Weird problem, anyone got any ideas....
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From: L.A.T. on 12 Feb 2010 02:42 "XR8 Sprintless" <xr8_sprint(a)hotmail.com> wrote in message news:0384bf21$0$1381$c3e8da3(a)news.astraweb.com... > On 12/02/2010 7:19 AM, idgat wrote: >> On Fri, 12 Feb 2010 00:27:47 +1000, XR8 Sprintless >> <xr8_sprint(a)hotmail.com> wrote: >> >>> I have a customer who I built an I7 - 920 system for which is giving >>> problems but only at his residence and does not fail in my workshop. >>> >>> The system is running an Intel BLKDX58S0 motherboard with 6gb Ram and a >>> Radeon 4850 Video Card. It is powered with a Gigabyte 550W Power Supply. >>> It has two Hard Drives in Raid and two DVD Drives. >>> >>> Basically the machine simply will not even turn on at his house whilst >>> it will turn on in the workshop without an issue. In fact I have turned >>> it off and on over 30 times today and it has not failed once. >>> >>> At his residence the machine will not turn on at all even with nothing >>> connected. I have checked his power supply which is running at 246V AC >>> whereas mine runs at 234V. The wiring is correct. >>> >>> I have swapped power supplies in an effort to resolve this issue but >>> that did not make any difference, the machine still would not turn on at >>> all. >>> >>> Anyone have any sensible suggestions as to what else I could check? >> >> Same power cord both locations? > > No, but I have had the machine running fine on two different circuits in > my workshop and on 3 different power supplies. Tried new power cable at > customers place and tested voltage at the end of the cable. >> >> Same result at different power points throughout customer's residence? > > Yep. Tried two points in different rooms. The house is brand new and > wiring tests fine. > Feel free to fall about laughing, but are you running it upright at his house and on its side on the bench? This happened to me a while back.
From: John G on 12 Feb 2010 02:52 On Fri, 12 Feb 2010 14:08:50 +1000, XR8 Sprintless <xr8_sprint(a)hotmail.com> wrote: >On 12/02/2010 7:38 AM, Doug Jewell wrote: > >> 246V shouldn't cause an issue - it is only 2.5% above 240V and a >> tolerance of +/-10% is acceptible on the mains. But if the PSU is >> designed for 220V as many are, it will be seeing a 12% over-voltage, >> which may be enough to shut it down. Have you tried swapping the PSU for >> a completely different brand? This would be what I consider the most >> likely issue. > >Ps designed for 230V Tried 3 different power supplies in the machine >which all work fine in the workshop but fail at customers house. > >> >> Another strong possibility is noisy power. You may be measuring 246V, >> but if there is a lot of noise on the line it may well be spiking >> several hundred volts higher, which would be sufficient to throw a PSU >> into error. Try a good quality power filter (not just a surge protector). > >Tried it through a UPS no difference will not turn on. > > >> Other possible causes (admittedly many of them clutching at straws, but >> they do happen): >> >> Check that active & neutral are wired the correct way. Easiest way is to >> measure voltage to ground. N-E should be 0V, A-E should be full 240V. >> (some meters may throw the earth-leakage switch, so be careful). If >> looking at a wall socket, Active is the left-hand hole. > >Used a CABAC tester which reports circuits wired correctly. > >> I assume when you measured the voltage you measured it at the point. Try >> measuring it at the end of the cord. I've seen faulty power cords before >> - did you use a different cord or the same cord when you tried at your >> place? Alternatively, perhaps it is a faulty power point / power board >> that isn't making good contact with the plug on the cord? > >Checked the power at the end of the cord. Tried different cords. > > >> You say you have tested with nothing connected - did you start with the >> computer, plug it into the wall then try starting it? or did you start >> with peripherals plugged in then one-by-one unplugging them? I've seen >> peripherals throw an error state that will stop the PSU starting, and it >> then needs to be disconnected from power for a while before it will >> start back. > >Tried with nothing connected first. Then tried new power supply same >result. Eventually got it to work but then it failed again next day. >It's now up to PS number 3 which all work fine in the workshop even >after 48 hours testing and multiple restarts. > > >> Good luck, and when you do solve it, please report back what you found. >> > >I will. I've just ordered another bigger PSU and a new board for it. I'm >completely out of ideas. Where- wot city are you in? There is something silly missing from this story. I don't know what it is yet but it muts be solvable. Get a variac and raise the voltage, that will prove that,Even though I do not think that is the problem. If you live in sydney maybe we could discuss it. If thats' the case I wil see how to contact you. PS I have a variac. John G. Wots your real problem?
