> On Oct 17, 5:08 pm, [email protected] wrote: >>> You guys will think I'm nuts but here goes. My Quicksilver 2002 has a >>> smell coming out of it. It doesn't smell like it's burning but it's >>> definitely not normal. I've cleaned it with canned air and vacuumed it >>> and I'm using it now. The smell is there but I can't find anything >>> hot, I don't see any smoke. It's coming straight out of the exhaust >>> fan. Right now I'm running it with the case open so I can keep an eye >>> on it. Any ideas as to what it could be? >> >> Bad caps in the PSU. >> >> Alas, these are not easily replaced. >> >> Replacements, when available, are usually rated 85 C, whereas the >> originals are usually rated 105 C. >
On Oct 17, 2011, at 5:21 PM, cheryl wrote: > What is the PSU and where is it located in the machine? I'm not a > techie, sorry! (Rearranging posts so they avoid the confusion caused by top-posting a bottom-post earlier reply.) The PSU (power supply unit) in your Quicksilver is the big rectangular box with wires coming out of the front and a fan in the back that sits in the top rear corner of the minitower. While it may be possible that "bad caps" (bad capacitors) may be the culprits, it's more likely that one or more components other than capacitors have overheated and melted insulation. It takes a very long time for the odor to dissipate, even after you've irrigated your nasal passages and even after days or weeks have passed. That's why an up-close sniff test is a very good way to detect overheated electronics even months after the overheat incident. The odor you're smelling indicates something has gone wrong with your power supply internally or in some of the wiring that comes out of it. It may be nothing more than a wire whose plastic insulation has shorted to the case. Or it may be something more serious. Running your QS with the door open, however, almost guarantees overheating and possible damage to the processor, Why? Because the case cooling fan and airflow inside the case are designed to extract heat from the components inside and exhaust it out the rear of the case. You can easily cause the processor to melt down by leaving the door down and thus crippling the efficiency of the heatsink by relying solely on convection cooling and the tiny little cpu cooling fan. If it were my QS I'd start looking for a new PSU. Jim Scott -- You received this message because you are a member of G-Group, a group for those using G3, G4, and G5 desktop Macs - with a particular focus on Power Macs. The list FAQ is at http://lowendmac.com/lists/g-list.shtml and our netiquette guide is at http://www.lowendmac.com/lists/netiquette.shtml To post to this group, send email to [email protected] For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/g3-5-list
