Symptoms of a bad power supply?

[tbodine]

Hi.

What are the common signs that a power supply is dead?

Are there fireworks? Or is the Mac just dead as a brick when you hit the power key -- no chime, no sad mac, no hum or whir? (I currently have a MacBrick.)

I'm trying to keep an older Mac (Performa 6320CD) alive for awhile. I think it's either the power supply or the ADB port. But I have no experience with dead power supplies. (Replaced the internal battery 2 years ago.

Thx,
Tom

 

[MacsRgr8]

Other way around: If the power supply is defective, the Mac will be like a brick.
I have suported quite a few Performa 6320s a couple of years ago, and once they hit the 3 years age, with daily use, many power supplies became defective.
Usually no fireworks at all. But most of the time I could smell a faint "burnt" smell on the power unit.
Also on the back, there is a small on/off button. If the back of the Performa is facing you, then the button is located all the way on the right. It's white, and more a "bubble" than a switch, if ya know what I mean. You can try to startup the Mac with that, to make sure it's not an ADB related problem.

 

[tbodine]

Thanks! That helps pin it down.

Since you have been down this road, do you have any advice on the procedure to replace the power supply?

I see there are many similar models of Performa / PowerMac that share this form factor. Seems the processor or clock speed was the main difference among them. Do you think a power supply for any of the similar machines will do the job?

Thanks again!
Tom

 

[MacsRgr8]

You're welcome.
From what I remember, we did replace (once in a while, if we didn't have another 6320 to rip apart) that power supply by a 6300 or 6200 one.
I recall it was quite a bit of a hassle to replace it though. Once you have done a couple, it becomes routine though... so it wasn't too difficult.