Power Supply

The computer’s power supply unit is used to convert household AC voltage

(Alternating Current) into the required low DC voltage (direct Current). All the
necessary power requirements of the PC is supplied by the SMPS or Switch Mode
Power Supply. This is a compact yet complex design of an AC to DC power
converter. Basically, ordinary power supplies use large transformers depending on
the power it can supply. The larger the power requirement, the larger is the size of
the transformer needed. And the computer system requires a lot of power. The
Switch mode power supply unit is lightweight and yet very efficient.

AT Power Supply

There are two types of power supply systems used in PC. The old one that is obsolete is called the AT
power supply. This power supply system uses mechanical switch to turn the power ON and OFF, it has two
motherboard connectors (P1 and P2) that are often interchangeably connected. The complete specification of
an AT power supply is shown below. The AT power supplies were used in the old PC systems from 8088 up
to Pentium III although Some Pentium II already used the ATX form factor.

RED +5VDC
YELLOW +12VDC
ORANGE +5VDC Power Good
BLUE -12VDC
WHITE -5VDC
BLACK Ground -com

ATX Power Supply

The ATX is the new standard power supply system. It has a soft switch that can be turned ON or OFF
by the operating system. One advantage of ATX over the AT power supply system is that it has only one
power connector for the motherboard that cannot be connected in reverse. The power supply outputs are
standard AT voltages of 5v, 12v, and a new output voltage of 3.3volts. The 3.3v and 5v are typically used for
digital logic circuits including the microprocessor, RAM and ROM while the 12v are used to run motors for
disk drives and cooling fans.

The power requirements of computer systems vary from PC to PC. A 300-watt PSU (power supply unit) may
be enough to run standard Pentium III systems. For powerful Pentium 4s and AMD’s Athlon systems, a 300-
watt PSU may not be enough especially with loaded USB ports and drive bays. (Remember that most USB
devices derive their power from the system’s PSU.) A decent power supply rating of 400 watts is more
advisable.

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FDD HDD CDROM MOTHERBOARD 20-PIN
POWER CONNECTOR

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Transformer
This is a step-down type transformer that transforms high voltage AC to a low
voltage AC. Let us say from 220 volts down to 12 volts and 5 volts respectively.

Rectifier
This is composed of semiconductor devices called diodes. The
diodes are actually the one that converts AC voltage into DC voltage. When AC voltage is
injected into the rectifier diodes, the output is a rough DC voltage.

Capacitor
This is an electronic passive device that filters out the dc voltage from the
rectifier diodes. The power supply would not function properly without this
capacitor filters. It makes the rough dc output from the rectifier to become
smooth dc.

Regulator
A part of the power supply that maintains the dc output levels at all times.
This stabilizes the output of the power supply and prevents any change
on the output voltage level even if the source AC line voltage fluctuates.
Thus protecting the components to which it supplies power.

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Troubleshooting Power Supplies

Ordinary power supplies are easy to troubleshoot because they have very few components and a simple
circuit. However, the PC power supply called the SMPS is a complicated one. The circuit diagram is more
complex. The complexity of the design is the setback of not using large transformers for PC power
requirements. A 12-volt ordinary power supply that delivers 12 amperes of current requires a transformer as
heavy as the system unit itself or approximately 2 kilograms. The SMPS having a complex circuit does not
mean it cannot be fixed. Here are some tips on repairing PC power supplies.

Beware!
Shock hazards that may be fatal are present on the circuits. Do not attempt to repair it yourself if you
have no background in electricity or electronic troubleshooting.

Troubleshooting Techniques

Most experienced technicians can repair so quickly and the work looked very easy for them. Before
they became experts as we say, they too began with little knowledge. To become one, rules must be followed.
And lots of practice of course..

1. Make sure to observe safety precautions.

2. Don’t overlook the obvious (use your common senses; hear, smell, touch).
Start with the power connections; wall socket, AVR, and power cords. Use multitester whenever
possible for voltage measurements and continuity testing. This includes testing the power supply out
of the casing.
3. Look for the components most likely to fail.
Here, the power supply had been opened and the circuits and components are visible. Check the fuse
for continuity with a multitester (blown fuse is pretty obvious). There are components that easily fail
in every circuit. These are the semiconductors: transistors, diodes, integrated circuits (IC). Also try to
fine fusible resistors (values range 10 ohms and below). Other evidence of failed power supplies are
bulging capacitors (caused by overloading, over voltage, and power surges).
For most PC users, the frequently asked question is repair or replace? There are several things to
consider whether to replace or repair; first, is the cost. Would it be more economical to repair than to replace?
If it would be repaired, would it function like a new one? The next thing to consider is the quality of the
replacement. A power supply rated at about 400 watts cost more than one thousand pesos. A standard repair
labor cost is 400 pesos plus the cost of materials used. Basically, the switching transistors are the most
expensive among the power supply parts. A cheap brand new power supply rated 300 watts may cost 700
pesos, and a refurbished or reconditioned power supply with the same specification costs about 350 pesos.

A replacement may cost more but the down time for your computer is a lot lesser. For power supply
repairs, it may take time before a technician could find the problems within
the
power
supply
circuit.

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