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The Daily Insight

How do you troubleshoot a power supply problem?

Author

Daniel Foster

Published Mar 21, 2026

How do you troubleshoot a power supply problem?

Learn to troubleshoot power supply problems. Unscrew the supply from the case after all the power leads are free and remove it from the case. Slide the new supply into the case and connect all the power leads, starting at the motherboard. Don’t fully secure it in place until you power up the system for a function test.

How do you change the power supply on a PC?

On some PCs, you must also remove the power switch. Unscrew the supply from the case after all the power leads are free and remove it from the case. Slide the new supply into the case and connect all the power leads, starting at the motherboard.

Is it dangerous to open the cover of a power supply?

I do not recommend that any inexperienced person open the cover of a power supply. Even when unplugged, a supply should be considered dangerous. Capacitors can maintain a line voltage charge for a considerable period of time. Shorting one by mistake feels just like being electrocuted by 120 volts from a receptacle.

What should the voltage be on a motherboard power supply?

To test the output voltage at the motherboard, place the black meter lead on a black pin and the red on the Power_Good pin (P8-1) of AT, Baby AT, and LPX supplies, and pin 3 on ATX 20-pin connectors. It should read between +3 to +6 volts DC.

When to know if your power supply has a problem?

If voltage output remains zero after checking secondary components by multimeter and clearing breakdown, overload or short circuit of high-frequency rectifier diode, it can be confirmed there is problem with control circuit of power supply.

Why does my pioneer AV receiver 834 shut down?

Press the power button to turn on the stereo system. Press and hold the STOP button and folder minus button at the same time until the word RESET appears on the display panel. Was this answer helpful? Hello my pioneer av receiver 834 purchased a month back why does it gets shut down?

Why is my pioneer VSX 821 K not working?

Used this receiver one day, the next it was dead. There was no power outage or surge. There is no display and not responding to the remote or switch. Checked all the power components and they appear to be okay. Getting power to the unit, but not going through the transformer on the power supply board.

What causes a power supply switch to stop working?

It is often seen at traditional power supplies or those which work for long hours. It is caused by aging components, unstable switch tube, or poor cooling condition. Users shall check and confirm the status of regulated diode, rectifier diode and HV smoothing capacitor etc. 1.