One of the computers in our lab would randomly shut down (note: it wasn’t rebooting, just shutting off). I tested the RAM using multiple tests I got from the Ultimate Boot CD website which I used to create a boot USB stick with all kinds of troubleshooting PC utilities (very handy). Nothing came up in the RAM tests. It continued to shut down so I figured I’d replace the memory anyway and see if that helped. It still continued to shut off. I began reinstalling Windows XP (actually from a clone we have of the machine) and it shut off then too. I was about ready to swap out the hard drive when I noticed out of the corner of my eye that the fan on the machine’s power supply was not spinning as fast as it should. We have a bunch of these identical machines so I peeked at another one’s fan and it was spinning fast. It turns out that the power supply was shutting itself off once it would heat up enough, and that is why it would shut down. I wish I would have taken note of the color of the light on the box and whether it was flashing because that would have told me something according to Dell’s support site. I ordered a used power supply off Ebay for $25 as a replacement.
Computer Randomly Shuts Off Power Supply Issues on a Dell Optiplex GX520 (Small Form Factor)
Equipment:
- Dell Optiplex GX520
(Small Form Factor)
- Original Dell Power Supply Model H220P-01 Dell P/N: YD358
(CN-0YD358-47890-64S-4075)
- Replacement Model H275P-00 Dell P/N: TD570
(CN-0YD080-17972-616-0GES)
- ADDA Model AD0712MS-D70 cooling fan (original BAD power supply fan)
- Replacement 70x70x15mm fan
UPDATE: We had another (identical) Dell Optiplex GX520 start shutting off on us and the indicator light on the front panel was in fact flashing orange–indicating a power issue. I popped open the case and low and behold the power supply fan was not running. I did some more searching and found others who had this same issue on that particular model of Dell, which has a particular model of fan on the power supply: 70x70x15mm fan
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| ADDA Model AD0712MS-D70 DC Brushless 12V Fan |
For instructions on how to remove the power supply from this computer follow the instructions on my blog posting: How to Replace the Power Supply in a Dell Optiplex GX520.
For this second machine I just ordered a replacement 70x70x15mm fan
It is not the same brand but is physically the same size but is actually a 3-wire fan where the Dell has just a 2-wire one but the yellow wire is just an rpm monitor so it is unnecessary and is only an “output.”
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| Dell Power Supply, Dell P/N: YD358, Model H220P-01 |
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| New Part: CN-0YD080-17972-616-0GES, Old Part: CN-0YD358-47890-64S-4075 |
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| Replacement Power Supply Comparison |
I installed the replacement and it is all good, so far 🙂 I’ll update this if something changes.
Here are all my other Dell Computer Repair Postings:
- Computer Randomly Shuts Off Power Supply Issues on a Dell Optiplex GX520 (Small Form Factor) (this post)
- How to Replace the Power Supply Fan in a Dell Optiplex GX520
- Dell Optiplex 320 Will Not Boot or Go to Bios
- How to Replace the Memory in a Dell Latitude D830
- Dell Optiplex GX520 Randomly Shuts Off
- How to Replace the Power Supply in a Dell Optiplex GX520
- How to Fix a Striped Display on a Dell Optiplex 320
- How to Troubleshoot Dell Optiplex GX520 Power Supply Issues
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