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How hard is it to replace your Power Supply Unit?

PupnTaco

PupnTaco

macrumors regular
Original poster
May 29, 2007
143
0
As noted in a previous thread, I have a dying Power Mac G5 (dual 2 GHz). I'm wondering about the wisdom of trying to replace the power supply myself, if indeed that is the cause of my problems. The computer has been crashing a dozen times daily and cannot be rebooted unless you open the case & push the PMU reset button.... so I'm making an uneducated guess that it's the power supply that either needs cleaning or is getting ready to fail.

I see at this site (DT&T Service) they're selling replacement power supplies for $145.... and I found detailed instructions on how to disassemble the G5 here.

So, I could:
A) take the G5 to Apple and have them fix it for $1700 minimum
B) buy a new Mac Pro for $4800
or
C) roll the dice and spend $145 to see if I can fix it myself with the help of a friend who's handy with Apple hardware.

Worst-case scenario: I annihilate the G5, which feels like its on its way to dying anyway. Best-case: I can keep working without spending the money I don't have right now.

What would you do?
 
tyr2

tyr2

macrumors 6502a
May 6, 2006
826
217
Leeds, UK
Personally I'd try giving the power supply a good going over with a can of compressed air first. Get all the dust out of there that might be causing it to over heat.
 
6

65StangBoy

macrumors member
Dec 29, 2007
51
0
The G5 power supplies are a pain to replace. Since they're on the bottom of the machine EVERYTHING has to come out. Processors, logic board, yada yada. I've replaced the logic board, processors, power supply on a G5 once and I definately would not do it without having acces to the service manual.
 
PupnTaco

PupnTaco

macrumors regular
Original poster
May 29, 2007
143
0
As a follow-up, I didn't need to replace the power supply - just had to disassemble the case for it and remove all the clumps of dust that were blocking airflow through the unit.

Thanks to the service manual, I was able to do it pretty easily by myself and have resolved my kernel panic problem.
 
P

peejack

macrumors 6502a
Aug 7, 2007
700
0
tyr2 said:
Personally I'd try giving the power supply a good going over with a can of compressed air first. Get all the dust out of there that might be causing it to over heat.
Click to expand...

I have a question about compressed air actually lol.

I brought some and used it on a laptop and it actually looks like it makes it wet and crackles, is it suppose to do that??? :confused::eek:
 
Mindflux

Mindflux

macrumors 68000
Oct 20, 2007
1,987
1
Austin
peejack said:
I have a question about compressed air actually lol.

I brought some and used it on a laptop and it actually looks like it makes it wet and crackles, is it suppose to do that??? :confused::eek:
Click to expand...

It does if you dont hold the can upright.
 
C

captcurrent

macrumors newbie
Dec 15, 2008
9
1
DIY manual

I am in the middle of no where so shipping my Power PC to repair and back again is not cost effective.

I am 99% power supply died (machine doesn't come on anymore.. nada)

so I would like to replace PSU... I have played with powerbooks before so I am not uncomortable but would like to find some guides as to how to get the processors out

I have a G5 2.0 dual processor as I understand its a rev a since the processor cover is two pieces..

any ideas would be greatly appreciated


jason
 
OrangeSVTguy

OrangeSVTguy

macrumors 601
Sep 16, 2007
4,127
69
Northeastern Ohio
captcurrent said:
I am in the middle of no where so shipping my Power PC to repair and back again is not cost effective.

I am 99% power supply died (machine doesn't come on anymore.. nada)

so I would like to replace PSU... I have played with powerbooks before so I am not uncomortable but would like to find some guides as to how to get the processors out

I have a G5 2.0 dual processor as I understand its a rev a since the processor cover is two pieces..

any ideas would be greatly appreciated


jason
Click to expand...



Run your serial number in the Apple site to see if you fall under their PSU extension program. http://www.apple.com/support/powermac/powersupply/repairextension/

I have the Powermac G5 service manual. It's too large to upload it on here and I can't remember where I downloaded it but if you want it, I can email it to you. It's 6.5mb.
 
spinman08

spinman08

macrumors newbie
Apr 13, 2009
1
0
service manual

OrangeSVTguy said:
Run your serial number in the Apple site to see if you fall under their PSU extension program. http://www.apple.com/support/powermac/powersupply/repairextension/

I have the Powermac G5 service manual. It's too large to upload it on here and I can't remember where I downloaded it but if you want it, I can email it to you. It's 6.5mb.
Click to expand...

hey OrangeSVTguy

can you e-mail me a copy of the service manual? i have not been able to locate a copy online yet, i would appreciate your assistance.(@gmail.com)

thanks,
 
KevDiggity

KevDiggity

macrumors newbie
Oct 11, 2008
5
0
Los Gatos, CA
spinman08 said:
hey OrangeSVTguy

can you e-mail me a copy of the service manual? i have not been able to locate a copy online yet, i would appreciate your assistance.(@gmail.com)

thanks,
Click to expand...

