If you are confused about What to do with an old power supply, then you are in the right place.
After researching a lot, I came to know that I can do different things with my old power supply, and here in this article, I am going to state all the things you can do with an old PSU.
So, What Can You Do with an Old PSU?
If you have an old PSU in perfect condition, you can use it for a new PC building (if it’s enough to supply the required power). Moreover, you can also use its components like a metal case, IEC connector, power switch, fan, and wires anywhere else.
After getting the short answer, you probably wonder how to use the parts of your old power supply; this is explained below, so keep reading this article until the end.
8 Uses For Old PC PSU
There are various things you can do with an old power supply, and here in this section, we will check out what you can do with an old PSU. So, let’s explore this-
New PC Build
You can use the old power supply for the new PC building.
But, before using the old PSU for a new building, you have to calculate the power requirement of your new PC components.
If the required power is lesser than the existing power of your PSU, then you can definitely use the old PSU for a new building.
Screws
The PSUs come with different types of screws like hexagonal 6-32 threaded screws, 3.5-inch screws for hard disk, expansion cards, and the M3- 0.50 screws for the motherboard optical drives.
You can pick all the screws from your old PSU and use them anywhere because most of these screws are available in standard sizes and can be used in anything.
Metal
You can also use the metal for anything because it’s metal and has an iron core inside. I have seen one of my friends use this metal to create a techie shelf.
So, you can create this kind of shelf; otherwise, you can also sell this to someone.
Wires
Every power supply has different sets of cables like the four-pin or eight-pin wires; however, it’s also possible that your eight-pin cable can be split into two segments. Moreover, it also has a 24-pin ATX connector.
Most of the time, it’s seen that the wires are not broken, so you can keep all the PSU wires and use those somewhere else.
Switch
The power supply switch is located at the back of the desktop computer power supply units and is renowned as a PSU voltage switch.
Most power supplies come with this voltage switch nowadays, but if your old PSU comes with this kind of switch, then with a few stuttering skills, you can pick the switch easily and later use this for some button box or something else.
Fan
The Power Supply fan is another thing that can be used somewhere else.
If you are building a PC for testing or experimental purposes, you can definitely use the fan you picked up from your old power supply.
Making Different Things
Old computer power supplies are an excellent source for radio gear, chargers, or items requiring a 12-volt source.
Moreover, these power supplies help construct different things because these PSUs have multiple 12 & 5-volt outputs.
PCB
Circuit boards are always used to support and connect electrical components mechanically. So, if your old PSU’s printed circuit board is in good condition, then you can use this for different other purposes.
Besides these, you can do several other things with your old power supply, like using it for testing or other purposes.
Is It Safe to Use An Old PSU?
Yes! It’s 100% safe to use an old power supply because PSUs are one of the most durable components inside PC systems.
If the old power supply meets your power needs and has all the connections that you may require, then you can use the old PSU.
Before using the old power supply inside the PC system, we need to take care of some important things like- Whether the power supply has sufficient power or not and the brand of the old PSU.
If you are unsure about the necessary power, then online PSU calculators will tell you the required power of your new components.
Secondly, you have to check whether the old PSU belongs to a reputed brand or not. Corsair, Cooler Master, Antec, EVGA, MSI, Thermaltake, and Seasonic are some popular PSU brands.
If the old PSU is from a recognized brand and meets your power needs, then you can use it.
There are only two reasons that come to mind when you are not going to use the power supply-
Firstly, if the PSU already has the causing problems (In this case, you should have to use the new PSU).
Secondly, if the PSU is not sufficiently large (wattage rating plus room for future growth) to handle the task, it will be used.
Except for these two reasons, the old PSUs are 100% safe for new PC systems.
Also Read: Can PSU Cables Go Bad?
Can Old PSU Damage Components?
No old PSUs never damage PC components unless it’s a cheap power supply or it goes bad. If it goes bad, it will definitely take other components with it.
On the other hand, a cheap power supply doesn’t come with an exact current/ voltage/power protection; therefore, under-voltage and short circuit protection can damage your system components like- the motherboard, RAM, etc.
That’s why expert PC builders always recommend using a power supply from a reputable brand. A reputable company always puts extra effort into OVP/ OCP and getting properly working filtering capacitors that don’t allow the PSU to kill other components.
There is a very slim chance that a PSU made by a reputable company will destroy the other system components. It’s not impossible but very far from likely.
Also Read: Can PSU Cause Stuttering?
Where Can I Sell Old PSU?
There are different online markets where you can sell your old power supply if it is in good condition. Here I have mentioned the three most popular places-
- Reddit.com/r/hardwareswap/– Generally, Reddit is an online forum website, and the link is a marketplace community where you can buy, sell or trade any PC hardware. So, you can sell your old Power Supply here.
- Facebook Groups: Facebook groups are an excellent platform for buying and selling products. If you search, you will get different Facebook groups about PC hardware, just join those groups and share some specs & images of your PSU. Most probably, you will get the client in this type of group.
- eBay: eBay is a classic eCommerce marketplace where you can buy and sell products. So, it can be an incredible platform for trading PC parts online. But selling products on eBay is difficult; you have to build established seller ratings.
These are some online platforms where you can sell your old power supply besides these platforms, you can also sell these types of PSUs to your friends who are passionate about PC building.
What To Do with Broken PSU?
If you have a broken or faulty PSU, then you can’t use it for future PC building, so what can you do with this type of PSU?
The only thing you can do with these types of PSUs picks all the PSU parts and use them elsewhere.
A PSU is formed with different components like metal, wires, fan, switch, and PCB. You can pick all these parts and use it according to your requirement and convenience.
Final Thoughts
Based on all the facts, it’s clear that the old PSU doesn’t indicate that it is damaged, and you can use it for many purposes, including for the new PC building.
I hope this article is helpful for you and if you want to know more about the Power Supply, Motherboards, CPU, and other PC components, keep following this blog regularly.
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