See? this is why regular non-modular squid PSUs are better.
Well I don't know about "better" but it sure demonstrates the big problem/complaint with modular PSUs. Sadly, there is no industry standard for the
PSU end of modular cables. This means they are NOT interchangeable with other PSUs. To make matters even worse, even within the same brand of PSUs, they are not interchangeable. This is because PSU brands often use different OEM suppliers.
Of course the component ends are standardized but that is of little help.
you can check if your PSU is fine by doing this:
Not really. All the paper clip method does is verify if the PSU will power up (come out of standby) or not. It does not verify all 3 of the main voltages (+3.3VDC, +5VDC and +12VDC) are present. It does not verify if the voltages are within the allowed tolerances. It places no load on the supply nor does it test for power anomalies either. The paper clip method is great to power up a PSU to test fans, RGB lighting and hard drive motors, but that's about it.
The only true, conclusive way for "normal" users to test a PSU is to swap in a known good one (swapping cables too) to see what happens.
Multimeters typically are not good enough either. The problem with using a multimeter to
conclusively test a PSU is testing must be done with the power supply put under a variety of realistic loads. This is a challenge even for pros. Also, most meters cannot test for
ripple and other anomalies that affect computer stability. So "conclusive" testing is done by a qualified technician using an oscilloscope or a dedicated power supply “analyzer” - sophisticated (and expensive!) electronic test equipment requiring special training to operate, and a basic knowledge of electronics theory to understand the results. Therefore, conclusively testing a power supply is done in properly equipped electronics repair facilities.
While also not ideal, I keep a
PSU Tester in the tool bag in my truck for house calls. The advantage of a tester over a multimeter is it at least has a small, internal "dummy" load, while a multimeter has none. The advantage of this type tester is that it has a LCD readout of the voltages. With an actual voltage readout, you have a better chance of detecting a "failing" PSU, or one barely within (or not) the allowed ±5% tolerances (at least with the tester’s internal load).
Acceptable Tolerances:
12VDC ±5% = 11.4 to 12.6VDC
5VDC ±5% = 4.75 to 5.25VDC
3.3VDC ±5% = 3.14 to 3.47VDC
However, none of these testers test for ripple either and they only provide one small load, not a
variety of "realistic" loads. So while better than nothing, using one of these testers is not a conclusive test either. They can certainly tell you if a PSU is bad when a voltage is absent or way out of tolerance. But they cannot conclusively tell you if a PSU is good. So, again, for the normal user (and many pros too), swapping in a known good spare is typically the best, and often only conclusive test.
Has to be rich, lol.
