[SOLVED] HDMI from PC to TV caused Sparks and Heat

[KENDAWG2000]

Hello tom'sHardware,
I have come with a problem that I have never seen before. Last Xmas I built my sister a simple but expandable computer consisting of:
This motherboard
This PSU
An AMD Ryzen 3 2200G
and the other basic components

So she had moved her room around while painting and disconnected the computer and all. When she reconnected it and plugged in the HDMI to her TV, it caused a fair bit of sparking and popping that not only burned the HDMI port but also blew the TV. While the HDMI port on the PC looks undamaged, the cord itself was visibly burned from the TV end where it sparked and really hot at both ends.

Trying a converter with an older monitor (HDMI to VGA), I did not get a signal but the converter itself did get fairly warm in the matter of seconds.
NOTE:
I did try different spots of the house to remove the possibility that it was the outlet or power strip itself.
Also the computer along with cable box and xbox had been previously plugged in to the TV with both the xbox and cable box already working fine before the computer plugged in.

My issue here is now trying to determine what component(s) in this system could be causing this issue. Any ideas?
Thanks!
-Ken

 

[Phaaze88]

Get a receptacle tester like this one to rule out wiring fault: https://www.amazon.com/Power-Gear-Receptacle-Indications-50542/dp/B002LZTKIA

 

[KENDAWG2000]

Get a receptacle tester like this one to rule out wiring fault: https://www.amazon.com/Power-Gear-Receptacle-Indications-50542/dp/B002LZTKIA

Should this make a big difference if I tested this on multiple outlets throughout the inside and outside of the household (yes I tested it outside). I also have computers running in my other room no problem.

 

[Phaaze88]

Should this make a big difference if I tested this on multiple outlets throughout the inside and outside of the household (yes I tested it outside). I also have computers running in my other room no problem.

It shouldn't matter, unless some sections of the house were added on later... but I'm no electrician. It wouldn't hurt to check.

If the wiring checks out fine, I'd then suspect the power supply.
Were any surge protectors being used?
Was a signal adapter in use at the time?

 

[KENDAWG2000]

It shouldn't matter, unless some sections of the house were added on later... but I'm no electrician. It wouldn't hurt to check.

If the wiring checks out fine, I'd then suspect the power supply.
Were any surge protectors being used?
Was a signal adapter in use at the time?

Yes it was used on a surge protector during the incident, but a fairly basic one with a little age, so we replaced it just in case but the issue was continuing to rise on the other outlets tested.
And at the time of the incident it was nothing but a straight HDMI being used and not just some random cheap one either.
I might just have to contact support about the PSU.

 

[Phaaze88]

You actually checked with a receptacle testing device, right?
Going around the home and just plugging into different outlets isn't nearly as thorough.

 

[Sukka]

I know this is old, but I searched for something. In case something like this happens: Don't mean to scare whoever searched and found this article (too much) but...

That's dangerous amount of power going wrong place there, I'd make sure to ground the case (or better, powerplant - making sure powerplant is tightly and thickly connected to case) to something physically grounded (i.e. to house warming system, kitchen metallic water pipe, maybe battery if waterheating, water-pipe) or such. Not just power-cord's grounding. Also, take care of yourself, don't touch on any grounding thing (water pipe to house in kitchen!) when testing. Ampere-meter / fuse(circuit breaker).

A friend had (in early 1990's) motherboard damaged by similair thing, it "kind of worked" and no program said about troubles but was a pain sometimes, random crashes every few days, random 1 second long lagspikes and such - I guess some capacitors were damaged though nothing showing with visual exam/programs. Still worth running test-program (like, 20 times) for every component...

 

[CountMike]

Do you have cable TV also connected to TV set ?