I was wondering if the reason my computer is turning off because of all the air conditioners that are on in my apartment building or is it because of my computer. The lights appear to flicker for a second before the computer turns off to. I tried to put new paste on the cpu I am going to do the gpu soon with sand paper to. The cpu had a bent pin when I took it out. It had the same problems before I took it out. I bent the pin back and it felt kind of loose but it turned on any way. So what could be the cause of the random shut downs. That don't seem to correspond to anything I am doing.
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Cmputer shuting down with out error. Lights in room blinking to
- Thread starter shawnmcc
- Start date
- Joined
- Jul 14, 2013
- Location
- Holed up in Branford, CT
"sandpaper" the gpu? Do you mean "Lap" it? Those dips and spikes in voltage are bad. I would think about moving to a place that has cleaner power delivery.
- Joined
- Jun 28, 2012
Or just get a UPS that covers for spikes and brown outs and you're fine.
- Joined
- Jul 14, 2013
- Location
- Holed up in Branford, CT
To me that is just a band aid. It can't be good for anything electronic. If it is bad enough to cause his pc to actually shutdown it has to be pretty bad.
- Joined
- Jun 28, 2012
That's literally one of the two functions that UPS's are made for....
- Joined
- May 15, 2006
As ATM said, the whole point to get a UPS is to prevent the system from shutting down when the voltage dips (brown out) or if the power goes out completely. A UPS will fix this problem.
- Joined
- Apr 20, 2004
- Location
- JAX, Mississauna
But UPS won't diagnose the real problem with A/C power in the room the computer is located in. Could even be low power to the whole domicile which is not good on anything having power to it act that way.
RGone...
RGone...
- Joined
- Jun 28, 2012
Lots of countries around the world have issues like this, no matter what area.
At least with a UPS the computer equipment can be protected.
- Joined
- Apr 20, 2004
- Location
- JAX, Mississauna
@ shawnmcc...
...Back in the early 90's I worked as an electrician and just a little remembrance is why I suggested not putting a band-aid (UPS) on what may be a gunshot wound potentially. Safety in my eyes when giving advise is paramount. None of us maybe certified electricians in our zip code but we can certainly understand simple safety concerns.
Flickering Lights Could Be Signs of a Bigger Problem
Why Do My Lights Flicker?
Ignoring flickering lights could result in house fire
ELECTRICAL SAFETY TIPS
U.S. fire departments responded to an estimated annual average of 47,820 reported home structure fires involving electrical failure or malfunction in 2007-2011. These fires resulted in 455 civilian deaths, 1,518 civilian injuries and $1.5 billion in direct property damage.
Lights in my condo flickering. Put on any load and they really take off.
I came in tonight and lights are flickering, as is the orange light in the surge protector that the printer/puter/tv is plugged in to. When I put it under a load at all IE if I print something, the lights *really* flicker. What is this about?
You should probably unplug anything electronic. If you do have a floating neutral, when you put a load (printer) on one hot rail it puts a higher voltage on the other hot rail. For instance, if the printer pulls its hot down to 50 volts, anything plugged into the other hot will see 180 volts. Not good for electronics.
I would suggest 'shawnmcc' that you err on the side of caution and have your electrical problem diagnosed by those competent to do so in your locale. Far better to be safe with your family and other electrical components than to perhaps just band-aid a larger issue.
RGone...
...Back in the early 90's I worked as an electrician and just a little remembrance is why I suggested not putting a band-aid (UPS) on what may be a gunshot wound potentially. Safety in my eyes when giving advise is paramount. None of us maybe certified electricians in our zip code but we can certainly understand simple safety concerns.
Flickering Lights Could Be Signs of a Bigger Problem
Why Do My Lights Flicker?
Ignoring flickering lights could result in house fire
ELECTRICAL SAFETY TIPS
U.S. fire departments responded to an estimated annual average of 47,820 reported home structure fires involving electrical failure or malfunction in 2007-2011. These fires resulted in 455 civilian deaths, 1,518 civilian injuries and $1.5 billion in direct property damage.
Lights in my condo flickering. Put on any load and they really take off.
