please help with current problem pc

[Cobra26]

Dear Techgage members,

Before i start here is my rig:

Lian Li Tyr pcx500 case
Corsair HX650w
Intel Postville ssd 80gb
Intel core i7 920 (do) use stock cooling
EVGA X58 SLI LE
EVGA Gtx260 super clocked (55nm)
Western Digital Black 500gb
Mushkin 1600mhz 6gb
Sony Optiarc dvd burner
Razer Salmosa mouse
Labtec standand keyboard plus.
Windows Vista 64 Ultimate

There is a odd problem, i have 2 pc's one as mentioned above and the second a amd 3800+, asus a8n deluxe, 6600gt, 2gb, coolermaster 450w, a soundcard. Any way if i turn of my old pc and switch to my new rig everything is ok. But when i turn on my old pc the new pc has some electrical current on the case if i touch it, the new pc is plugged in a grounded socket while the old one is plugged in a not-grounded socket. I cant understand... whenever i use the old pc i make sure the speakerset and screen are disconnected from the new pc (i use one screen for both pc's as wel as one speakerset 2.1). And make sure the new pc video card cable is disconnected as well from the screen. I make sure the cables do not share 2 pc's for the current to go trhough...grounded and ungrounded). Hence the disconnecting the plug of the new pc from the socket see here:

http://forums.techgage.com/showthread.php?t=5541

This helps no more odd current on my new pc but its not recommended.
All i can think of the grounded and on-grounded socket share the same power source....

I have to say i have a creative megaworks THX 2.1 250D wich is powerfull especialy the huge woofer arround 250W rms. And it has magnetic shielding.

Here are my solutions
A: buy me 2 pair of new speakers (low power 10W) one integrated in the screen and one for the old pc and get rid of my megaworks

B: try to connect the old pc on a grounded socket see if that helps.

C: Add a second screen? (the problem is money lol)

I'm realy out of options, i even tried to connect my old pc to a socket (not grounded) near the bathroom but the same problem occurs.

Help is much appreciated.

 

[Rob Williams]

I am not the one to answer this, but it's something you'd want to find out soon. I almost wonder if a cable somewhere has a small split in it, or something. The only time I've ever had a chassis give me a shock was when the carpet in the room was a bit damp after a basement flood. I assume you have nothing like dampness that could be the issue?

Hope someone else comes in here with a bit more knowledge of electricity than I do. It's probably a simple problem with a simple solution.

 

[2Tired2Tango]

Any way if i turn of my old pc and switch to my new rig everything is ok. But when i turn on my old pc the new pc has some electrical current on the case if i touch it, the new pc is plugged in a grounded socket while the old one is plugged in a not-grounded socket.

What you are describing is a ground fault and it can be potentially very dangerous to both your equipment and you. If you were to touch both computers at the same time you could take up to 220v, hand to hand... right across your heart...

See the electrical safety information here

The immediate solution is simple... get a power bar... plug both machines into the power bar and plug the power bar into the grounded outlet.

The better solution is to get an electrician in to fix your wiring...

 

[Cobra26]

Thank you guy's for the reply's,

Yes Bob hopefully there is a simple solution because its realy annoying and potantialy dangerous.
You got me realy scared Tango its dangerous for me as wel as for my pc's. I will take your advise seriously. This is not a thing to play arround with. I dont want to screw me or my pc's. But good thing you warned me realy appreciate it. If you wouldnt warn me perhaps i would have done something very stupid....

Il call my energy company wich provides me electricity and gas see if they can help me, if that doesnt work out.

I will do the simple solution with the power bar wich you provided me, hope this will help the problem. If it helps then i have one question: is it no problem to use 1 screen as well as 1 speaker set (until i can buy new speakers when i have the money) for 2 pc's?

