Potential problem with PSU but doesn't make much sense

hordesofkailas

Prominent
Nov 16, 2017
16
0
510
Ok, so this is a very weird problem. Some background first.

Build:
i7 8700k
GTX 1080Ti
Asus Maximus X Hero motherboard
Samsung 970 Pro SSD
EVGA SuperNova 850 Platinum

I built my PC around October/November of 2017, it's had no problems since then. I moved in September of 2018 but the setup remained identical and again, everything's been fine. Yesterday though, my PC tripped the circuit breaker in my apartment. Just the breaker for the living room.

My immediate thought was that I was drawing too much power and that tripped the breaker. Did some quick math and no, I'm well under the 15A limit. Ok, so I tried another outlet connected to a different breaker (a 20A one with nothing else on the circuit). Same behavior. At this point I'm extremely confused. I tried a different surge protector and saw the same behavior. On a whim I tried connecting the PC directly to the outlet and the breaker trips stopped.

So my question is, what on earth could cause a PC to trip a circuit breaker only when it's connected to a (or any as far as I can tell) surge protector? And why would it not exhibit the same behavior plugged directly into the outlet?

At first I was strongly suspecting my PSU, but now I'm not sure what is happening.

Any thoughts or inputs would be greatly appreciated.
 

hordesofkailas

Prominent
Nov 16, 2017
16
0
510
Guys at work think there may be a worn out varistor in the surge protector. I'll try a new surge protector tonight. All of mine are pretty old. We'll see what happens then.
 

hordesofkailas

Prominent
Nov 16, 2017
16
0
510


The first time was right after I booted into a game, so under load.

But since then, the trips have all occured right after boot.

 

hordesofkailas

Prominent
Nov 16, 2017
16
0
510
So I bought a new surge protector, connected my PC and monitor to it, and it tripped the circuit breaker when I went to boot a game.

It trips the breaker now when directly connected to the wall. And after the first trip, it happens more quickly. But the first trip can take a while to happen.

So it's not related to the surge protectors, i have everything else on another circuit (including the monitor), it's just my PC on this one. I measured power usage at the outlet and my tower consumes no more than 375W even when in game.
I am stumped. Is it my PSU or does my apartment have shitty wiring?
 


Try another room to be sure, then if it doesn't happen in that room inform the management.
 

hordesofkailas

Prominent
Nov 16, 2017
16
0
510
So I've figured out the issue but I'm not quite there yet on the solution. I've been tripping an AFCI breaker. I guess it doesn't like the power signature my PSU puts out on system or game boot.

I have my system set up in the kitchen on a non-AFCI circuit and haven't had a single trip. I'm waiting for my apartment to replace the AFCI breaker. I'm hoping a new one would be less sensitive. I also have a UPS that will hopefully smooth out that arc-like signature. If the nuisance tripping continues...well I'll cross that bridge latee.