01-15-2014, 08:34 PM

I have a 2007 24 inch iMac that I recently bought, I loved it for the first hour and a half, then it made some interesting smells, and it no longer turns on. I took it apart and I can see the scorch marks on the power supply. I know that the power supply is bad, what I don't know is if there is anything else wrong caused by the power supply's melt down.

Basically I want to use clip leads to hook up a spare atx power supply to see if it works before I put the money down for a new power supply. The only issue is I need the pinout diagram for the cord that connects to the power supply, something that I can't seem to find. Does anyone know of a place to find such as thing?

I also was wondering if anyone knows of a place to get a replacement part for less than the current ebay prices (about 175 dollars) I paid very little for the iMac, so I wouldn't want to spend much on a part for it.

Also, this is my first post, so please let me know if I am doing something wrong! I will try to get pictures and model numbers up shortly.

01-15-2014, 08:44 PM

Originally Posted by Retsteel

...what I don't know is if there is anything else wrong caused by the power supply's melt down.

Many times power supplies just "konk-out"…without having/needing any other extenuating circumstances to have caused it.

Originally Posted by Retsteel

Basically I want to use clip leads to hook up a spare atx power supply to see if it works before I put the money down for a new power supply. The only issue is I need the pinout diagram for the cord that connects to the power supply, something that I can't seem to find. Does anyone know of a place to find such as thing?

With what you smelled…I can almost guarantee you it's the power supply. Not really any need to confirm.

Originally Posted by Retsteel

I also was wondering if anyone knows of a place to get a replacement part for less than the current ebay prices (about 175 dollars) I paid very little for the iMac, so I wouldn't want to spend much on a part for it.

Give powerbookmedic.com a try. Power supplies for these things do many times run $100+…so you may not save much.

- Nick

01-15-2014, 08:48 PM

My concern is based on my experience with power supply failures in pc's. I have seen them essentially "knock out" the motherboard (pc) and other components with whatever surge the failure created. I have 60 dollars into the machine, so I don't really want to spend much on a power supply unless I have confirmed that nothing else is wrecked.

I also thought of repairing the power supply, I do not know what the component is that fried but I can post a picture of my fried board, and a similar non fried one to see if anyone knows what the little troublemaker is.

01-15-2014, 09:00 PM

Originally Posted by Retsteel

I have 60 dollars into the machine, so I don't really want to spend much on a power supply unless I have confirmed that nothing else is wrecked.

A 2007 24" iMac is worth a heck of a lot more than $60 bucks (a great price)…so I wouldn't be to concerned about spending some money on a power supply. I'm pretty positive if you were buy a power supply from powerbookmedic.com they would let you return it if it didn't solve the issue. I've returned similar things to them.

Originally Posted by Retsteel

I also thought of repairing the power supply, I do not know what the component is that fried but I can post a picture of my fried board, and a similar non fried one to see if anyone knows what the little troublemaker is.

Always an interesting project. If you have no outward signs of failure on the components…it may be tough to identify the failed component. Which then means getting out the multi-meter.

- Nick

01-15-2014, 09:03 PM

Originally Posted by Retsteel

My concern is based on my experience with power supply failures in pc's. I have seen them essentially "knock out" the motherboard (pc) and other components with whatever surge the failure created.

There's really not much else inside of an iMac. You got the power supply & the motherboard/logic board, the ram, the fans, and the drives.

If it's not the power supply…then it's the logic board. And if it's the logic board…forgetaboutit! And like I said…that smell would only come from the power supply…probably wouldn't come from the logic board.

And if it was the logic board (good power supply)…then the computer would probably at least try to startup (some power indication). Bad power supply means absolutely "no life" when pressing the power button.

- Nick

01-15-2014, 09:16 PM

yeah, my worry is that it is both the power supply and the logic board. Anyways, here is the issue on the power supply, or at least the visible one.

the picture of a good part is from a different part of the psu, it looks just like what the part that originally was here did (from what I could see on the internet)


edit: those pictures didn't attach, I shall upload them elsewhere and link here.

01-15-2014, 09:19 PM

Originally Posted by Retsteel

yeah, my worry is that it is both the power supply and the logic board.

Unless you experienced something like a thunderstorm or a power spike…I doubt both would "crap-out" at the exact same time.

- Nick

01-15-2014, 09:21 PM

my thinking is that the psu would create a surge and kill the logic board... anyways, pictures! (excuse the foot)

01-31-2014, 06:09 PM

I figured I should conclude this by saying that I ended up ordering a new power supply from MacPalace.com which came quickly and works well, it was also a lot cheaper than the used ones on ebay, and it appeared to be new. My mac came with the power supply model number 661-4478, I ordered a 661-4422 to replace it because it was cheaper and apple said that they were interchangeable. I can confirm that, in my case, this is true, I am now typing this on a functioning iMac.

01-31-2014, 06:15 PM

Originally Posted by Retsteel

I figured I should conclude this by saying that I ended up ordering a new power supply from MacPalace.com which came quickly and works well, it was also a lot cheaper than the used ones on ebay, and it appeared to be new. My mac came with the power supply model number 661-4478, I ordered a 661-4422 to replace it because it was cheaper and apple said that they were interchangeable. I can confirm that, in my case, this is true, I am now typing this on a functioning iMac.

Hey...hey...hey...awesome! Nice job getting it going!

Thanks for a conclusion (happy-ending) to the story.

- Nick