You can buy AT powersupply testers. Beware, the cheaper ones just light an LED if there's any voltage at all present. This is not good if the voltage is high enough to destroy a motherboard. Better ones actually give you pass/fail on each different voltage. The typically have multiple connectors on them to work with different era power supplies, as the number of connectors and number of pins on the big connector have changed over the years. I think I have this one: amazon.com/Computer-PC-Tester-Connectors-Enclosure/dp/B076CLNPPK The present the minimum load possible to get the supply to run. For a load test, follow the recommendations of others on this list. Bill Dudley retired EE This email is free of malware because I run Linux. On Sat, Dec 28, 2019 at 10:06 AM John Heritage via vcf-midatlantic < vcf-midatlantic@lists.vcfed.org> wrote:
Hey folks,
I have a couple of old DOS/Win98 (OS/2) era systems that I came across, and they both have AT PSUs I want to check out before powering on for the first time.
I was thinking before powering on:
- Open the PSU - Air spray the PSU - Look for obvious signs of failure - capacitor leakage, burnt PCB, burnt components
If all looks OK - do these require a load, or can I at least test basic voltage with no load?
I do have heat resistors (used to balance out ATX PSUs for a 3D Printer) that I believe I can plug in on the 5V or 12V rails and test voltage there..
How much testing should I do / what do you recommend?
Thanks! John