Identifying a problem:- graphics card, external sound card stopped working (possible power surge??)

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Glimmer

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Apr 29, 2012
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Hey

I have a problem that seems to affected many components. I just wondered if anyone knew how this could have happened.

I was watching a movie on my pc when the power went off. It could have been a lightning strike.

When I turned things back on, the pc started fine , so no problem with the power, but there was no picture.

Also my USB powered DAC doesn't work (tested it on another pc). Other USB devices seem fine. I tried other HDMI outputs in my tv and non will display. Would a power outage cause this kind of damage?

Thanks to anyone who can help
 
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plywrlw

plywrlw

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Jul 5, 2014
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It can do I'm afraid. I always unplug my pc from the wall when there is a storm as even a surge protector can't cope with a nearby lightning strike sometimes. Hopefully your motherboard is ok as more often than not its the motherboard that is damaged by power surges.
 
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W

westom

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Mar 30, 2009
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If a power outage caused damage, then so does powering off electronics. International design standards long before PCs existed required all electronics to work just fine or power off on all low or no voltages. Without damage.

Assume damage is from a transient. Electricity means an incoming and another outgoing path must exist. Your damage is classic of an outgoing path to ground. So what was the incoming path?

Lightning far down the street (to wires overhead or underground) means a surge is incoming to every appliance. Are all damaged? Of course not. That surge is hunting for earth ground. Apparently it found a best outgoing path via a USB port and an HDMI port. So only those devices are damaged.

Damage is due to a human mistake. You did not earth that surge before it could enter the building. So it went hunting inside. Every utility wire (inside every incoming cable) must connect to single point earth ground either directly with a hardwire. Or with a next best thing; a 'whole house' protector.

Two completely different devices exist. A protector adjacent to an appliance is completely different from another protector, located at the service entrance, that actually claims and does protection. Even unplugging is as unreliable as an adjacent protector. Facilities that cannot have damage always use proper earthing and 'whole house' protector. Companies such as Keison, ABB, and Siemens provide these superior and less expensive solutons.




 
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