Antec RMA not going so well

Dermen · Feb 9, 2011

I bought an Antec NeoEco 520C from newegg. I bought it for a system I was building but I didn't have all the parts yet. So I sent in the rebate without testing the unit (won't do that again). When I get the rest of the system and put it together the circuit breaker trips when I hit the power button. I throw the psu in another system and the same thing happens. I can't return it now since I sent the rebate, so I have to RMA (and I bought another PSU so I wouldn't have to wait).

The PSU comes back and I test it, the same thing happens (this is in a different PC than the ones I tested the first one in). I contact Antec again, they ask if it is plugged into a UPS, I reply no, they ask the amperage of the breaker and say it is unlikely that two psus have the same problem. I respond saying 15a and let them know 3 PCs all work fine on the breaker, noting that I tested their psu with everything on the breaker off. Their responses were taking <24hrs, now it has been a full week without hearing from them.

Dermen · Feb 10, 2011

I asked for an update, they said they are waiting to hear back from the engineers.

Dermen · Feb 10, 2011

So, after answering some questions from their engineers and doing a few hours of testing I found the issue.

If my LCD monitor is plugged into a surge protector on the same circuit as the PSU it will trip the breaker. If the monitor is plugged directly into the wall the PSU works fine. Three other PSUs work fine either way (2x Corsairs and a Pico). I guess that is what you get with a cheap PSU, even if it is an 80+ Antec based off a Seasonic design.

I'm waiting to hear back from them now, hoping they will offer me a different Antec PSU with similar wattage since this one won't work for me. But they could easily just blow me off. This will be a good test of how good their customer support is.

updawg · Feb 10, 2011

Could it be that you just have a weak breaker and the PSU is fine?

theELVISCERATOR · Feb 10, 2011

How old is the breaker in question? replace it they are around 10 dollars.

Dermen · Feb 10, 2011

updawg said:
Could it be that you just have a weak breaker and the PSU is fine?

I run 3 PCs on this breaker and have no problems unless I put the Antec in one of them. If I put the Antec in one of them and unplug the other 2 PCs the breaker will still trip. If the breaker was the problem I would think it would trip with 3-4x the load, but it doesn't.

theELVISCERATOR · Feb 11, 2011

Dermen said:
I run 3 PCs on this breaker and have no problems unless I put the Antec in one of them. If I put the Antec in one of them and unplug the other 2 PCs the breaker will still trip. If the breaker was the problem I would think it would trip with 3-4x the load, but it doesn't.

Its strange no doubt, do you have a mulitimeter? I have noticed nice voltage increases at the outlet in this old house when I put in new outlets and new breakers.

YMMV of course but I gained about 5 volts from doing so...122 is much better then 117.....

Have you tried the antec on other circuits with the same result? Sometimes weird things occur that can lead you to false conclusions.

And sometimes your first hunch is right all along its just a flaky PSU that doesnt like your particular hw.

I just like eliminating all possibilites, and what remains must be the truth!

Dermen · Feb 11, 2011

I spent hours today trying different things. First I tested the PSU on a circuit with nothing on it, and it worked fine. So I then tested it on the questionable circuit with everything else unplugged. Worked fine. So then I started plugging things back in until it failed. Spent hours. Anytime this one monitor is plugged into a surge protector (tried multiple protectors at different plugs) and the antec psu PC is powered on it will trip. If the monitor isn't on a surge protector the breaker won't trip. Now I didn't test the monitor and PSU on a different circuit, which I suppose I could do but I was sick of messing with it and was pretty sure I found the problem.

The thing is, the monitor works fine with other PSUs in the same computers. It is just like the Antec PSU and monitor don't like each other.

Audioaficionado · Feb 11, 2011

Any ground fault protection on that breaker?

Dermen · Feb 11, 2011

Audioaficionado said:
Any ground fault protection on that breaker?

Nope.

I still plan to do a little more testing, but it is such a pain lol

4GHZ_or_bust · Feb 12, 2011

Maybe one of them used odd hot ground connection?

