[Ham-Computers] Question about power supply in computer

Sun May 15 23:38:50 EDT 2005

Brian, 	

Close your eyes when you do this, it focuses more of your mental concentration
on the detection of, and location of, a scent. 	

I recently had in issue where a circuit board had some components overheat and
the smell was obvious, but visually it seemed fine to a person who looked at it.
If enough heat is generated, it can cause nearby plastic to melt. This has quite
an odor, depending on what chemicals are in the plastic and what component
overheated.    	

A circuit board and insulation around wires has quite a distinctive smell Brian,
if you have ever smelled it, you won't forget it! This smell often precedes an
electrical fire, so recognizing it quickly can save the item, even your life or
home! 	

Good luck OM. 		

Duane Fischer, W8DBF	
dfischer at usol.com	

----------
From: Brian K. Gaskamp <ka5bkg at sbcglobal.net>
To: Computers (or other) used for amateur radio, communications,  or
experimenting <ham-computers at mailman.qth.net>
Subject: Re: [Ham-Computers] Question about power supply in computer
Date: Sunday, May 15, 2005 11:21 PM

Duane no pets at all in her house. She hates cats!
Well I really didn't think about smelling for the odor myself, but will have
to do that.
She doesn't smoke and neither do I, so that should be easy to detect.

Brian

----- Original Message -----
From: "Duane B. Fischer, W8DBF" <dfischer at usol.com>
To: "Computers (or other) used for amateur radio, communications, or
experimenting" <ham-computers at mailman.qth.net>
Sent: Sunday, May 15, 2005 10:11 PM
Subject: Re: [Ham-Computers] Question about power supply in computer

> Brian,
>
> You bet! Has she got a Cat? Those things shed and the fans suck up the
hair and
> pack it around the cooling assembly. Take a look for a 'hair ball'! She
might
> have smelled that or it could be an electrical short.
>
> You did not say if 'you' smelled the odor?
>
> No offense intended here Brian, so do not take any. If you are a smoker,
this
> may not be effective. (I am totally blind and I quit cigarettes twenty
years
> ago. I know how things smell both ways! Smoking reduces the ability to
smell
> greatly, even if the smoker insists he/she can smell just fine. Used the
lie
> myself!) Sniff around the case Brian. Your nose may find what your eyes
can not!
>
>
> DBF
>
>
> ----------
> From: Brian K. Gaskamp <ka5bkg at sbcglobal.net>
> To: Computers (or other) used for amateur radio, communications,  or
> experimenting <ham-computers at mailman.qth.net>
> Subject: Re: [Ham-Computers] Question about power supply in computer
> Date: Sunday, May 15, 2005 10:25 PM
>
> Computer belongs to a friend of mine, who has used it the last 5 yrs
roughly
> without any problems.
> She was using it and trying to print out a card on her printer and she
said
> she had started smelling a smoky or burning smell abt 1 hour before that.
>
> For what its worth, its running Win 98.
>
> Is that enough to go on?
>
> Thanks,
> Brian
>
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Duane B. Fischer, W8DBF" <dfischer at usol.com>
> To: "Computers (or other) used for amateur radio, communications, or
> experimenting" <ham-computers at mailman.qth.net>
> Sent: Sunday, May 15, 2005 9:18 PM
> Subject: Re: [Ham-Computers] Question about power supply in computer
>
>
> > Brian,
> >
> > What you did not tell us:
> >
> > 1. Is this computer one you recently acquired?
> >
> > 2. If so, was it known to be operational at the time you got it?
> >
> > Before you conclude it is a failure of the power supply, consider a few
> other
> > possibilities. Such as an intermittent power cord or connector. Do you
> have a
> > continuity checker and/or VOM? if so, use them to do some checks.
> >
> > Let us see where you are at this point, before moving to other
> possibilities.
> >
> > DBF
> >
> >
> > ----------
> > From: Brian K. Gaskamp <ka5bkg at sbcglobal.net>
> > To: ham-computers at mailman.qth.net
> > Subject: [Ham-Computers] Question about power supply in computer
> > Date: Sunday, May 15, 2005 7:22 PM
> >
> > I have a computer over here that wont turn on, and when I plug it in the
> fan
> > turns briefly and then quits.
> > I'm guessing the power supply went out in it, but wanted some opinions.
> >
> > Or maybe what to look for.
> >
> > Thanks,
> > Brian
> >
> >
> > _______________________________________________
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>
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