[SOLVED] My power supply GPU and Monitor leak power.

[ASPyr97]

I have a geek squad back up battery and two surge protectors. No matter how I have my monitor or power supply plugged in they leak a lot electro static energy.
Plugging things into my power supply doesn't cause them to leak power. But my power supply leaks power through its screws and parts of it's case. I've mitigated that issue. As long as nothing metal directly touches my power supply it's fine. I made sure nothing metal touches my power supply. But when I have my gpu plugged into my monitor my gpu leaks power. Even when my power supply is unplugged. My power supply has nothing to do with my monitor or gpu leaking power.
What do I do? How do I ground my gpu and or monitor? Again my power supply leaks power but that would hardly be a problem at all if I had plastic screws. The biggest problem is that my monitor leaks power independently of my power supply and it causes my gpu to leak power. How do I fix this? Surge protectors don't fix this.

 

[Eximo]

That sounds like a grounding problem. Everything's chassis SHOULD be connected together, that is what grounding is. Makes everything attached to ground equal, no voltage potential, no charge can move around.

Check the outlet you have things plugged into. But I would point fingers at the backup battery having something leaking inside. A leaky capacitor, or a poorly wrapped transformer could easily be getting/inducing some current in the chassis (Though, again, that should be grounded and it wouldn't be noticeable)

If your chair is isolated from the ground, you may actually be part of the problem. Anti-static floor mat might help solve the problem.

 

[ASPyr97]

That sounds like a grounding problem. Everything's chassis SHOULD be connected together, that is what grounding is. Makes everything attached to ground equal, no voltage potential, no charge can move around.

Check the outlet you have things plugged into. But I would point fingers at the backup battery having something leaking inside. A leaky capacitor, or a poorly wrapped transformer could easily be getting/inducing some current in the chassis (Though, again, that should be grounded and it wouldn't be noticeable)

If your chair is isolated from the ground, you may actually be part of the problem. Anti-static floor mat might help solve the problem.

Well the problem doesn't go away at all weather my pc or monitor is plugged into either of my surge protectors of directly into the wall or my battery backup. And my floor is concrete and my table is wood.

 

[ASPyr97]

That sounds like a grounding problem. Everything's chassis SHOULD be connected together, that is what grounding is. Makes everything attached to ground equal, no voltage potential, no charge can move around.

Check the outlet you have things plugged into. But I would point fingers at the backup battery having something leaking inside. A leaky capacitor, or a poorly wrapped transformer could easily be getting/inducing some current in the chassis (Though, again, that should be grounded and it wouldn't be noticeable)

If your chair is isolated from the ground, you may actually be part of the problem. Anti-static floor mat might help solve the problem.

Update: I still get zapped when everything is plugged into a surge protector that is switched off.

 

[Eximo]

Continuously, or just the one time?

Might need to raise the humidity in the room. Wood is a decent insulator, and a straight concrete floor might not be carrying enough moisture to act as a good ground. Could just be you building up static electricity and having no way to equalize the charge until you touch your grounded equipment.

 

[ASPyr97]

Continuously, or just the one time?

Might need to raise the humidity in the room. Wood is a decent insulator, and a straight concrete floor might not be carrying enough moisture to act as a good ground. Could just be you building up static electricity and having no way to equalize the charge until you touch your grounded equipment.

Continuously but mild. Like if you only have your finger on it less than a second it's hardly worse than a joy buzzer. Unlike my front door. After it rains my front door zaps you and it hurts. Sometimes it's the wood door sometimes it's the metal screen door sometimes it's both.

 

[Zerk2012]

Continuously but mild. Like if you only have your finger on it less than a second it's hardly worse than a joy buzzer. Unlike my front door. After it rains my front door zaps you and it hurts. Sometimes it's the wood door sometimes it's the metal screen door sometimes it's both.

You need a electrician.

 

[Eximo]

Agreed, something is definitely exposed somewhere. Or your ground rod has completely rotted away or become disconnected.

 

[ASPyr97]

Agreed, something is definitely exposed somewhere. Or your ground rod has completely rotted away or become disconnected.

Well I only have $500 to my name. And that is largely ear marked. and my dad is unlikely to agree to hire an electrician. Is there any kind of grounding thing I can get? Any kind of hdmi adapter or middle man device between my wall and pc to ground the power after it comes out of my wall?

 

[Eximo]

Not really.

Fairly serious problem to get current when things are wet, let alone what you are experiencing. You are risking all your computer equipment as well.

A cheap outlet tester picked up at a hardware store might help you narrow the problem down, or convince your dad something needs to be done.

 

[ex_bubblehead]

This is a safety issue, as in someone could potentially be killed. You need a certified electrician to take a look and make the necessary repairs immediately, if not sooner.

You're posting from Tombstone, which is rather apt considering the issue at hand.

 

[ASPyr97]

Not really.

