How long should a power supply last?

**Ward** · 12-30-2016, 05:30 PM

Is there any "average" length of time in hours of run time that a 3D printer power supply is likely to last?

Or is it totally unpredictable and totally random?

**ssayer** · 12-30-2016, 05:48 PM

This stuff is all made in China with metal du jour. So... go with the totally unpredictable and totally random...

**noiseboy72** · 12-31-2016, 05:41 AM

Depends also on how well it was specified in the first place. If it is under powered and getting hot, it's never going to last as long as one designed for the load and working within the optimum range.

Switch mode power supplies tend to go with a bang when they go, but can be fixed quite cheaply. It's just knowing what has gone bang and having the right test gear. Quite often it's more than one component that has gone, with a capacitor or similar going first, leading to a cascade of failures.

**Ward** · 12-31-2016, 10:59 AM

Thanks.

Is 1,200 hours of run time a lot for a 3D printer power supply?

**ssayer** · 12-31-2016, 04:27 PM

Mine has way over double that, but once again, I consider it luck of the draw... nothing more, nothing less.

**Ward** · 12-31-2016, 06:40 PM

Well, it "could" be that I bought a fairly inexpensive printer to begin with maybe?

I paid like $600 for my printer. If you paid much more, maybe you got a better quality unit to begin with. Possible.

**ssayer** · 12-31-2016, 08:28 PM

Over two years ago, I bought my Microcenter Powerspec 3D Pro. At the time, it was $799.99 and was certainly one of the cheapest printers that wasn't a kit. It's had it's share of repairs for sure but I considered it a steal at the time...

**Roxy** · 12-31-2016, 11:34 PM

Of course this is just personal opinion. But a power supply is just 'Electronics'. If it isn't being stressed past its specification, it should last 'indefinitely'. It shouldn't wear out. It should just plain work.

But... a lot of this stuff is made in China. And I can tell you, my personal experience with electronics from China is less than optimal.

**Todd-67** · 01-02-2017, 05:09 AM

From my experience at work with DC power supplies is if they work for the first few hours they are usually good to go for a while as long as they are not on the fringe load wise. Most of the failures we see show up in burn in. Bad soldier joints and or components.