Computer Randomly Shuts Off Power Supply Issues on a Dell Optiplex GX520 (Small Form Factor)

Dell Optiplex GX520 Randomly Shuts Off
Dell Optiplex GX520 Randomly Shuts Off

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:

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.

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.”

Dell Power Supply, Dell P/N: YD358, Model H220P-01
The replacement power supply came in and it was the same side, although a different model number:
New Part: CN-0YD080-17972-616-0GES, Old Part: CN-0YD358-47890-64S-4075
It turns out that the original power supply is rated at 220 Watts and the new one is 275 Watts.  Since the new has a higher wattage it won’t matter because they are the same size:
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:

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