I came in tonight and lights are flickering, as is the orange light in the surge protector that the printer/puter/tv is plugged in to. When I put it under a load at all IE if I print something, the lights *really* flicker. What is this about?
You should probably unplug anything electronic. If you do have a floating neutral, when you put a load (printer) on one hot rail it puts a higher voltage on the other hot rail. For instance, if the printer pulls its hot down to 50 volts, anything plugged into the other hot will see 180 volts. Not good for electronics.
I would suggest 'shawnmcc' that you err on the side of caution and have your electrical problem diagnosed by those competent to do so in your locale. Far better to be safe with your family and other electrical components than to perhaps just band-aid a larger issue.
RGone...
- Joined
- Jun 6, 2011
If you live in the Northern Hemisphere, it's summer time of course. It is common for utilities to reduce voltage system wide to prevent blackouts. Your a/c or refrigerator might works as well as it typically does, your lights may be dimmer. However, take Rgone's advice, and have your home checked. The cost having your power problems diagnosed is small in comparison the cost of your life as well as others lives. Make sure that the electrician is licensed, you don't want to have a general contractor, or "some guy who knows about electricity" evaluate the issue.
- Joined
- Nov 28, 2001
Considering that the OP has to wait a month before they can afford to buy a UPS, the cost of diagnosing electrical problems by a licensed electrician, would be prohibitive. Especially if this is something occurring throughout homes in the vicinity/general area, which means that he would have just spent money on a G.E., just for the G.E. to tell the OP that his wiring and delivery is fine, and it's just the supply from the utility having issues.
That is not to say that a G.E. is unnecessary, but first, find out whether it's just the utility having issues, or if it's really something in the home.
That is not to say that a G.E. is unnecessary, but first, find out whether it's just the utility having issues, or if it's really something in the home.
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- Jul 14, 2013
- Location
- Holed up in Branford, CT
This...... I am 54 years old and been using computers since 1984 and never have had an issue like this once. He is having problems every time a darn appliance turns on lol! Something ain't right. A UPS is for an occasional power outage not for your electricity basically failing on you every time a load is put on it.
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I would assume he has a landlord or something. Didn't he say he lived in a apartment complex of some sort?
- Joined
- Jun 28, 2012
You're thinking from a strictly USA based situation.
This is common in some countries. I know we had a thread a while back where the exact same thing happened with a guy in India.
Now, if he's somewhere that there's good power everywhere else, then it is a problem like you're thinking.
- Joined
- Jul 14, 2013
- Location
- Holed up in Branford, CT
A UPS isn't actually "fixing" anything.
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Well unless otherwise stated I would assume he is in the states.
- Joined
- May 15, 2006
Of course it isn't fixing anything electrical, it is fixing the problem of his system shutting down. ATM and I did not say to get a UPS and ignore the power issues. You are reading into my post way too hard.
- Joined
- Jun 28, 2012
Obviously it doesn't fix power issues. It protects the equipment connected to it.
Just because I suggested the UPS doesn't mean he should ignore the problem with the power.
I always assume any case is possible until something is stated, because we all know what assuming does.
- Joined
- Apr 20, 2004
- Location
- JAX, Mississauna
Well where human life and welfare might be at issue, I am going to be perfectly clear in stating that a UPS is not a fix for his overall condition. Had it been stated that a UPS might keep the computer from shutting down but it was extremely important to find the root cause...well that would have helped against any assumptions. I read the suggestions for getting a UPS and I live in the states and was more than a little astonished that the OP was not advised to at least give a cursory look into the actual electrical problem.
It might be that I see things a little diffently having worked in the trade for awhile and have seen homes with the open neutral and the burn marks out of the socket and up the wall. But again, strokes for folks, I guess. If the OP has not gotten a message by now, then there is no help for it anyway.
Luck all.
RGone...
It might be that I see things a little diffently having worked in the trade for awhile and have seen homes with the open neutral and the burn marks out of the socket and up the wall. But again, strokes for folks, I guess. If the OP has not gotten a message by now, then there is no help for it anyway.
Luck all.
RGone...
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