Testing your Power Supply

In this article, we will go through the process of testing your power supply for power and if it is accepting a power on signal.

Please note, these steps are meant for PC Build Kits and home built PCs only.  If you purchased an NZXT BLD PC which is still under warranty, please reach out to our Customer Service team before continuing with this guide.

This test, also known as a Jumper Test or Paperclip Test involves jumping the Power On and Ground pins on your Power Supply's 24-pin ATX power cable.  To do this, you will need the following:

• A metal paperclip or stiff metal wire
• A pair of scissors, wire cutters, or side cutters (nippers)

Preparing the PC

To prepare the system, set the Power Supply switch to the O position and disconnect the power cable.  From here, you will need to remove both side panels from the PC.

• For many NZXT H series cases excluding the NZXT H1, you will need to remove a single retention screw holding the glass, as well as any retention screws on metal side panel as shown below.
• For the H710, there will be a release button in the top left of the case to release the metal side panel.
• For the H7 series of cases, both side panels are friction fit can be removed using the handle cutouts located at the rear of the PC.

Once these panels are removed, you will first need to disconnect the power supply from your motherboard and graphics card. Pictured below is where you would find power supply connectors on your motherboard. Each connector has an alligator clip on it that you would need to press down on in order to then pull out the connector.

Your graphics card will have a similar connector as well shown in the photo below but may have additional cables you would need to disconnect. Just like before there is an alligator clip you would need to press down on in order to remove the cable.

Making a Jumper

With the Power Supply disconnected from the system, we can now make the Jumper needed for this test.  Some power supplies may come with a jumper included out of the box, however for instances where a jumper is lost or not available you can easily make one using a paperclip or a length of stiff wire as mentioned above.

To create a Jumper using a Paperclip, cut the inner section of the paperclip loose using a pair of sharp scissors, wire cutters, or side cutters (nippers).  This will give you a U-shaped Jumper like what is shown below.

If there is any rubber coating on the paperclip, please strip the rubber coating before moving forward.

With the jumper in hand, orient the connector so that the retention clip is facing upwards and insert the jumper into the 4th and 5th pins as shown below.

With the jumper inserted, plug the power supply cable back into the power supply and make sure that if your Power Supply has a Zero RPM mode that it is disabled.  This feature may have one of many names and will be controlled by a switch next to the power switch.

• Quiet Mode
• Eco Mode
• Zero RPM Mode

For instructions on how to disable Zero RPM mode, please refer to your Power Supply user's manual.

With the power connected and any Zero RPM mode disabled, flip the switch on the Power supply to the I position.  From here you may hear the Power Supply fan spinning, however it is best to visually check that the fan is spinning on the system.  If the power supply is installed in a case, you may need to remove an air filter to get a clear view of the Power Supply unit and its fan.

If your Power Supply fan is spinning, this is a strong indicator that the Power Supply is receiving power and is receiving a power on signal, which can help rule out the Power Supply itself as a point of failure.

If your Power Supply fan is not spinning, this indicates that the Power Supply is either not receiving power or that it is unable to accept a power on signal.

With the test complete, turn off the power supply and disconnect the power cable, then follow up with your Customer Support agent with the results for further assistance.