The PC stopped working when I hit my table?
The PC stopped working when I hit my table?
When someone experiences shock, immediate response is essential. A non-tripping breaker might point to an underlying issue that could be dangerous. The key factor is the current flow, and numerous online resources address electrical shocks. Low voltage or amperage isn’t the main concern; a multimeter can help diagnose problems. However, not everyone possesses a multimeter or the skills to use it correctly. Some electricians I’ve encountered lack proper training, qualifications, or adherence to electrical standards. Electricity naturally seeks ground paths—through wires, conductive materials, and the human body (often water). At least we hope our home breakers and outlets remain safe. I’d be pleased if the problem were a faulty power supply or something easily resolvable without harming anyone.
I don't have any disagreement about your views on electricity, but getting shocked definitely means either high line voltage or it's not safe at all. 120v or 240v isn't just a shock—it's a serious matter now. I'm never going to touch that again. When you're hit with such high current, you definitely don't want to interact with that item.
It's nearly impossible for the case to remain fully live. The power supply would need to be internally shorted to its housing and then connected to the PC case. The components inside a PSU aren't designed to handle large fault currents like those from a live PC, which would cause it to fail.
Another point: everything is linked to the PC chassis—motherboard, GPU, I/O, peripherals, etc. While the motherboard stays on isolated sections of the board, that small section would quickly overheat and burn out. Any cards or interfaces touching the case would absorb the full current, damaging all components, including the motherboard itself. If the voltage were through the GPU and into the PCIe slot, it could fry everything.
Multimeters can be intimidating if you're new to them, but there are plenty of YouTube tutorials. Also, since accuracy isn't critical here, a basic, inexpensive one would suffice. A cheap $5 model is more than enough for everyday use and basic tasks.
So, in short, I understand your concerns, but the chances of it being line voltage are extremely low.
The situation doesn’t have to be completely live at 120 volts or 240 volts.
It’s not about the voltage itself—whether it’s line voltage or anything else.
What matters is the current.
For reference:
https://www.thespruce.com/amperage-not-v...ls-1152476
https://www.allaboutcircuits.com/textboo...rent-path/
https://immersivelabz.com/ohms-law-...m's law, current,voltage that can kill humans
It’s easy to locate other similar resources.
The route the current takes isn’t limited to just inside a computer; it could originate from another device and move through various connections—audio, video, network, or electrical pathways—a simple short circuit.
If my computer case (or any other device) shocks me, it means current is flowing toward ground.
Initially, the amount of current might not be enough to cause serious harm.
But if I’m unlucky, higher currents could trip a fuse, switch off a breaker, or quickly damage something along the way (besides me), cutting off the flow.
And if I’m unlucky...
From the link above:
“According to Ohm’s law, current and voltage are directly related; as voltage rises, so does current. There’s a misconception. Many think a high voltage is necessary for a fatal shock. But it’s the current that can be lethal. A 60-volt current can kill a person. We think 10,000 volts is more dangerous than 100 volts. This isn’t fully accurate. Most shocks happen from household voltages around 110 volts or sometimes even 42 volts! A mere 10 mA can be enough to harm us.”
I understand that amps can pose greater risks than voltage, and this wasn't the main focus of your original message. If the situation involves the OP's outlet, it should exceed 12v. My earlier comment was that I was in disagreement with you about the source being the outlet and suspecting a PSU issue. The person can verify the voltage on the PSU casing and the rest of the case. A reading around 12v plus or minus a few volts suggests an exposed wire in the PSU. If it shows significantly higher than 12v, it likely indicates a faulty PSU or an unstable breaker connected to the outlet.
Thank you sir, I had it inspected and the tech guy confirmed that my PSU was faulty as well. He also mentioned that the PC case doesn’t work properly with electricity, which is why the PSU failed. The issue seems to be related to wiring in our house, but it’s already been fixed. I appreciate everyone for their time and responses. Now I just need a new PSU to test everything again and hope everything works fine once more 😅