The high humidity is preventing me from powering on my PC...
The high humidity is preventing me from powering on my PC...
I've been dealing with this puzzling problem for several months. To explain, my computer sometimes fails to power on, but when I bring it to a store and plug it in, it works fine. It doesn't work at any other outlet at home, even if connected to a UPS or otherwise. This changed today (details later). The PC is stable during gaming and normal use, so no major issues were found. After replacing the PSU, the problem vanished—except it returned months later. I learned about humidity's impact on computers. I tested this by using a thermometer/humidity meter. Today, the room had 84% humidity, and the PC still wouldn't turn on. Then I moved it to another room, plugged it in, and turned on the AC. After lowering the humidity to 79%, it finally worked! What’s happening? How can I get this PC to start without the AC?
Check the environmental ratings for your PSU, including temperature and humidity limits. Note how the humidity level changes with temperature—like 80% at 50°F versus 80% at 90°F. Consider other factors in the air, such as Florida’s salty humidity which can lead to corrosion.
I own a brand new Seasonic 650W unit. I encountered an issue with a Silverstone and initially assumed it was related to the PSU. However, the same problem persists. Should I place silica gel packets inside the case?
Not sure about the environmental ratings but this is what I have ( https://seasonic.com/focus-gx#specification ) I also had the same issue with a SilverStone PSU. The temps are mostly 29C to 32C at 65% to 80+% RH. I live in the Philippines so i"m not sure about what is in our humid air but I'm pretty far off from the sea. I have two other laptops at home that don't have these problems. The desktop shares the same circuit as a router, modem, printer and the monitor, and they don't show any of these issues.
Rainforest weather isn't ideal for PCs. It seems the extreme heat and moisture might allow tiny water particles to enter and cause short circuits. Dry the machine using an air duster or hair dryer before powering it up.
The operating temperature range is between 0-40°C, and the fan has a rating of 50,000 hours at 40°C with humidity levels from 15% to 65%. It seems you should be fine there. If you plan to use it without a fan, consider disabling that feature. Otherwise, look into your BIOS for any environmental settings you might need. I haven't encountered this before and I'm running low on ideas.
I also have a tiny desk fan, but positioning it is challenging because the desk sits in a shared space. I’m thinking about buying a compact air purifier instead.