You still get tripped even when the monitor's video isn't plugged into anything?

Last resort: get a pliers, grasp the male end of the monitor's power cable, and rip out the ground prong. If the monitor and PSU behaves together, you have a weird grounding issue. 99% of the time non CRT monitor will be fine without ground connection.

Dermen · Feb 12, 2011

4GHZ_or_bust said:
Maybe one of them used odd hot ground connection?

You still get tripped even when the monitor's video isn't plugged into anything?

Last resort: get a pliers, grasp the male end of the monitor's power cable, and rip out the ground prong. If the monitor and PSU behaves together, you have a weird grounding issue. 99% of the time non CRT monitor will be fine without ground connection.

Even with the video unplugged. It also only happens when the monitor is plugged into a surge protector. Everything is fine if it is just plugged into an outlet. I'm going to test if another monitor does the same thing as well, just haven't done it yet.

Audioaficionado · Feb 12, 2011

Have you tried this on a different breaker circuit of the same amperage?

Either that or change the breaker itself, but only if you know how to safely do it.

Dermen · Feb 20, 2011

I did more testing today.

I swapped out the monitor and had the same result. I then tried a different breaker with both monitors and it worked fine. So I guess the circuit breaker is questionable and the PSU is fine.

One thing I noticed when I was at the breaker box, the suspect breaker is different than the other one I used for testing. It has a green square looking button thing that is also found on the 2 breakers for the 2 bathrooms in the house.

Antec was very helpful throughout the process and I wouldn't have any problems buying from them again.

Audioaficionado · Feb 20, 2011

Dermen said:
I did more testing today.

I swapped out the monitor and had the same result. I then tried a different breaker with both monitors and it worked fine. So I guess the circuit breaker is questionable and the PSU is fine.

One thing I noticed when I was at the breaker box, the suspect breaker is different than the other one I used for testing. It has a green square looking button thing that is also found on the 2 breakers for the 2 bathrooms in the house.

Antec was very helpful throughout the process and I wouldn't have any problems buying from them again.

Sounds like a GFI breaker. The slightest ground fault will trip it off. Sounds like maybe one of your monitors or PSU might have a faulty ground leakage problem.

Say you are in you wet bathroom and you reach over to turn on a fan or other electrical appliance and it has the hot side connected to the case as a defect or from wear and then as the electrical current starts to flow to ground through you because the ground plug is disconnected or broken, your GFI will detect it and instantly trip off the breaker and save your life.

Dermen · Feb 20, 2011

That is what I assumed it was. The other circuit I used for testing had a regular breaker and a GFCI outlet. Shouldn't it act the same, maybe one could be more sensitive?

Could it be a faulty power cord? I used a different one when I did the tests on the 2nd breaker.

It still is weird that it only does it if the monitor is plugged into a surge protector though.

4GHZ_or_bust · Feb 20, 2011

If there were more than 1 GFI on the same circuit, it's asking for trouble. It's also likely there's odd or faulty grounding with the monitor or PSU.

GFI is generally used in bathrooms, kitchen, basement, and garage where there could be water and electricity at the same time. GFI is generally not needed elsewhere.

Dermen · Feb 21, 2011

There weren't more than one on a circuit. One circuit has a GFI breaker with regular outlets, the other circuit has a regular breaker and one GFI outlet.

I think the breaker is GFI because it has 2 outlets on a wall that had plumbing in it (bathroom on the other side).

Antec RMA not going so well

Dermen

Member

Dermen

Member

Dermen

Member

updawg

StarCraft II Fanatic

theELVISCERATOR

Member

Dermen

Member

theELVISCERATOR

Member

Dermen

Member

Audioaficionado

Sparkomatic Moderator

Dermen

Member

4GHZ_or_bust

Now 6GHz or Bust!

Dermen

Member

Audioaficionado

Sparkomatic Moderator

Dermen

Member

Audioaficionado

Sparkomatic Moderator

Dermen

Member

4GHZ_or_bust

Now 6GHz or Bust!

Dermen

Member

Similar threads