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Welch
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Silverstone SF-ST45SF Dead - Discolored 4pin CPU Power

Thu Feb 08, 2018 6:12 am

This is the third failure of some sort out of Silverstone power supplies. So first off I have to say I don't think I'd trust them anymore. Another failed similar, no boot issue, just nothing. Another started having a rattling fan after about 2 years of useage. They just don't seem up to snuff in the quality department. Sad really.

Anyhow, I plugged in a Corsair 430w to test this i3-3225 rig and was pleased to see the system works flawlessly. So I went about looking over the Silverstone and was surprised to see no signs of failure looking through the fairly open venting, no smell... Nothing.

On closer look at the ends I found 1 pin on the 4 pin CPU power plug that was clearly heat/arc discolored. Curious what exactly would have caused this. No sign on color change on the actual motherboard.

Since it isn't an actual burn, I wonder the odds of a fuse or something similar being blown in this supply and being replaceable. It is well out of warranty, so no worries about opening it up.

Disclaimer: Yes, power supplies can kill you if you don't know what you are doing, don't open them.

Anyone have a supply fail from a single quick arc or heated connections? If so, did you rip open your supply and figure out what was wrong?

I have to say, looking at the soldering and other component layouts, I'm not surprised it's failed. These supplies have some VERY crappy solder joints and how they clip/grind them down is pretty terrible. I should take a picture and post so people see what they have inside here.
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JustAnEngineer
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Re: Silverstone SF-ST45SF Dead - Discolored 4pin CPU Power

Thu Feb 08, 2018 7:27 am

I've used just two Silverstone power supplies. A fairly new SX-800LTi and a three year old SX600-G. SeaSonic is my preferred PSU brand.

Here's what Jonny Guru thought of the ST455SF v3:
http://www.jonnyguru.com/modules.php?na ... y&reid=502
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Re: Silverstone SF-ST45SF Dead - Discolored 4pin CPU Power

Thu Feb 08, 2018 8:29 am

If there was a damaged or improperly crimped pin in the connector, the unwanted resistance would've caused heating, which would've led to contact damage/oxidation, which would've led to more resistance. Lather, rinse, repeat, and you eventually have a burned out connector. If that was the only problem, I'd be surprised if it killed the entire PSU though. Does the PSU at least attempt to power up (PSU fan spins)? Does this motherboard have a LED to indicate it is receiving juice over the main (ATX) power connector?

I've owned exactly one Silverstone PSU myself. The PSU fan whined when the system was idling or at low load (fan at minimum RPM); I'm guessing some sort of issue with the way they were controlling the fan RPM. This is exactly the time when you don't want your PSU to make noise, since everything else is quiet! I never bought another Silverstone PSU.
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Welch
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Re: Silverstone SF-ST45SF Dead - Discolored 4pin CPU Power

Thu Feb 08, 2018 3:20 pm

just brew it! wrote:
If there was a damaged or improperly crimped pin in the connector, the unwanted resistance would've caused heating, which would've led to contact damage/oxidation, which would've led to more resistance. Lather, rinse, repeat, and you eventually have a burned out connector. If that was the only problem, I'd be surprised if it killed the entire PSU though. Does the PSU at least attempt to power up (PSU fan spins)? Does this motherboard have a LED to indicate it is receiving juice over the main (ATX) power connector?

I've owned exactly one Silverstone PSU myself. The PSU fan whined when the system was idling or at low load (fan at minimum RPM); I'm guessing some sort of issue with the way they were controlling the fan RPM. This is exactly the time when you don't want your PSU to make noise, since everything else is quiet! I never bought another Silverstone PSU.


My thoughts exactly, a loose connection just making small arcs over time. But this machine was in since 2013! It was also up on a shelf as an HTPC type deal in an office. They claimed it went bad a few weeks ago after some power failures, they had removed the UPS from the system a few years ago without telling me, but it's not an office I do work for anymore.

