So to my horror my pic froze and then I could smell a chemical burning smell and smoke started pouring directly out of the psu. So i unplugged it and removed it from the pc. As far as I can see all the other components are not damaged however I'm not 100% because nothing like this has happened before. I also tested the psu with a paper clip and while the smoke had ceased I could still slightly smell the chemical burning smell. The psu is a storm 800w. Any help please on what happened and how I should check my other hardware (no other psu to hand)
Sounds like a defective capacitors, you're other components should be okay as long as the leaked electrolyte stayed in the PSU
Thank god for that
sounds like jjones95 nailed it. i'd have a quick look at the capacitors around where your CPU sits and see if any of them are swollen, there maybe the possibility that your PSU died due to capacitors on the Mobo slowly failing (slim but still a chance).
The tops of them should be flat, if the have a domed top it means that they have been getting hot and are swelling due to internal pressure.
Ok I'll check thanks
The caps are fine so hopefully I can slap a new psu in today