How to Troubleshoot an HP ESP114 Power Supply
The power supply on a computer takes the high-current voltage provided by an electrical outlet and converts it to a weaker form that will run the various components inside the computer without burning them out. If your HP ESP114 power supply has stopped working properly you may notice that your machine no longer powers on, turns itself off intermittently or that some drives work while others don't. Before replacing the entire power supply or sending your computer in for repair, you can follow a series of simple troubleshooting steps to determine if the power supply is actually the cause of the problem.
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Instructions
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Power on your computer and place one hand behind the HP ESP114 power supply's fan on the back side of the computer case. Check to see if there is any air being blown by the fan and listen for any fan noise, which will both indicate the power supply is still receiving electricity. Turn off the computer.
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Remove the power cable from the current wall outlet it is plugged into and connect it to a different outlet to make sure the outlet isn't the cause of the problem. Replace the power cable entirely with a new one and plug it into the original wall outlet to find out if the cable was defective.
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3
Power on the computer and check to see if the problem still persists. Turn the computer off if you are still having problems and disconnect all of the cords from the back of the case. Set the computer down onto its right side on any nearby stable work surface. Unlock the left side panel from the computer by removing the two case screws on the back end of the case. Push down on the panel slightly and then slide it away from you to remove it from the case.
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Make a visual inspection of the HP ESP114 power supply, which will be located at the top left side of the case. Check to see if the power supply has sustained any obvious physical damage such as from spilled liquid or possibly falling out of the drive bay. Replace the power supply if there is any obvious physical damage.
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Check the connections of the IDE cable that run from the motherboard to the power supply. Make sure the connection is secure at both sides and hasn't slipped out. Replace the IDE cable with a new one if it has any obvious physical damage.
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Unplug the cord that runs from the HP ESP114 power supply to the hard drive. Turn on your digital multimeter and set it to the "DC" setting. Attach the power cable back into the power supply with the case still open. Press the computer's power button.
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Insert the multimeter's black probe into the black wire of the power supply cable you removed from the hard drive. Take the multimeter's red probe and plug it into the yellow wire of the power supply cable. Check the reading that appears on the digital multimeter's screen.
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Replace the power supply if the reading on the multimeter is lower than 11 or higher than 13.
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Tips & Warnings
Always ground yourself before opening your computer's case by tapping a large metal object that is firmly connected to the floor to avoid electrostatic discharge. The HP ESP114 is an 800 watt power supply. If you need to purchase a new power supply and are not able to get the same unit be sure to get one with the same wattage.
Do not touch any of the internal devices on your computer when it is powered on as the electric shock can both damage your computer and potentially cause you serious injury.
References
Resources
- Photo Credit HP
