I'm not an electrician but I some clever heads together

[beachlover]

Hi everyone
I have the strangest problem that no matter who I ask in the trade they seem to scratch their head and tell me to buy a surge protection unit. I have bought a million surge protections units Just sayin

Here is the problem and some of things done over the past three years to try to resolve it ....

I seem to be getting some sort of problem that is blowing up my computers. No amount of electrical test seem to find the faults. It's not just bad components or the company's where I buy the machines either.
I have estimated Over 16 devices blown and 47 repairs since 2014. This is from five different companies where I have purchased computers with a warranty.
Computers last typically for anything up to two days or two weeks before failing. This most common failure benign burnt chips on the GPU s

It is my understanding The modern motherboards have built in surge protection and they go into protection mode when a surge is detected. I have had this happen but when I next switch on the computer the GPU is damaged or becomes damaged.

Work carried out on my electricity by the electrician working for the housing association house I live in

1 - four different surge protectors bought
2- ups bought with surge protection
3 - 2013 a full electrical test on RCD panel and all sockets - passed
4- 2015 another full electrical test - passed
5- electric supplier monitored for surges from outside- none detected
6- two sockets faceplates replaced (the ones used for my computer)
7 - independent electrician hired tested sockets. No fault found.
8 - Eco Max Home Voltage optimiser fitted on RCD panel and set to 230v

Other information.
No other devices in the house fail and we have two HD TVs, a MacBook, two iPhones, router, and the usual lamps, kitchen equipment. New mouse,keyboard,HDMI cables,USB cables purchased

UK based electrical system with RCD panel with an additional Volt regulator fitted. We have 240 volts coming into the house
The housing association also fitted a gadget that regulates the volatage 230

On the last occasion I saw the the computer component frizzle smoke and could see the damage. I'm really worried about a fire risk
I have on occasion see sparks come from the switch on the outlet.

I would appreciate your thoughts on why this is happening to me as three independent electrical test and Electricians tell me they can not find or think of what could be causing it.

No computing for me for a while

Many thanks

 

[beachlover]

Well ok then I'm going back to my original idea;Power quality analysis. If your PV is doing strange things then it would be picked up. I can't really see where or how you can investigate further without such an approach. I think I agree with DavisonP, turn off your PV inverter and see what happens.

Does PV mean asking the electrician to turn of the solar panels?
I'm making a list of everything everybody has said so when the electrician turns up Monday I can put forward your suggestions .

 

[beachlover]

Please bear with me
I'm not familiar with the electrician speak
So I'm trying to take notes to tell the electrician on Monday

You are all awesome and I'm very grateful you have all got your heads together to help me with this.
Perhaps you all should have your next electric convention at my house (joking)

I'm really very gradual I mean grateful
Damn iPhone spell check

 

[The Ghost]

Does PV mean asking the electrician to turn of the solar panels

Yes it does mean isolating the supply from your solar panels so that they are no longer feeding into your house system/grid. As you are getting cooked capacitors from what you describe I can only imagine that there is higher voltage going through them than they are rated for and the electrolytic medium is drying out way too fast. And clearly somehow your computers are operating beyond their rated voltages d.c. and current capacity. You have had SSE out and they confirm it is not coming from your a.c. supply so the only possible suspect is the PV being the villain of the scene. There should be a label on your PV equipment detailing who installed it. Maybe you should contact them for information. As has been alluded to has your PV been checked lately? Maybe time to do so, or the Landlord should? Clearly beaten to death the idea of computer setup possibilities there is nothing else to consider....

 

[Davisonp]

I have no experience with the stuff, but is that a PV circuit I see there, and Air Source Heat Pump?

Well Spotted, with Solar Panels feeding into the system it is another possible source of problems, and the feed from the solar panels will vary significantly. It may be worth isolating the solar inverter for a few weeks to see if that solves the problem.

I will ask the electrician about this on Monday
I'm not sure but I did think the previous electrician said it was on a different circuit from the other household stuff.

Different circuit but on the same consumer unit, so indirectly connected to the computer circuit.

 

[Davisonp]

Does PV mean asking the electrician to turn of the solar panels?
I'm making a list of everything everybody has said so when the electrician turns up Monday I can put forward your suggestions .

PV is electrician speak for solar panels

 

[HandySparks]

It may be worth isolating the solar inverter for a few weeks to see if that solves the problem.

