I'm dealing with a bit of a scare regarding my power supply unit (PSU). My PC has been running smoothly at normal temperatures with no crashes, but I've recently noticed a faint burning or hot plastic smell when my system is under load. Upon inspection, I found tiny dark marks on the PSU power connector pins. They're not from melted plastic, just slight discoloration. I remember hearing a faint crackling sound early on when the PC was new. Additionally, I'm using an older power strip that's been in use for about two years. With all this in mind, I'm uncertain whether the issue is with the PSU, a connection, or if the power strip might be causing resistance when load increases. Should I stop using this setup entirely? Do I need to replace the PSU, or is it enough to just change the power strip and cables? Is it safe to keep using my setup in the short term?
1 Answer
It’s best to take out the PSU and stop using it until it can be replaced. The burning plastic smell and discoloration on the pins are serious warning signs. If you keep running it, you might end up causing a fire.
But what could lead to this happening? My previous PSU failed without warning too, and now I see this arcing issue.