I connected an ARGB controller to my motherboard, and the connector immediately started smoking. After unplugging it, I tried powering on the PC. It ran for a few seconds, shut down, and then displayed the CPU error LED. The motherboard and CPU were ultimately found to be faulty.
I'm replacing both parts, but I'm unsure whether the ARGB short circuit could also have weakened or damaged the power supply. A technician tested the PSU along with the other components, and the warranty service identified a motherboard problem and issued a refund, but they didn't explain exactly what failed.
The PSU is a Duex Pulse Pro 850W, and the replacement parts will be an ASUS TUF Gaming B850M-E motherboard and a Ryzen 7 7800X3D. Is it reasonably safe to continue using this PSU, or should I replace it as a precaution?
1 Answer
If the technician tested the PSU with proper equipment and it passed, there’s no clear evidence that the ARGB incident damaged it. A short on the motherboard’s ARGB header would normally trigger the PSU’s protection circuits or damage the motherboard-side circuitry rather than silently ruin the PSU. That said, a basic tester can’t detect every intermittent fault, so replacing a questionable or poorly documented PSU is the safest option—especially before connecting expensive replacement parts.
That’s what worries me: could it pass a test and still fail randomly later? I’m trying to decide whether the uncertainty is worth keeping it.