Exploding Power Supplies: Gigabyte & Newegg Dumping Unsellable Product

Summary

This video investigates the Gigabyte GP-P750GM and GPP-850GM power supplies, which have experienced catastrophic failures at alarming rates. Through extensive testing, the video reveals 50% of the units failed during overpower protection tests, with some components exploding under normal loads. The script discusses potential design flaws, inconsistent component quality, and the problematic bundling of these power supplies with RTX 30 series cards by Newegg. It concludes with a warning against purchasing these models and a critique of Newegg's handling of the situation.

Takeaways

• 😨 Gigabyte's GP-P750GM and closely related models had a significant number of catastrophic failures during testing, with 50% failing in an explosive manner.
• 🔌 The power supplies were acquired from Newegg and viewers, and several other failures were reported, including three blown fuses and a damaged Gigabyte RTX 3080 graphics card.
• 🛑 The testing revealed that the power supplies failed during overpower protection tests, suggesting issues with the protection circuitry and component quality.
• 🛍️ Newegg bundled these power supplies with RTX 30 series cards, making it difficult for customers to return the PSU without also returning the GPU, which was often sold out.
• 📉 User reviews on Newegg and Amazon indicate dissatisfaction and a high rate of reported failures, with many units being dead on arrival (DOA).
• 🔍 The teardown and analysis of the power supplies showed inconsistencies in components between units, suggesting potential silent fixes or component sourcing issues.
• 💥 Some of the MOSFETs from different vendors exploded during testing, indicating a possible design or manufacturing flaw affecting the power supply's ability to handle load.
• 👨‍🔧 The video suggests that better design and component selection could have prevented these failures, and that the protection circuits need improvement.
• 📊 A survey conducted by the reviewers found that a significant number of users reported their power supplies as unusable, with many failing in a way that rendered them completely non-functional.
• 🛑 The video concludes with a recommendation against purchasing or using these power supplies due to the high risk of failure and potential safety hazard.
• 🗑️ The situation highlights the issue of e-waste and the ethical concerns of selling known faulty products to customers in need of high-demand items like GPUs.

Q & A

What is the main issue with the Gigabyte GP-P750GM and GPP-850GM power supplies discussed in the video?

The main issue is catastrophic failure, with a significant number of these power supplies failing during testing, including explosive failures and failures under normal workloads.

How many power supply units were tested in total, and what percentage of them failed catastrophically?

Over 10 units were tested, with approximately 50% of them failing catastrophically during or after overpower protection testing.

What was the failure rate reported by users in the survey conducted by the video creators?

16 out of the 209 users reported that their power supplies failed in a way that rendered them unusable.

What was the purpose of the endurance test conducted on the power supplies?

The purpose of the endurance test was to see if the power supplies could handle continuous use over an extended period, simulating real-world usage.

How did Newegg handle the situation with the failing power supplies?

Newegg initially bundled these power supplies with RTX 30 series cards and later stopped accepting returns of the power supplies by themselves, requiring a return of the video card as well.

What is the recommended course of action for users who have one of these power supplies in their system?

The video suggests not buying or accepting these power supplies, and for those who already have them, to consider removing them from their systems and pursuing a refund from Newegg.

What components inside the power supplies were found to be different across units, suggesting potential inconsistency in manufacturing?

Different components, including MOSFETs and conductive polymer caps from various vendors, were found in units of the same model, indicating inconsistency in the power supplies' construction.

What was the response from Gigabyte regarding the use of the MOSFETs that failed during testing?

Gigabyte stood by their decision to use the MOSFETs, stating that the power supplies were designed with specific overpower protection ranges, although the testing showed that the actual trigger points exceeded these ranges.

What is the Over Power Protection (OPP) and why is it important in power supplies?

OPP is a safety feature designed to prevent damage to the power supply and connected components by shutting down the power supply when it is overloaded beyond a certain threshold. It is important for protecting against failures under excessive load.

What suggestions were made by the video creators regarding the design and component selection of the Gigabyte power supplies?

The video creators suggested that the protection circuitry needs improvement, and that better component selection could prevent the observed failures. They also agreed with the suggestion to lower the OPP and Over Current Protection (OCP) triggering points.

How did the video creators validate the findings of another power supply reviewer, Eris?

They replicated Eris's testing methodology and found similar failures in the power supplies, validating Eris's findings and suggesting a design or manufacturing issue with the power supplies.