The signs of a PSU overload depend on theamount of loadit is on.
Besides these, you might also come acrossblue screen errorsor get stuck inboot loops. In rare cases, pushing the PSU too hard could even fry it up.
PSU Shuts Down or Restarts Randomly
Modern power suppliesare generally equipped with an important safety feature known asOverPowerProtection.
Whenever your system’s power demand exceeds the capacity of the power supply, the OPP triggers and your power supplyshuts down.
On the other hand, a PSU lacking the OverPowerProtection feature will causefrequent system restartsandcrashes.
These issues are sometimes accompanied by theflashing screenand blue screen errorstoo.
You might also get stuck in aboot loopif the power requirement is extremely high during the startup.
Still, there won’t be anissue turning on your PC, even with anunderpowered PSU.
PSU Overheats and Starts Making Abnormal Noises
Typically thePSU shuts downor restarts when it’s overloaded. But things are different if the system’s power requirement just comesclose to or equal tothe PSU’s maximum capacity.
As the power supply has to pull out more and more power to meet the system’s demand, theefficiency of a PSUgradually decreases.
That is to say, the power wastage gets higher andresults in overheating.
To cool it down, thePSU fans start spinningat a higher speed. If you have quieter rooms, you may hear abuzzing soundcoming out of your PSU.
And in extreme cases of overloading, it might even start makingclicking noises. These signs are telling you that yourPSU is under stress.
You Get a Burning Smell From Your PSU
Getting a burning smell from a power supply is a nightmare for any PC user.
While a decentPSU from a reliable brandis likely to have fail-safe mechanisms, such as theOPPfeature or afuse/dedicated circuit, to prevent damage during overload, cheaper and low-quality PSUs lack these safety measures.
They keep supplying power to your system going beyond their rated capacity. And when this happens, the electronic components inside the PSUstart to heat up.
This not only causes a burning smell but also increases therisk of PSU getting damagedor frying.
As the burning smell points towards a hazardous situation that could even lead to the entire system exploding, you should immediatelypull out the PSU’s power cordto be on the safe side.