Fairly serious problem to get current when things are wet, let alone what you are experiencing. You are risking all your computer equipment as well.

A cheap outlet tester picked up at a hardware store might help you narrow the problem down, or convince your dad something needs to be done.

It would cost thousands of dollars and I really need a job. <Mod Edit> it's just so hard to find one with a pathetic resume and when you live in the middle of nowhere. I'll be getting thousands of dollars in inheritance early next year. But I want to buy my first car. I don't want to spend it fixing my dad's house. I might have enough to do both. But I use my computer to look for jobs and my pc is my entire social life.

 

[ASPyr97]

This is a safety issue, as in someone could potentially be killed. You need a certified electrician to take a look and make the necessary repairs immediately, if not sooner.

You're posting from Tombstone, which is rather apt considering the issue at hand.

My dad never should have had his mom buy this house

 

[ex_bubblehead]

Electricity doesn't care one whit about those things. You have a potentially deadly situation with regard to proper grounding. Ignore it and you may not need that job or PC any longer.

And, an official warning. Watch your language in these forums.

 

[ASPyr97]

Electricity doesn't care one whit about those things. You have a potentially deadly situation with regard to proper grounding. Ignore it and you may not need that job or PC any longer.

And, an official warning. Watch your language in these forums.

My dad doesn't seem to care either. Or at least his pocket book does not.

 

[DSzymborski]

My dad doesn't seem to care either. Or at least his pocket book does not.

Have you actually told him there's a grounding issue?

 

[ASPyr97]

Have you actually told him there's a grounding issue?

He has been zapped by our front door multiple times. Also he says he's planning to hire an electrician at the end of next year

 

[ex_bubblehead]

He has been zapped by our front door multiple times. Also he says he's planning to hire an electrician at the end of next year

Being zapped by a door knob would be static, which is a completely different kettle of fish. Your reported issue is FAR more serious. Waiting until the end of next year is simply placing everyone that walks into that house in grave danger for the next year. It only takes 100 milliamps (0.1 Amps) across the heart to stop it. This could be achieved by a single D cell battery if conditions are just right. But, it's your house and your problem.

 

[ASPyr97]

Being zapped by a door knob would be static, which is a completely different kettle of fish. Your reported issue is FAR more serious. Waiting until the end of next year is simply placing everyone that walks into that house in grave danger for the next year. It only takes 100 milliamps (0.1 Amps) across the heart to stop it. This could be achieved by a single D cell battery if conditions are just right. But, it's your house and your problem.

When I say my has has been zapped I mean a zap that's a lot stronger and more painful than anything my pc ever did. When or front door zaps you it's always way worse than my pc at its worst.

 

[ASPyr97]

Being zapped by a door knob would be static, which is a completely different kettle of fish. Your reported issue is FAR more serious. Waiting until the end of next year is simply placing everyone that walks into that house in grave danger for the next year. It only takes 100 milliamps (0.1 Amps) across the heart to stop it. This could be achieved by a single D cell battery if conditions are just right. But, it's your house and your problem.

At least it's only a problem when our house is wet from the rain.

 

[DSzymborski]

When I say my has has been zapped I mean a zap that's a lot stronger and more painful than anything my pc ever did. When or front door zaps you it's always way worse than my pc at its worst.

If the electricity is a problem at the house, you haven't experienced the PC at its worst. Only at its worst so far. The worst is far worse than your doorknob can ever do.

In any case, what it comes down to is you likely have a serious, dangerous problem at your house and the only two outcomes are it's either fixed or it isn't, the latter with its very specific risks.

 

[ASPyr97]

If the electricity is a problem at the house, you haven't experienced the PC at its worst. Only at its worst so far. The worst is far worse than your doorknob can ever do.

In any case, what it comes down to is you likely have a serious, dangerous problem at your house and the only two outcomes are it's either fixed or it isn't, the latter with its very specific risks.

Well I basically solved the problem with my PC. I'm using an extension cord to have my pc plugged into an outlet on the other side of my room. That outlet seems to be fine. And my pc is fine now.

 

[InvalidError]

When I say my has has been zapped I mean a zap that's a lot stronger and more painful than anything my pc ever did. When or front door zaps you it's always way worse than my pc at its worst.

Your PC-zapping problem likely comes from lack of electrical ground in the outlet you were plugged into letting the PSUs' Y-class EMI filter caps leak current to ground with no ground connection to sink it into. The tingle itself is harmless and Y-rated capacitors are required for EMI filtering specifically for this type of safety reason. However, it is also a warning that you have no working safety ground in case AC mains shorts to ground somewhere in the PSU or any other AC-powered equipment connected to your PC.

The door bell issue on the other hand seems a lot more suspicious since those usually run on 24VAC which you shouldn't be able to feel. If the zap is much nastier than what you were getting from your PC, the door bell wiring may be shorted to mains somewhere.

At the very least, there definitely is a broken ground bond somewhere, possibly a floating neutral too.