Hey OrangeSVT guy or spinman08, could you hit me up with a copy of that manual, too? My power supply here at work just kicked the bucket, too, I believe . . . my e-mail is kevielumps at gmail.com

thanks!
 
Duff-Man

Duff-Man

Contributor
Dec 26, 2002
2,984
17
Albuquerque, NM
Duff-Man says....even if your s/n is not within the ones listed by Apple I would still call them as they may replace it free of charge anyway - they did with mine without much prodding at all and mine was about a year out of the range of machines supposedly affected....oh yeah!
 
A

Abidubi

macrumors 6502
Feb 13, 2009
329
0
Montreal
peejack said:
Oh right and I take it 1) you should hold it upright and 2) can that damage your comp?
Click to expand...

If you computer is on I am pretty sure that will kill it. If it was off I'm not sure. It evaporates in a second, but I don't know if there is residue left behind. I'm also not sure if it is conductive. Also, it being a laptop (or anything with capacitors) it is always possible to short circuit it even when it is off if you get it in the wrong place. Gotta love capacitors. Never touch a power-supply's internals even if it is unplugged. Thats what all those warning stickers saying "Do not open. Shock hazard. Service technicians only." are about.
 
N

Nomad DJ

macrumors newbie
Apr 23, 2009
4
0
Pass along a copy?

Just had a PowerMac G5 psu fail here at work.

Can somebody pass along that guide to bryanlaraway at gmail?

thanks!
-B
 
vailance

vailance

macrumors member
Nov 29, 2008
34
0
MY
my g5 dual 2.3ghz early 2005 modal failed to start because of the psu somehow boom. took it out the psu(not easy if you do not have the long handled torx screwdriver - T10 at least 150mm long) , remove the both processor then remove the cover on top of the psu then voila, its out. throw away the huge psu pcb board dump in the normal 500w ATX psu, rewiring and re-pin the 24pin connectors and now my g5 is running fine.
 
gugucom

gugucom

macrumors 68020
May 21, 2009
2,136
2
Munich, Germany
For users in Europe I recommend Golytronic in Germany for PSU repairs. They are very experienced and quickly found out that mine was actually ok. In my case it turned out one CPU had died.

Lucky for me it was a 1,8 GHz and those can boot on one CPU if you remove the defective one. Anything higher than 1,8 GHz and you cannot use this simple diagnostic trick.
 
P

Paul22874234

macrumors newbie
Sep 21, 2009
1
0
G5 service manual

My power supply is dead, too. Can you e-mail me the service manual? Thanks!

SOLUTIONS atsymbol MCCLUNGCO period COM
 
G

GeneralAntilles

macrumors member
Jan 5, 2002
45
0
65StangBoy said:
The G5 power supplies are a pain to replace. Since they're on the bottom of the machine EVERYTHING has to come out. Processors, logic board, yada yada. I've replaced the logic board, processors, power supply on a G5 once and I definately would not do it without having acces to the service manual.
Click to expand...

Actually, only the CPU assembly should need to come out, but reseating that thing properly is a pain. I wouldn't recommend it for the faint of heart, but it's certainly doable.
 
OrangeSVTguy

OrangeSVTguy

macrumors 601
Sep 16, 2007
4,127
69
Northeastern Ohio
Hey everyone, if you still need that G5 Service manual, I have it. Sorry I never replied back to anyone.

So if you need it, just hit me up.

For the following models:
 

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Techhie

Techhie

macrumors 65816
Dec 7, 2008
1,160
0
The hub of stupidity
With limited knowledge, one could easily damage the liquid cooling inside of the G5 during an intensive repair like that if they weren't careful. If I were you, I would go to the Apple Store and ask for a quote to have it replaced, but I suspect that buying a new machine would be the better option. What you do with your money is your option, but it seems that just shelling out for the new Mac Pro now will make better financial sense than pumping money into a dying machine.
 
OrangeSVTguy

OrangeSVTguy

macrumors 601
Sep 16, 2007
4,127
69
Northeastern Ohio
Techhie said:
With limited knowledge, one could easily damage the liquid cooling inside of the G5 during an intensive repair like that if they weren't careful. If I were you, I would go to the Apple Store and ask for a quote to have it replaced, but I suspect that buying a new machine would be the better option. What you do with your money is your option, but it seems that just shelling out for the new Mac Pro now will make better financial sense than pumping money into a dying machine.
Click to expand...

Only the 2.5 and 2.7 models were liquid-cooled and besides the OP is over 1-1/2 years old :p. I think they moved on by now ;)
 
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