After cleaning my PC, I plugged the AC power cord into the PSU and heard the usual brief static-like sound. As soon as I pressed the power button, the cable began sparking, smoking, and burning near the PSU end. I shut the PSU off almost immediately, unplugged everything, and discarded the damaged cable. The PSU itself appears intact, and the computer currently works with a replacement cable, but I'm nervous about stressing it. The system uses an 850W 80+ Gold Gigabyte PSU with an RTX 4070 Ti Super, Ryzen 9 9950X3D, and a lightly tuned overclock. Could a partially inserted or defective cable have caused this, or should I replace the PSU as a precaution?
1 Answer
I wouldn’t trust the PSU after an AC cable got hot enough to smoke. The cable may have been faulty, but the event could also indicate arcing or a damaged socket. A new cable alone doesn’t prove the PSU is safe. Replace the PSU with a quality model, and don’t reuse the burned cord or any cable with heat damage.
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