Dear god dont listen to that tart!
Idk....before i ever open a psu, i let it sit unplugged for about 2 weeks. And even then i only bust them open if im fiddling with wires.
Again! DONT LISTEN TO THE DUMBASS!
It's too late for me guys. Last night I opened it up and touched every single part of it.
It's too late for me guys. Last night I opened it up and touched every single part of it.
hahahaha hehehe hahr de har har
breath
breath
lmao!
That's funny. +rep for makin me chuckle :up:
azminisk8r
03-28-2007, 03:54 PM
holy crap im in neg rep cuz i sadi info that i beleive is right, otherwise id be dead. i even said even if yo udont beleive me wear rubber gloves and unplug
GT40_GearHead
03-28-2007, 05:31 PM
Again! DONT LISTEN TO THE DUMBASS!
who you callin' a dumbass foo' lol :D
relax man
azminisk8r
03-28-2007, 06:25 PM
personally im more afraid of fans than psu's 1 i have long hair, ouch 2 ive slit my fingers open on fans hurts like h...
I've cut myself on fans many times. I often purposely touch fans to make them stop spinning. This one time, I kept purposely sticking my finger into an active light socket. And I just made this thread, read like 3 replies, and then just opened it. I touched every part of it inside with my bare hands. Then I come back thenext day to see 12 replies, arguing.
http://codeinsurrection.com/pics/computer/mod/PICT7605.JPG
http://codeinsurrection.com/pics/computer/mod/PICT7606.JPG
http://codeinsurrection.com/pics/computer/mod/PICT7607.JPG
http://codeinsurrection.com/pics/computer/mod/PICT7608.JPG
http://codeinsurrection.com/pics/computer/mod/PICT7609.JPG
Touching isn't the problem. The problem comes from using tools. If a tool touches 2 capacitors that carry different resistances and isn't shielded, you become ground. And the capacitors in power supplies are large enough to cause significant trauma to the human body, whether it passes through your heart or not.
Anyone given a real good shock from 115AC can attest to that.
Please correct me if I'm wrong on this. My electrical theory isn't my strong suit.
There's no reason to ruin a guy's rep just because you disagree with him. PM or post your feelings, but he didn't do anything wrong. He said what he thought based off his experience and knowledge level. Don't criticize or flame him, teach him.
Ok, new age moment over.
As long as we're on the topic of PSU and danger, what about watercooled units? Are any worthwhile? Are any safe?
Spacehonkey
03-28-2007, 09:36 PM
... it takes 70 amps through the heart to kill someone. you'll bwe fine, ive shocked myself 4 times with psus and countless on mobos and other parts, btw the psus were running, if your're really that concerned or dont beleive me or mythbusters, wear rubber gloves like baseball or sumthin...
If you watched the whole Mythbusters show about getting electrified in a bath tub you would know that at first they thought it took 70 amps to kill a human but later in the show they corrected themselves after a little research and found out it only took 6-7 amps to kill you. Just like sgtm web link explains.
From wikipedia:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electric_shock#Lethality_of_a_Shock
azminisk8r
03-29-2007, 12:42 AM
damn channel flipping lol
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