 

[2Tired2Tango]

Thank you guy's for the reply's,

Yes Bob hopefully there is a simple solution because its realy annoying and potantialy dangerous.
You got me realy scared Tango its dangerous for me as wel as for my pc's. I will take your advise seriously. This is not a thing to play arround with. I dont want to screw me or my pc's. But good thing you warned me realy appreciate it. If you wouldnt warn me perhaps i would have done something very stupid....

Il call my energy company wich provides me electricity and gas see if they can help me, if that doesnt work out.

I will do the simple solution with the power bar wich you provided me, hope this will help the problem.

To be honest, you should do the power bar thing anyway... Getting all your equipment on a common ground strap is the safest way of all. It doesn't have to be an expensive proposition... You can get a perfectly good 8 outlet bar at Home Hardware for under $30cdn

Your power utility isn't responsible for the wiring in your house (or unit) they only provide power to the nearest pole... from there it's up to electricians. The good news is that if you are in a rented unit, it's the landlord who foots the bill for it.

 

[2Tired2Tango]

is it no problem to use 1 screen as well as 1 speaker set (until i can buy new speakers when i have the money) for 2 pc's?

There are KVM type switches available for just that purpose... Of course you can move the cables back and forth, but that's going to cause a lot of wear and tear on the connectors... The thing is that by the time you mess with all the switches and fittings, you've pretty much spent the cost of a refurbished monitor and yer basic keyboard/mouse combo...

In the short term I see no problem moving connectors, around so long as you are careful not ot yank the cords or bend the pins...

 

[Cobra26]

Ok i tried the sollution to connect both pc's on one power bar and hook it up on a grounded socket.

And it helps!! Thanks Tango! no more current on my new pc case. Wauw....what a wonderfull feeling.
regarding the issue with 1 screen for 2 pc's. My screen has a dvi and vga so i use the vga for the old pc and dvi for the new pc. Should this be a problem i mean if use only the old pc is there any way that it can hurt the new pc because of the current that passes through not only through the vga but also through the dvi (via my new pc) Above i asked to disconnect the cables if that was ok now with the problem solved i hope regarding the ground fault i was thinking to just let the cables at peace no more disconnecting the screen cables. Otherwise a KVM switch.

To bad those pc's when shutt off drains 60W !!! ridicioulously for doing absolutley nothing. Or my power usage devise is somehow sick

Hope this is not to much to ask

 

[2Tired2Tango]

To bad those pc's when shutt off drains 60W !!! ridicioulously for doing absolutley nothing. Or my power usage devise is somehow sick
Hope this is not to much to ask

60w is a bit high. Most are under 10w in their "off" state.

Check it again now that the ground fault is fixed.

FWIW, that might also account for the errors you were getting.

 

[Rob Williams]

Whew, thanks for saving a forum member's life, Tango! We have too few a number of members as it is!

D!)

 

[Cobra26]

Thanks for th reply,

Do not buy Brennenstuhl PM 230 for checking your power consumption it has a very low accuracy. Wish i had know this earlier. I would have bought my self a Voltcraft energy monitor 3000 wich gives 3.4 watt on a similar pc. This was from a review wich tested arround 7 or so wattage testers and the brennensthul got one of the lowest points because of its inaccuracy. All the rest of the devise shown arround 2.5 to 3.0watt on a pc shut off. The benshmark was was made with a Zes Zimmer LMG95 wich gave 3.10watt as a reference for testing the devises. Note the brennensthul gives a rating of 31.46Watt ! Clearly a bad product. I think both my pc's use arround 7 to 10 watt when shutt off.

 

[Cobra26]

Whew, thanks for saving a forum member's life, Tango! We have too few a number of members as it is!

D!)

Hehe

Yeah he might saved my life if it wasnt for him i would done something very stupid and thanks to him no more ground fault. He was realy helpfull
This site is one of the few that realy had good advise and help from forum members. I know because you bob/tango and others realy helped me with questions about best motherboard etc etc. Well i'm very happy to be a member of this forum.