3rd PowerSupply Gone Bad

[mstpaintball]

Power Supplies keep dying in my computer for some reason. I just bought the 3rd about a month ago and just a few nights ago it went, and when I say it went I mean it blew up literally.

I was on my computer a couple nights ago and it shut off on its own, I didnt think much of it, so I pushed the power button on my pc, nothing happend. I felt of the power supply it was kinda warm, not real hot. So I turned off the power strip that my computer is plugged into and turned it back on, pushed the power button on my computer and BOOM, sounded like fireworks were going off, and electricity was shooting out of my power supply, and I havent tried to turn it back on since, cause I dont want to start a fire, or get electrocuted lol. This is the first of the 3 to go like this, but they've all died one way or another.

First PS: 270w
Second PS: 450w
Third PS: 400w (this is the one that just blew) And it only lasted about a month since I put it in the computer.
I used HMonitor to watch the voltages and temps, the voltages were a little high, but stayed pretty stable, and the temps never got really hot. But I don't have a log of this to show.

I'm just kinda stuck and don't know if I should just forget it and buy another computer, eventhough it may be awhile before I can do that. And for anyone wondering, this is a different computer that I'm using right now to make this post.

Thanks
-Steven

 

[KingCody]

it sounds like you're on your 3rd piece of $#&@ power supply. have any of these PSU's been a quality brand?

you're lucky that they only died alone and didn't take out the rest of your system with them. and you're lucky that the last one didn't catch fire.

please list the brand names of the 3 dead supplies

 

[kirock]

What kingCody said and give us your sytem specs please. If your rig needs 500Watts it needs 500Watts. Go here and calculate your power needs for your rig, it's easy:
http://www.extreme.outervision.com/psucalculator.jsp

Cheers.

 

[mstpaintball]

Using that website it came to about 287w.

P4 2.66ghz
512mb DDR 1 stick
120gig 7200rpm
80gig 7200rpm
1 - DVD-RW
1 - CD-Rom
BFG 6800GT OC 256mb
Pretty much it I think.

Whats interesting is that I ran this system for almost a year I think on the 270w power supply, minus the 80gig HD.

Its a Sony Vaio RX-881 and the 270w PS was already in it when it was ordered from Sony.
The second PS I forget the name, but it was inexpensive.
And the third (the one that just went bad) Diablo 400-Watt

I hope this is the last prebuilt system I ever buy, they just seem to be trouble to fix or upgrade. For instance, the 270w PS is made specifically for this computer, so I had to find a way to brace the new powersupplies in the case.

Thanks
-Steven

 

[RealBlackStuff]

No wonder, that was a piece of crap-junk! Only 15A on the +12v.

Get yourself out of your misery and buy something DECENT for a change, and stop buying from that junk yard Tigerdirect!
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16817104954
This will cover all your needs, is quiet, good-looking (irrelevant, I know...) and by a well-respected manufacturer.

Your PSU is one of the most important items in a PC.

 

[kirock]

What RBS said, and I'd like to add that I too blew up a PSU with my rig (in my profile), and it was a 450W, but a generic crappy. Smoke pouring out the whole thing just like you.
Take a read here about the PSU section and I'm surprised you weren't experiencing BSODs from hell.:
https://www.techspot.com/vb/topic48731.html

Cheers.