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How to Check Power Supply Condition with the Way-Jumper Method

This blog post aims to guide you through a simple yet effective method to check the condition of your PC power supply unit (PSU) using the Way-Jumper technique. This method is useful when you suspect that your PSU might be faulty but don't want to spend money on an expensive power supply tester or multimeter.

What You Will Need

  1. A fully-assembled PC with a suspected faulty power supply unit (PSU)
  2. A jumper cable or paper clip
  3. A known good working monitor and keyboard

Procedure

Step 1: Ensure your PC is unplugged from the power outlet to prevent any accidental startups during the testing process.

Step 2: Identify the power supply status indicator lights on the PSU, typically located near the fan or at the back of the unit. These lights usually indicate different power rails such as +5V, +3.3V, +12V, and -12V. The number and color of these LEDs may vary depending on the manufacturer.

Step 3: Locate the Shorting Points or Jumper Pads for testing on your PSU. These are usually found near the power supply indicator lights. There will typically be two groups of shorting pins – one for each rail. In most cases, you'll find these groups labeled as 'Shorting Point 1,' 'Shorting Point 2,' and so forth.

Step 4: Carefully connect a jumper cable or paper clip between the first shorting point and the second shorting point of the power rail you wish to test. Be cautious not to touch any other component on the PSU while performing this step.

Step 5: While holding the jumper cable or paper clip in place, connect the known good monitor to your PC and turn it on using the keyboard. Observe whether the indicator light for the power rail you are testing turns on during startup.

Step 6: Repeat steps 4-5 for all other power rails until you have tested them all. If a power rail fails to illuminate its corresponding LED, it indicates that there might be an issue with the power supply unit and should be further investigated.

By following these simple steps, you can determine if your PSU is functioning correctly or needs replacement without requiring any advanced equipment. Remember always to prioritize safety during this process.

Published August, 2016