I have used about a total of 6 silverstone, so this is the 3rd one to have some sort of issues. 2 of those three are the same model. They only have 2 wires going to the fan which is soldered on. Was going to do a transplant last night but decided I didn't want to play around with soldering and likely live capacitors at 5am and no coffee. :lol:

Johnny seems to have a newer version than I have of that supply, I notice quite a few thing are different. The components inside mine seem like decent quality, it is the solder jobs that I'm blown away by. The pictures of their 450 looks like gods work in comparison to mine! He did mention that Sirfa's solders have got much better over the years and his is from 2017? So I'd assume that the unit I have is also from them prior to learning to solder. I'll take some pics for sure and post up. Also, different brand fan in this unit.
"I think there is a world market for maybe five computers."
Thomas Watson, chairman of IBM, 1943

1600x | Strix B350-F | CM 240 Lite | 16GB 3200 | RX 580 8GB | 970 EVO | Corsair 400R | Seasonic X 850 | Corsair M95 / K90 | Sennheiser PC37x
 
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Re: Silverstone SF-ST45SF Dead - Discolored 4pin CPU Power

Thu Feb 08, 2018 4:00 pm

Ahh, OK. My guess is that the system was probably still running with the bad connector (via the remaining good pins), and surges associated with the power outages just put the PSU out of its misery.
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Re: Silverstone SF-ST45SF Dead - Discolored 4pin CPU Power

Thu Feb 08, 2018 6:11 pm

Welch wrote:

Anyone have a supply fail from a single quick arc or heated connections? If so, did you rip open your supply and figure out what was wrong?


The PSU didn't fail, but it did overheat and slag the EPS12V connector. Multiple people stated it was likely just a resistance issue, though I know the connector was solidly latched so it was unusual. Only warning was the burning plastic smell, because the PC kept running normally until I shut it down to investigate. :lol:

https://i.imgur.com/UR5N5yH.jpg
 
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Re: Silverstone SF-ST45SF Dead - Discolored 4pin CPU Power

Thu Feb 08, 2018 6:38 pm

IIRC the original Tyan dual Socket A boards were notorious for this too. They had the 4-pin ATX12V, but they also had a Molex for people with PSUs that lacked the 4-pin connector. The Molex tended to melt down.
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Re: Silverstone SF-ST45SF Dead - Discolored 4pin CPU Power

Thu Feb 08, 2018 8:40 pm

Welch wrote:
This is the third failure of some sort out of Silverstone power supplies. So first off I have to say I don't think I'd trust them anymore. Another failed similar, no boot issue, just nothing. Another started having a rattling fan after about 2 years of useage. They just don't seem up to snuff in the quality department. Sad really.


Very rare for me to recommend Corsair PSU's these days as their cheappies are just that cheap,and the one's worth buying are more expensive than Seasonic.
BUTT they do have a good 450 watt SFF reasonably priced-
http://www.corsair.com/en-ww/sf-series- ... sfx-psu-au
http://www.jonnyguru.com/modules.php?na ... y&reid=483
 
Welch
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Re: Silverstone SF-ST45SF Dead - Discolored 4pin CPU Power

Thu Feb 08, 2018 11:22 pm

I've been sort of a Corsair person for awhile.... except their mice. The have all sorts of issue with their Mice and scroll wheels that has me swearing their name every time I try to scroll my M95.

Out of well over 100 Corsair CX430 (ranging from original to revised version) I've only had 1 with an out of box failed FAN controller, and just a few weeks ago someone with a gaming rig I built had an original RM 750 die. Plug the supply in and it would blow the circuit. No burnt smell or anything, in the middle of an RMA for it now. Never had an HX or AX series die yet. I have been hardcore impressed with Seasonic, never had one fail yet, but I don't typically put nearly as many of them in systems as I probably should if they could be had for a decent price. My recent build included a Seasonic X 750 Gold, the thing is one hell of a solid build.
"I think there is a world market for maybe five computers."
Thomas Watson, chairman of IBM, 1943

1600x | Strix B350-F | CM 240 Lite | 16GB 3200 | RX 580 8GB | 970 EVO | Corsair 400R | Seasonic X 850 | Corsair M95 / K90 | Sennheiser PC37x

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