I'd agree. Definitely worth a try, especially as they won't be generating as much at this time of year, so you won't loose out by much.

 

[Davisonp]

Yes it does mean isolating the supply from your solar panels so that they are no longer feeding into your house system/grid. As you are getting cooked capacitors from what you describe I can only imagine that there is higher voltage going through them than they are rated for and the electrolytic medium is drying out way too fast. And clearly somehow your computers are operating beyond their rated voltages d.c. and current capacity. You have had SSE out and they confirm it is not coming from your a.c. supply so the only possible suspect is the PV being the villain of the scene. There should be a label on your PV equipment detailing who installed it. Maybe you should contact them for information. As has been alluded to has your PV been checked lately? Maybe time to do so, or the Landlord should? Clearly beaten to death the idea of computer setup possibilities there is nothing else to consider....

The solar panels have something called and inverter, and if this is malfunctioning it could cause larger or smaller voltages in the consumer unit (in electricians speak, inverter not synchronising to the incoming supply phase exactly)

 

[beachlover]

I found a letter from the solar panel company
They say it is on a different circuit and I remember they seemed reluctant to come out to visit. I guess it was because they had to come from Somerset to iow. A bit expensive to pay a fellow a day's pay for just one house call

Anyway I will insist

Thanks so much everyone you all awesome

 

[HandySparks]

They say it is on a different circuit and I remember they seemed reluctant to come out to visit. I guess it was because they had to come from Somerset to iow. A bit expensive to pay a fellow a day's pay for just one house call

Anyway I will insist

No need to get the solar company to visit. Just turn it off. There should be a switch marked solar AC isolator or similar, or just switch off the relevant circuit breaker.

 

[beachlover]

No need to get the solar company to visit. Just turn it off. There should be a switch marked solar AC isolator or similar, or just switch off the relevant circuit breaker.

Ok I will have a look after work
Or I will ask the electrician on Monday to turn it off
Out of interest how often should those panels be serviced? The housing association has to do yearly checks on the heating and boiler system
Should their be a minimum term for solar panel checks?

 

[Kamikaze]

Who do I ask to check the master sockets
I guess that is openreach?
Phew I don't think I have the linguistic skill to explain all that to BT India

Ohhppss sorry

Since all these computers, routers and powerline adaptors etc have one thing in common, my 2nd port of call, since all the other stuff has been checked, would have been the telephone line. It wouldn’t be the 1st time that a master socket wasn’t fully functional or the line voltage too high. The previous occupier of the property might have had the gain cranked up? Your electrician should be able to check the line voltage with a multimeter, although I’m with Lucien Nunes on this one and think it’s circulating ground currents.

 

[HandySparks]

Slightly off the wall. If you turn of the circuit breaker marked 'Sockets', does this turn off the supply to the sockets supplying your computer(s)?

 

[beachlover]

Yes

Slightly off the wall. If you turn of the circuit breaker marked 'Sockets', does this turn off the supply to the sockets supplying your computer(s)?

Yes....When I look in the box it has a trip switch for each item in my house .
Sockets. Shower. Lights .. and cooker...each have a different switch to flip if it goes off.

I know the sockets are on the same circuit cos when it has tripped before all the sockets in the house go out and I get annoyed because I have to reset the timer on the microwave
The computer goes out too if it trips
Is it relevant??

 

[beachlover]

Since all these computers, routers and powerline adaptors etc have one thing in common, my 2nd port of call, since all the other stuff has been checked, would have been the telephone line. It wouldn’t be the 1st time that a master socket wasn’t fully functional or the line voltage too high. The previous occupier of the property might have had the gain cranked up? Your electrician should be able to check the line voltage with a multimeter, although I’m with Lucien Nunes on this one and think it’s circulating ground currents.

That's interesting
However I do not plug in my computers via Ethernet. Since the three sets of powerline Adam peters (hahhahahaha gotta love Iphone spell check) failed I gave up with a wired internet connection and I only connect them via wifi

I say interesting because I do get a lot of internet drops. However that might just be clouding the issue. BT have investigated my internet drops and the master socket, cable into the house and cable from my house to the telegraph pole have been changed. They have also done a lift and switch at the exchange and switched the DSLAM in the cabinet.

What is a ground current? If I put my computer on the floor rather than on the computer shelf will it be grounded?

 

[HandySparks]

Is it relevant??

Maybe not.