Chosen Solution
I’ve seen guides for replacing it, but it’s an expensive PSU specially if you’re not in the US (my case). I’ve read that most PSU problems are a capacitor or something silly that could be easily replaced without having to spend hundreds of dollars. Is it possible to repair the PSU I already have? Any ideas? Update Thanks everybody for your replies. I do not understand much of PSU, and was wondering if it was a matter of simply replacing specific parts, like the ones that are usually faulty, I thought that kind of knowledge would be good to have documented out there. But given the fact that it might be extremely dangerous, or excessively complicated, I now understand the reason the information is unavailable, and conform to the fact that I will have to replace it via Apple. On a tangent matter,the problem seems to me, that this sort of information is really not available even to certain technicians. I took the computer to an Apple Authorized Center and they told to replace the logic board. I still have the same problem and it really seems to be the PSU, but I can’t pinpoint the diagnostic.
Replacing components on logic boards is not a DIY project. Check out the tags on the right and you’ll see you need special tools, and lots and lots of practice to do this sort of work. You say you are outside the US. A good electronics/computer repair shop could possibly provide this service. If this Answer is helpful please remember to return and mark it Accepted.
I repair computers, but ‘repairing’ power supplies can be EXTREMELY DANGEROUS - and if you are not a certified ‘bench technician’, it may even be fatal. That’s because there are numerous high-voltage leads and components inside the power supply… leads and components that you DO NOT WANT TO TOUCH OR BRUSH AGAINST IN ANY FASHION, lest they accidentally discharge stored voltages directly into your person. This is not wise - do NOT attempt to ‘repair’ computer power supplies yourself - replace the entire supply? Sure, that’s relatively safe. But that the cover off and ‘repair’? That is about as poor an idea as attempting to take the cover off and ‘fix’ an old tube tv set (voltages from which can also kill a grown person). Good luck, and be safe whatever you do.
These particular PSUs fail because of bad factory work. They would need to have been properly flowed in the soldering process at factory. $@$* like this is what makes us lose faith in Apple. How can they dare ship MacPros with these dodgy PSUs, and won’t get them replaced, they’re so smart as to never ever let them die within the guarantee period. Then they suddenly fail. Almost always just after the period ended. $@$* PSUs, I guess Delta (the provider) is using monkeys in the soldering plant at their factory. And eBay sellers are just making a profit on selling replacement units that maybe are just refurbished units that will fail also given enough time. We gulp this and cope with this because of a brand’s undeserved reputation. It’s all been a money drain since Steve Jobs left us. Apple is no longer a winner game, it’s all bells and whistles but they don’t care about the power going to their MacPros. Please take the Pro nickname out, it’s not deserved. They put us through all this $@$*, this hoops because they want us to obligue and not use our 2008-2010 MacPros anymore, they need to make a profit from us, they need to get us to buy a new “umbrella-cube” 3k-4K machine just because. I hate those tactics. Btw, it’s all about the soldering quality from factory, the damned relay switch inside the PSUs, and/or the temp sensor &&^&^$^ with all the security settings for switching it off just because. No one wants to determine the real culprit because mos people are better off selling you a 200 or 300 bucks replacement. Technical progress has become only a money drain and a huge waste of otherwise repairable units. Obsolescence and customer-obliguing tactics are the norm. No one cares anymore and they just are waiting for us to shell out the cash for a psu which could probably be repaired for ten or twenty bucks. Welcome to never ending progress and never ending dissatisfaction.
1: The likelyhood of the belt delivered by the smoothing caps in one of these being fatal. is at best slim. as yet there have been NO recorded occurences. if its th USA model, that slim chance is even slimmer, as the USA uses a girly 120vac as oppose to our manly 240vac in the UK. The belt itself, is a discharge… i.e it exists transiently until the caps discharge…. about half a seond. once they are discharged, they are safe. What does it feel like? I can only speak for the 240vac version, and have this to say about it… IT HURTS LIKE A B!TCH!! Anyone with heart problems may want to re-evaluate thier decision to work on an undischarged unit.. DISCHARGING: to make-safe the unit it can be actively be discharged by the deft employment of the end of a sizable flat blade screwdriver, and shorting out the 2 terminals on each of the capcitors. A small ’tick’ noise will be heard the first time you discharge, the second time there will be no noise, this being your evidence of a completed discharge ALL OF THE ABOVE IS WRITTEN WITH THE ASSUMPTION THAT YOU HAVE ALREADY DISCONNECTED THE MAINS SUPPLY. NB there is a theoretical risk of damaging the capacitors during discharge, although I’ve never known it to happen. I have infront of me… one dead A1186 PSU, which I’ll repair tomorrow (is midnight right now) - I’ll post my answers/findings shortly after, HOWEVER, even without taking it apart, I can already tell that the fault on mine is on the 240vac inlet side (2 tests… test 1, there is a tiny white diag button on the logic board, dead centre behind the memory caseing. Press it, if you get no lights (next to button) at all, the ONLY conclusion you can rely on is it is 90% the 240vac inlet. Test 2, when plugging in the power cord, you should hear a small mains arc at the power cord socket…. if no sound, and no light from test 1, then it is 100% the 240vac side of the PSU (ie, youve just eliminated half the PSU)…. more to follow
I disagree with the notion that board repair is not a DIY job. Almost everything can be a DIY job if you’re willing to invest the time and money in buying the equipment and learning the trade. I am now competent in microsoldering after watching hours of youtube videos and purchasing some entry-level equipment. Yes, you will have to fumble through it to get good, but I hate it when people discourage others from trying, and dismissing it as professional only. At this time, I have this exact PSU torn apart on my bench, energized with an isolation transformer, and I’m tracing down a missing 5V signal on pin 3 of connector C. This can be done if you educate yourself and are safe. I came here looking for clues and all I got was a bunch of people saying that “you can’t”. I don’t believe in that. Just be safe and learn about the danger, and take your time.
