A newly built device stops working because of static electricity, yet the reason remains unclear.
A newly built device stops working because of static electricity, yet the reason remains unclear.
I recently constructed a fractal terra. Except for a problem where helldivers would shut down the pc if the clock speed is set to default (once I lowered it to 2500mz from 2900 it remained stable), everything worked fine. Today I observed a problem when there was even a slight static charge; touching my case caused the monitor to turn off. The fans continued to spin and the lights stayed on. Also, if the system crashed while it was running, but I connected the HDMI directly into the motherboard it would restart. The GPU still couldn't display anything until a reboot, but the motherboard did. At the same time, if I applied a static shock when plugging in initially, it wouldn't crash—it would flicker but stay on.
I tested various power outlets and it didn’t work. Initially, using a grounded outlet seemed to help, but after repeated attempts it would shut down again every time. After removing the PSU from the case and touching the case without any PSU contact, it still crashed consistently. I took out a spare GPU and it seemed to resolve the issue at first, but now it behaves similarly. If there’s enough static shock, it might cause the screen to flicker, go black briefly, freeze the PC, or make specific apps (like AMD Adrenalin) flicker. After repeatedly rubbing my feet on the carpet, the screen went black once with the new GPU, but only once compared to the previous one, which would do it every time regardless of shock intensity.
Any suggestions on what to try? I’ve invested so many hours trying to get this working and it’s really frustrating now.
Welcome to the forums, newcomer!
asrock a620i
Is this link correct for your motherboard? If yes, what BIOS version are you using? Regarding the build, have you tried breadboarding it to check if poor airflow in the VRM is causing the problem?
I observed an issue when I had even a small static charge and touched my case—the monitor would shut off.
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I tested various outlets and it didn’t work. Initially, switching to a grounded outlet seemed to help, but after repeated attempts it would still shut down consistently.
You might want to move it to another wall outlet. If that doesn’t fix the problem, consider contacting a certified electrician to inspect your wiring and grounding.
After touching it repeatedly by rubbing my feet on the carpet, the screen went black once with the new GPU, but only once, unlike the previous GPU which caused this every time, no matter how slight the shock.
Yes, this suggests a grounding issue.
That's the correct board, version 3.10. I attempted an outlast from the panel that was just installed a few years ago, but it still caused the problem. Are you asking about removing the parts from the case? I removed the PSU and tried that method—touching the PSU separately from the case didn't cause a short. If the PSU is fixed into the case and I touch it directly, it shorts.
I also have another computer at home with a stronger GPU and CPU, and the one connected to the same outlet doesn't cause any problems, right?
I would do that, but at some stage I'd have to handle each part individually with shock, and I worry it might damage them.
Standard ATX power supplies are built to work with a mains safety earth connection. Should a significant fault occur inside an earthed PSU, the fault current will be safely directed to ground, triggering mains fuses or activating miniature circuit breakers.
Operating an ATX PSU without an earth and encountering a dangerous fault can result in a severe or fatal electric shock if you touch exposed metal components.
Furthermore, the Y-class capacitors within the ATX PSU are not earthed, which means the computer case may become energized at relatively high AC voltages compared to ground—potentially reaching up to half of the mains input (such as 55V AC on a 110V supply or 120V AC on a 240V supply).
This is not a static voltage; it arises from a capacitive divider formed by two Y-class capacitors, one linking the Line input to the chassis and the other connecting Neutral to the chassis. These capacitors restrict current flow to only a few milliAmps, but a slight buzzing sensation may occur if you brush your fingers across the PSU chassis. The connection point for this capacitor network is intentionally earthed, not left ungrounded.
Using a simple multimeter set to the 200V AC range can help verify this. Connect one probe to the PSU chassis when it’s not connected to a safety earth, and the other to the mains safety earth. You should observe several tens of Volts AC on the meter (at high impedance).
If you touch bare metal parts of the computer case or handle exposed metal connectors on cables such as HDMI or USB, a small current may flow through your body down to the floor. The same applies when handling bare metal plugs at the end of cables. You might be feeding several tens of Volts AC into circuits that are only designed for +5V DC signals. This can cause the computer to crash—simple enough.
Most issues likely stem from running an ATX PSU without a mains safety earth connection.
If you’re comfortable with risk, keep going as is. Alternatively, consider disabling the safety belt when driving—accidents happen to others, not to you.
I believed this might be true, but it also occurs when linked to a grounded outlet.
I went to work and applied it at the outlets here (definitely grounded), but the issue still exists. It seems to be related to the PC.