From: Rod Speed on 12 Feb 2010 05:22 XR8 Sprintless wrote: > On 12/02/2010 12:41 AM, atec 77 wrote: >> XR8 Sprintless wrote: >>> I have a customer who I built an I7 - 920 system for which is giving >>> problems but only at his residence and does not fail in my workshop. >>> >>> The system is running an Intel BLKDX58S0 motherboard with 6gb Ram >>> and a Radeon 4850 Video Card. It is powered with a Gigabyte 550W >>> Power Supply. It has two Hard Drives in Raid and two DVD Drives. >>> >>> Basically the machine simply will not even turn on at his house >>> whilst it will turn on in the workshop without an issue. In fact I >>> have turned it off and on over 30 times today and it has not failed >>> once. At his residence the machine will not turn on at all even with >>> nothing connected. I have checked his power supply which is running >>> at 246V AC whereas mine runs at 234V. The wiring is correct. >>> >>> I have swapped power supplies in an effort to resolve this issue but >>> that did not make any difference, the machine still would not turn >>> on at all. >>> >>> Anyone have any sensible suggestions as to what else I could check? >>> >> Use a cheap ups to regulate the voltage , it's way to high and your >> getting effects from the switch mode having a pup > > Tried with a UPS same result. Are they known for their furious drunken grave dancing ?
From: Rod Speed on 12 Feb 2010 05:28 XR8 Sprintless wrote > Rod Speed wrote >> XR8 Sprintless wrote >>> I have a customer who I built an I7 - 920 system for which is giving >>> problems but only at his residence and does not fail in my workshop. >>> The system is running an Intel BLKDX58S0 motherboard with 6gb Ram >>> and a Radeon 4850 Video Card. It is powered with a Gigabyte 550W >>> Power Supply. It has two Hard Drives in Raid and two DVD Drives. >>> Basically the machine simply will not even turn on at his house >>> whilst it will turn on in the workshop without an issue. In fact I have turned it off and on over 30 times today and >>> it has not failed once. >>> At his residence the machine will not turn on at all even with nothing connected. I have checked his power supply >>> which is running at 246V >>> AC whereas mine runs at 234V. The wiring is correct. >>> I have swapped power supplies in an effort to resolve this issue but that did not make any difference, the machine >>> still would not turn on at all. >>> Anyone have any sensible suggestions as to what else I could check? >> Most likely you didnt check the wiring properly. > Used a Cabac tester supplied by an electrician that I know and the circuit tests fine. That doesnt test every possibility. >> Did you actually measure what happens inside the power supply when its turned on ? > No, it's a brand new replacement supply to try to resolve the issue. > Same result with 3 different power supplies now. Works fine in my workshop. Sure, but without the test I suggested, you cant eliminate the possibility that its something about the grounding etc that fools it on the short on the output. >> Bet you will find that it shuts down because it decides that there is a short on the power supply. >> Did you try it on more than one power point at his house ? > Yes. Then I bet its something about the grounding that is fooling the short detection. Since you get the same result with an UPS, I'd try with the ground wire cut in an extension cord with nothing plugged into the PC at all and fully insulated from any metal bench etc. Bet it does work fine in that config, and then you can move on from that to work out where the grounding problem is.
From: Rod Speed on 12 Feb 2010 05:30
XR8 Sprintless wrote: > On 12/02/2010 7:19 AM, idgat wrote: >> On Fri, 12 Feb 2010 00:27:47 +1000, XR8 Sprintless >> <xr8_sprint(a)hotmail.com> wrote: >> >>> I have a customer who I built an I7 - 920 system for which is giving >>> problems but only at his residence and does not fail in my workshop. >>> >>> The system is running an Intel BLKDX58S0 motherboard with 6gb Ram >>> and a Radeon 4850 Video Card. It is powered with a Gigabyte 550W >>> Power Supply. It has two Hard Drives in Raid and two DVD Drives. >>> >>> Basically the machine simply will not even turn on at his house >>> whilst it will turn on in the workshop without an issue. In fact I >>> have turned it off and on over 30 times today and it has not failed >>> once. At his residence the machine will not turn on at all even with >>> nothing connected. I have checked his power supply which is running >>> at 246V AC whereas mine runs at 234V. The wiring is correct. >>> >>> I have swapped power supplies in an effort to resolve this issue but >>> that did not make any difference, the machine still would not turn >>> on at all. >>> >>> Anyone have any sensible suggestions as to what else I could check? >> >> Same power cord both locations? > > No, but I have had the machine running fine on two different circuits > in my workshop and on 3 different power supplies. Tried new power > cable at customers place and tested voltage at the end of the cable. >> >> Same result at different power points throughout customer's >> residence? > > Yep. Tried two points in different rooms. The house is brand new Bet that is significant. > and wiring tests fine. Bet its actually got a grounding problem. The best check for that is an extension cord with the ground wire cut. Dont touch the case when trying that config. |